Review by UnhinderedbyTalent for Exhorder - Defectum Omnium (2024)

I am not the biggest fan of the seminal debut album from New Orlean's groove metallers Exhorder. Whilst filed firmly in the "overrated" pile of releases that seem to get undue praise, I still give it the odd spin now and again to make sure it is not just me being a dick (it isn't). Not to say that Exhorder are without their merits of course, just that I am easily put off by releases that promise so much but deliver so little - it is purely an expectations thing. It has been thirty-four years since Slaughter in the Vatican was released and Defectum Omnium is still only Exhorder's fourth full release ina career that spans nearly forty-years. In keeping with the debut, Defectum Omnium has some truly standout moments and at the same time, some other moments you hope to soon forget.

By far the strongest element here is those chunky, groovy riffs that blaze their presence across the surface of the record on many of the tracks here. Listening to the infectious riffing of Three Stages of Truth/Lacing the Well as I type this, I am reminded of PanterA and the many hours I spent with their albums as a teenager; the rolling riffs of Walk and I'm Broken being specific reminders I take from this record. Supported by a solid if never remarkable shift on the drum stool, the rhythm section of Exhorder put in a truly memorable effort. Unfortunately, the lead work leaves a lot to be desired. It is directionless and only serves to detract from some of the better tracks in particular. In fact, overall, the songwriting is not the best from a band who have been at this for four decades. They are trying to talk about all the right things you would expect a groove/thrash metal to; combining a punkish element in attitude at least in places. Yet, despite having relevant themes, they just come oue in a jumbled mess that sometimes gets translated by the structure of the songs but on so many other occasions fails to become barely legible really.

I do not know how many halfway decent groove metal records we should expect in 2024. I do not know how many we would expect per year over the last twenty years or so in fact. However, whilst Defectum Omnium most definitely does have its defects (could not resist) it is more of a disappointment than an absolute failure. There is power in the grooves here, a frantic pace to the more aggressive sections and a sense of a band still able to apply some relevance to themselves in an over-saturated sub-genre. A trim on the track numbers would certainly help and some more thought in the lead work is a must if there is to be another Exhorder album after this one. However, there is promise here, it just needs some space to develop into in without being compressed by sub-par and mediocre tracks and ideas.