Band:	Horrendous
Album:	Ecdysis
Style:	Death metal
Release date:	October 14, 2014
A review by:	Windrider

01. The Stranger
02. Weeping Relic
03. Heaven's Deceit
04. Resonator
05. The Vermillion
06. Nepenthe
07. Monarch
08. When The Walls Fell
09. Pavor Nocturnus
10. Titan

I know I also have other stuff to review, but really it's hard to stop listening to this album. This is about Horrendous' new album Ecdysis. Weird title, it describes the process of moulting, as Wikipedia tells me as a non-native English speaker. However I didn't know about this band before and to be honest I don't know much about classical death metal in general, but I know that this album rocks your socks. These guys hail from the USA and it's their second record.

What I often don't like about modern death metal is its slowing heaviness. Guitars tuned down to A or at least B, crushing headbangable but yet somewhat slow riffs, as seen in Kataklysm's latest efforts for example. It's good music, but lacks some pace and awesomeness. This is where a different approach kicks in, here in a form presented by Horrendous. Dynamic, yet still heavy music with some melodic objections. At some points dark, at others chaotic and wild. Ecdysis really amazes me.

This album has 10 songs and runs for about three quarters of an hour. Starting off with the longest song, "The Stranger" already shows most of the tempos the band is capable of playing. Doomy guitars and drums lead the first minutes, right before the music goes nuts and binds every headbanger. There are fast melodic parts in some songs that feel like driving full speed on a narrow ridge, where you are bound in amazement but know that a single misplaced note could destroy it all now. Yet this never happens, you get to the other side and still tremble with adrenaline. This is where the heaviness and darkness settles you again and prepares you for the next ride. Meanwhile, the vocals guide you through the journey. There are two vocalists in this band, who also play the guitars. I can't tell which voice is which person, but one has very tortured black metal attributes, while the other provides simply good and raw death metal vocals.

What makes this album great is its heavy metalish bass and soloing. The bass is more than a foundation here, taking control of the music at times and loudly supporting it in the low frequencies while the guitars are on a higher journey. Both guitars aren't tuned down more than a few steps, or at least they don't use it most of the time. Just one of the points indicating that Horrendous don't give a damn about conventions and rather stay rebellious. Other examples include the two instrumental tracks, which really add something to this record.

So could Ecdysis be something for you? If you are fan of death metal, yes. If you are fan of heavy metal or hard rock, try it out as well. After thinking for some minutes I figured that I can't pick any favourite songs here, as the band plays on a too constant, high level. And now I have to stop and concentrate on the next reviews... shit.