Exhorder - Defectum Omnium

[Faustus]

Got fuck all else to do today now I'm outta the eye of the storm that is Paddys day in Belfast town centre. Went to HMV just before I left and was surprised to find the Exhorder new album cheaper than the internet.
The last Exhorder album was so boring to me I never even talked about it and I've always been a massive fan. I didn't even go to their show in Dublin not too long ago. Saw the made up recent live vids then and thought they were weak as fuck.
This album is well produced just like Testaments last thumbs up album but Exhorders last was samey southern american and seriously boring. First half here is so dull I can't even comment. The changes the band made kinda remind me of what 'The Armed' are doing cept Exhorder know this music by their generation an it aint just like a kid changing channels constantly. It just switches style for points between moods instead of delivering for themselves it seems to reach for relevance instead. Highlights are 'Year Of The Goat', the first song to deliver on this album at track 6.
'Taken By Flames' wins just on pure force straight after only to fall a bit flat at the end with Slayerisms. 'Stolen Hope' wishes it had  the same imapct of Pantera's 'Floods' but no chance, walk on home boy despite Thomas's very epic Geoff Tate vocals at the end.
'Lacing The Well' has some early Dark Angel to it intially that cuts to a Numetal groove chopping it's legs off before she's running.
'Sedition' sounds like they wanted a power metal Superjoint ordeal but it just don't make sense. A different band sound altogether.
Some of this hammers and they have no doubt threw everything at the wall to see what'll stick.
The last song weirdly sounds like when Spiritual Beggars went metal on 'Ad Astra'.
I will say that what this album has in abundance is variation especially from the mid to the end.




Exhorder - Defectum Omnium
1 - Wrath of Prophecies 2.5
2 - Under the Gaslight 3
3 - Forever and Beyond Despair 3.5
4 - The Tale of Unsound Minds 3.5
5 - Divide and Conquer 3.5
6 - Year of the Goat 5
7 - Taken by Flames 4
8 - Defectum Omnium/Stolen Hope 3.5
9 - Three Stages of Truth/Lacing the Well 3
10 - Sedition 2.5
11 - Desensitized 3
12 - Your Six 3

[The Great Cull]

New album is total shite. I thought Southern Skies was a very decent effort although I didn't make it along to their Dublin gig and I defo won't if they're back with the current lineup

[Anvil]

I have listened to it once, and I honestly don't know if I could listen to it again.

[Deranged Bear!]

Slaughter is one of my all time favourite albums so I was looking forward to hearing this in full. I enjoyed it and it will definitely get a few more spins.

Stolen Hope is the best song on their for me, love the early Exhorder/Pantera vibes and fuck me his vocals are unreal.

Their gig in the Voodoo lounge was deadly, easily one of the best gigs that year.

[Anton Arcane]

Based on the description of stuff the Police found in Pat O' Brien's house that time he was arrested, I suppose you could say he is an ex-hoarder.


Sorry.

[The Wretch]

New album has a few interesting moments, but it's pretty uninspired and confused sounding to my ears. And it isn't very Exhorder is it? I see Vinnie LaBella claims he was the main composer on the older stuff, and on the evidence of this, I'd be inclined to believe him. Mind you,' Mourn The Southern Skies' wasn't exactly a classic either. 

Slaughter remains their best by a long way for me. 'The Law' has some great riffs but the production always bugged me. And that cover art is beyond shite.