After returning from hiatus with the rather good comeback album Mourn The Southern Skies in 2019, New Orleans Thrash Metal legends Exhorder are at it again with new album Defectum Omnium (Nuclear Blast Records) – thankfully not making us wait another twenty-seven years. 

The rich production, burly riffs and the Chuck Billy-style vocals of Kyle Thomas in “Wrath of Prophecies” is your introduction to their fourth record – another tasty serving of brutal thrash, done in their signature mix of Testament aggression and Pantera grooves.

They switch between thick grooves and unrelenting Thrash with ease. The Doom-ridden “The Tale Of Unsound Minds” with its deep, sludgy groove and lightning solo is comfortably in the former camp. As is the Black Album style, slow but assuredly heavy thud of “Your Six”. 

The foot to the floor “Divide And Conquer”, with its faint touch of NWOBHM, is firmly in the latter and my only complaint is that it is over too soon. “In the year of the goat, I’m a fucking ram” barks Thomas in the shotgun blast of anger and breakneck speed that is “Year Of The Goat”. 

“Sedition” is a short and sharp three minutes of Punk-like Thrash, with a nice and fat bass line. 

It continues where Mourn The Southern Skies left off, offering up meaty Thrash with rich production, slightly cleaner vocals and extra elements for greater emphasis. 

The soft, melancholic acoustic intro of “Three Stages Of Truth/Lacing The Well” is soon kicked into touch by some brutal guitar work and a pounding drum beat. The dark, slightly too oppressive atmosphere and doomy riffs of “Defectum Omnium/Stolen Hope” is prefaced by atmospheric, choral chanting.  

The NOLA Thrash icons’ fourth album is a great demonstration of their brand of Metal that metalheads anywhere will appreciate. 

It may be thirty-four years since their debut, but they are still as energized and angry as ever. 

Buy the album here:
https://exhorder.bfan.link/defectum-omnium

8 / 10
THOMAS THROWER