It’s been seven years since Absu’s latest effort Abzu was released back in 2011 via Candlelight Records. The group has been relatively active since as they have released a handful of compilations, singles and performed throughout Europe and North America. However, the end could be near for the Texas black/thrash metal outfit due to political differences. Now, the story is currently in development and it is best to take all of this with a grain of salt until the band makes an official statement.

Absu guitarist Vis Crom, who has been with the band since 2009, has recently come out as a transgender and now lives under the name Melissa Moore. The United States is currently facing a sensitive time as the Trump administration is debating on taking discriminatory action against the nation’s transgender population by narrowly defining one’s gender by your genitalia at birth. Moore has responded to this action on her social media by calling it an “attempt to exterminate” and has also expressed how trans are currently being attacked physically and denied legal documents including passport renewals. Moore has advised all to “not vote for Republican Scum on Nov 6th.” While we cannot tell someone how to vote and who to vote for, we did learn that Moore’s coming out has also released questionable information on the future of Absu.

Read Moore’s full statement below:

“ACHTUNG! Most of you know me from my time as Vis Crom of Absu, even though I probably didn’t look like a Melissa then. I am a transgender woman. If you live in the USA I ask all true heavy metal brothers and sisters to NOT VOTE FOR REPUBLICAN SCUM on Nov 6. They are initiating a literal inquisition against trans people. I hate politics and never post but this is real and desperate. This is not politics, this is an attempt to exterminate. Word on the street is trans aggressively are being viciously attacked physically and denied documents (like passport renewals) to even flee this dystopia. I intend be a knife to the throat of these evangelical scum, but I can’t fight alone

Thank you for your time. We are all on the same team. Sex, Drinks and Metal for life!!! 666”

Toiletovhell originally reported this story, which resulted in Absu fans questioning if Moore is still an active member of the group as websites and the band’s Facebook currently reads her prior name, Vis Crom as a current member. Based on the below screenshot that came from a comment on Toiletovhell’s story, Moore mentioned she is no longer in the band in part due to “transphobia” and that the band has broken up.

Meanwhile, the group have announced a 25th Anniversary reissue LP of their debut album Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L.