Album Review: Horrendous – Ecdysis
To most metal fans, Horrendous doesn’t need an introduction. Dark Descent Records released its debut album, The Chills, many years ago to resounding approval. The Chills was on the forefront of the new wave of old-school death metal movement, around the time tech and modern death metal were in their death throes. It’s taken many years for Horrendous to release its much anticipated follow-up, Ecdysis, and it has been well worth the wait. Horrendous are back, and this album avoids any sophomore slump.
Ecdysis does more than maneuver around the dreaded sophomore album jitters, which has done-in many a metal band. Ecdysis is one of the year’s best albums. It’s not immediately clear on the first listen, but give that rock ‘n’ roll riff at the very start of the album its time to build up to the monster that Horrendous has created.
The production captures the guitar sound in all its gritty glory, and the rhythm section follows along like the cavalry in pursuit. The drums never get overworked; the bass lines sound like the bassist is in on the jam from the get-go. The songs are healthy, stout pieces that showcase the band’s experimental approach to songwriting this time around, and man, does Horrendous ever bury the nail in the coffin on every song on Ecdysis.
The band stays away from death metal cliché on Ecdysis, weaving riffs in and out of songs that are as fun to listen to as they are to headbang to. The guitars are tasteful, never sounding overdone. The chugga-chugga feels like livewire pulsing through the speakers. Horrendous is locked in, with each member of the band establishing a telepathic link to one another as the music changes tempo. Ecdysis has songs that remain in your thoughts moments after you’ve listened to the album. Personally, I haven’t air-guitared as much all year!
I almost can’t believe how much the musicianship has evolved in a mere matter of years for this band. You never once regret that it has taken the band this long to write another album’s worth of material. Horrendous sounds so good on Ecdysis that it blows away anything its released thus far. More than musical proficiency, it takes vision for a musician to craft an album of such impeccable quality. Horrendous thought about the details, re-thought them, took them apart if necessary, to build on good ideas exclusively, never one permitting filler to permeate the music.
It takes heart to depart from the path you’ve taken and create something different, never wanting to repeat yourself. Bands routinely get stoned for experimenting even just a little. Hell, bands get routinely stoned for playing the same shit over and over. Horrendous does a brilliant job writing a follow-up to a well received album. The band strays from the trappings of playing a style with the use of a template, experimenting, but only using good ideas that are, although different, worth the effort it takes to create quality music.
Track seven is a highlight. Never heard so many catchy riffs in one song. Honestly, it’s hard to pick a standout track, as all the songs are insanely good.
– Al Necro
Summoning Spirits 