Ecdysis
Horrendous
We really enjoyed our last dual review so we're throwing you another one. Straight off the Dark Descent label and it's a doozy. We hope you'll listen, buy and share the word about all of these great bands we review. The publicity we give them is well deserved.
Nuff said. Get on with it.
Track 1 - The Stranger
Grownman says
Synthy beginning. Major distortion on opening riffs that I'd expect from a band jamming out in their basement. Fuzzed out compression with a bit of a groove. The vocals are so strained and otherworldly. I enjoy when the song picks up with a bit of thrash momentum. Nice to hear some soloing over the fast rhythm later on in the song. A nice blend of classic death with some anthemic soloing spliced in.
Professor Fork Tongue says
I'm in love with the main riff on this. Sounds like something late era Carcass would conjure up. Horrendous has a melodic death metal streak in them somewhere. If there's one thing I love it's death metal with prominent bass. Vicious bass at that. First time listening to this I didn't really dig the vocals. Listening on headphones and I've completely reversed my stance. Some great solo which is something you're going to hear multiple times from me in this review. I'm no audiophile but one thing I can tell right off the bat is there is no "loudness war" production on this album. I'm not sure it's compressed at all. Every instrument has a chance to rip you to shreds. Easily the most well produced metal album I've heard all year.
Track 2 - Weeping Relic
Grownman says
Opening with a WTF moment. These vocals are bestial. The riffs are crossover crunchy. The percussion is really clean and bright. While I can't seem to get a grasp on the song's direction until 2/3rds in I can see that this band enjoys pushing the boundaries and keeping things off kilter.
Professor Fork Tongue says
This one kicks up the tempo a notch. I'm really appreciating this album a whole lot more through headphones. Again, the bass is fucking fantastic. I haven't heard leads like this on a death metal album in a long time. This one throws a couple curve balls at you.
Track 3 - Heaven's Deceit
Grownman says
Nice palm muted and distorted riffage. For what the production lacks the deep tones and throat bursting vocals make up for. Once again these throat shredding vocals over a constantly transitioning rhythm works. It's unorthodox yet still holds true to the classic death metal sound.
Professor Fork Tongue says
This is great but short. You can hear their progressive streak in this one. I'm not gonna sit here and throw a mish mash of band names out because while I can hear hints, they don't sound like any of them. It's refreshing to hear a death metal album that's accessible but can still tear your throat out. I thinks it's official that these guys have gone from top of the heap of the "OSDM" wave, to top of the heap of death metal in general. Morbus Chron went too far to the progressive side this year but these guys worked out the formula perfectly.
Track 4 - Resonator
Grownman says
Hello, this is faster and heavier. Everything seems to just pop in my ear drum. Thrashy punk death maneuvers in the dark.
Professor Fork Tongue says
Another great one. More straight up old school death metal on this one. Vocals particularly stand out. I really can't say enough about the guitar work on this album. Voice almost sounds like amp feedback towards the end of the song. Just vicious.
Track 5 - The Vermillion
Grownman says
An echoey acoustic instrumental. Sounds beautiful. Always worked for Sabbath.
Professor Fork Tongue says
I'm a sucker for a great instrumental break. A real nice come down moment from the brutality of the rest of the album.
Track 6 - The Nepenthe
Grownman says
So many strong points to this song. Starting off with some dissonant soloing on the tracks intro. There is a nice balance between the brutality of the vocals and the strong musicianship accompanying it. Twists and turns keep my ears guessing.
Professor Fork Tongue says
Allow me to cream my pants about the production of this album some more. I can turn this up as loud as I want without distortion and destroying my speakers. This loudness war compressed crap has got to go. Try that with most albums these days and your ears will slap you. There's a really nice piece in here with what sounds like minimalist atmospheric keyboards deep in the mix that sounds great in the headphones.
Track 7 - Monarch
Grownman says
Feels old school right from front street. The buzzing of the amps remind me of Metallica's "And justice for all" production. I love the soloing on this song and the upbeat rhythm throughout.
Professor Fork Tongue says
Oh man I love the soloing at the start but I love it even more when it really kicks in. This one is going to cause massive pits with the big riffs and anthem gang vocals.
Track 8 - When the Walls Fell
Grownman says
woah!!!! I wanna start singing "Over the Mountain". So Randy Rhoades-ish. I'm starting to think these guys own a time machine. This totally sounds like something straight out of the early to mid 80's. Well timed instrumental.
Professor Fork Tongue says
Whoa. This has a new NWOBHM vibe to it. A little out of place but I love it. These guys have some serious chops and I'm pretty sure they could do any kind of metal they want and do it well.
Track 9 - Pavor Nocturnus
Grownman says
Sounds sabbathy from the start. Iommi-esque slow riffing and that Ward'esque beat. You know this is gonna be an ominous tune from the start. Transitions into something akin to a Human era Death tune. Why have I never heard these guys before? There's a really nice bass line hidden around the mid point that I'll have to back track to on the album's next rotation in my playlist. Great old school outtro.
Professor Fork Tongue says
Slow and doomy at the start. Again, I love hearing the bass. Gives this track an extra creepiness vibe. I completely hear the Human era Death vibe that Grownman got.
Track 10 - Titan
Grownman says
As I could only expect after hearing the rest of this album. This is going to have some "Titan"-ic distortion. It definitely has a bluesy and soulful vibe which is completely unheard of on most death metal albums. Great way to close out an album that's constantly switching things up. There is not one moment on the album including this tune where I'm scrambling to regain my attention or find myself scratching my head over why something was thrown in.
Professor Fork Tongue says
Very somber track. Kind of vaguely reminds me of Sacriphyx who are great in their own right. The chanted vocals underneath the throat ripping vocals sounds great. I have a feeling this will be in my top 5 somewhere at the end of the year, it's that good. Go grab it from Dark Descent who are on a gigantic roll the last few years, especially this one.
Horrendous is Jamie Knox(drums) Damian Herring (guitars,vocals) Matt Knox (guitars,vocals)
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