Were those features noticeable on the slab when you picked it out?

We didn’t pick out the slab. We ordered it but didnt see it until the day of installation.

I have always examined and picked out my own slabs for all the projects I have done in the last 16 years ... around 12 slabs of different natural stones (quartzite, granite, limestone).

Did they use sealer on it? I would have them come clean it off with acetone (open windows and don't smoke) to remove any contaminants from fabrication or any sealers they might have applied. Hopefully this isn't one of those cheaper Chinese granites with high radon!

We were not given the option of picking out our slab and we weren't aware some places do that!

I did confirmed with them that the countertops were sealed, and that they always seal absolute black.

You paid for the slab. You must examine and OK how it looks and where the cuts are made. Nextn time only pay someone who accwpts those conditions. When you don't inspect at each stage this is more likely to be what you get. And live with.

@Kim Klotz Absolute Black granite should not be sealed. It is very dense.

The halo rings you're describing don't sound like natural stone variation to me — veining and color shifts are normal in granite, but distinct halos usually point to something on the surface, not in the stone itself. Since they confirmed it was sealed, my guess is sealer residue that wasn't fully buffed off, which is common and can leave exactly those cloudy halo marks on dark polished stone. Absolute black is a very dense granite that usually doesn't even need sealer, so I'd ask the company to come back and strip and re-buff the surface properly rather than accepting this as-is. A quick test you can do yourself: wipe an area with a damp cloth and see if the halos change or disappear — if they do, that's a surface film issue, not the stone. Don't sign off on the job until they've corrected it, since this should have been caught before installation.