ALBUM REVIEW – EXHORDER

Formed in 1986, Exhorder released two seminal albums in the early ’90s including Slaughter In The Vatican(’90) & The Law (’92) which most long-time fans still adore to this day, me included. Pantera is generally credited with bringing groove metal / groove thrash metal to the mainstream public, but it should be noted, Exhorder were playing this same style at the exact same time, or arguably before Pantera. Vocalist Kyle Thomas reformed Exhorder in ’17 after a long hiatus, ultimately releasing their critically acclaimed comeback record Mourn the Southern Skies in ’19 proving they could still thrash and groove like the old days, but also had a few stylistic surprises up their sleeves. I loved the Southern Skies record and watched Exhorder live that same year at the Philadelphia Fillmore, and they killed it. As a result, my anticipation was high for Exhorder’s new ’24 release, Defectum Omnium.

Vocalist Kyle Thomas is the only original member appearing on all Exhorder albums, and I have to say, his vocals in ’24 are as strong as ever. Unlike the previous release, Kyle is also handling rhythm guitar duties this time around and he’s in good form. Also new is the addition of Pat O’Brien (Cannibal Corpse) and he fits in perfectly with his raw aggressive guitar tone. The band is rounded out by bassist Jason Viebrooks and drummer Sasha Horn. Defectum Omnium (Latin for “the failure of all”) is easily the most diverse Exhorder album in their discography, I hear plenty of their early thrash groove, doom metal, some nu-metal, grunge, punk, hardcore and even a hint of atmospheric black metal on occasion. Safe to say there is something for everyone here.  

The album contains twelve tracks clocking in at just under an hour. Defectum Omnium takes the listener on an extensive musical journey with multiple moods, feelings and styles. Kyle noted that he believes the album’s title is representative of current world affairs with lyrical themes going back and forth between surviving oppression, despair, melody, harmony and brittle hope. The album artwork by Travis Smith is striking, perfectly matching the underlying vibe of the album. The production works very well, somewhat modern with well-defined instruments but the overall sound is best described as crushingly H-E-A-V-Y! 

The album starts on a strong note with the aggressive ‘Wrath Of Prophecies’ emphasizing thick massive grooves and a thrash attack consistent with early Vatican era material. ‘Under the Gaslight’ features Exhorder’ssignature New Orleans infused groove led by the very capable rhythm section of Jason & Sasha. The bass solos and powerhouse drumming are particularly strong on this track. The punk driven ‘Forever and Beyond Despair’ benefits from dynamic tempo changes and some cool old-school thrash-oriented riffing & lead work. ‘The Tale of Unsound Minds’ contains super addictive hooks and it’s surprisingly catchy. I hear broad based metal influences including Alice in Chains, Candlemass and Black Sabbath. 

The shortest track ‘Divide and Conquer’ is another well executed thrasher delivering a catchy chorus and stellar riffing. ‘Year of the Goat’ exhibits plenty of hardcore attitude and reminds me of post Cowboys era Pantera. The drum work is intricate and well done but the overall track is too one dimensional in my opinion. ‘Taken by Flames’ transitions nicely from a slow heavy grind to a catchy thrashing pace with a hint of melody, strong lead guitar work and a diverse Kyle vocal performance where he ends with a signature Tom G. Warrior style grunt.           

The longest track ‘Defectum Omnium / Stolen Hope’ is a favorite of mine taking the listener on a musical journey. It begins with a haunting Latin sermon and choir, becomes skull crushing heavy before ultimately speeding up into a hook laden melodic climax. Kyle’s vocal diversity and range is on full display here. ‘Three Stages of Truth / Lacing the Well’ is another multi-faceted track featuring outstanding shredding guitar work everywhere (both acoustic and electric). ’Sedition’ is a straightforward punky thrash track allowing Jason’s bass to standout, but it’s a little generic relative to the better material on the album.       

‘Desensitized’ rebounds nicely, it’s rooted in thrash, but contains some well-placed hooks and melody, more excellent guitar work, and a killer Kyle vocal performance where he exhibits both anger and melody to great effect. The album ends with ‘Your Six’ featuring Rick Wartell & Bruce Franklin from the band Trouble. Given these talented guitar guests, it’s not surprising to hear some heavy doom-oriented guitar chugging in the Trouble vein. I hear some early Alice in Chains influence in Kyle’s vocals.  

In conclusion, Defectum Omnium expands the Exhorder sound which will appeal to many but disappoint some preferring the more old-school Exhorder song writing approach. I sit somewhere in the middle. Although the entire album doesn’t click with me, there’s plenty here I do enjoy and I’m thankful to have a fresh batch of Exhorder tunes in ‘24. To my ears, all the contrasting styles make the album slightly less cohesive and tougher to listen straight through from beginning to end. That said, the best tracks are incredibly strong.

Best Tracks – ‘Desensitized’, ‘Defectum Omnium / Stolen Hope’, Three Stages of Truth / Lacing the Well’, ‘Divide and Conquer’, ‘Taken by Flames’, ‘The Tale of Unsound Minds’ and ‘Wrath of Prophecies’

Exhorder’s Defectum Omnium drops March 8th via Nuclear Blast Records.