The new track Nepenthe is awesome, can't wait for this.

Highly anticipating this one.

Its a mix of Death and King Diamond! Nomnomnom

Awesome record! Disgusting vocals and excellent songwriting. One of the better death metal releases this year.

Cool album.

I love how "The Vermillion" sounds like Agalloch's child. Really nice change of pace.

Listened to this once and was/am completely blown away. Honestly 2014 is one of the best years for new music that I can remember following (I am pretty young, so that's not too impressive I guess). This album is just an incredible mix of everything I look for in a modern death metal album.
Edit: Yeah this is really close to being my metal AOTY, but Dark Space III I beats it out by a small margin. If I keep listening to it obsessively it might get a 10 from me.

Written by Alex F on 09.11.2014 at 18:22

I find it funny how I was so convinced that nothing would beat out Tekel-Li for me, and at this point it isn't even in my top 10 albums from this year.

And what about Agalloch?

Written by Erik M. on 10.11.2014 at 22:22

And what about Agalloch?

Another album that was beaten out by a few much stronger releases. While I still adore Agalloch's latest, I think it took some time for me to accept that other albums really did a significantly better job at catching that melancholic yet appropriately dark atmosphere that I love so much in Agalloch's music.

Written by Alex F on 10.11.2014 at 22:30

Another album that was beaten out by a few much stronger releases. While I still adore Agalloch's latest, I think it took some time for me to accept that other albums really did a significantly better job at catching that melancholic yet appropriately dark atmosphere that I love so much in Agalloch's music.

Well, I don't like it nearly as much as you (to me it's their worst album), but I did have the same experience as in that the more I listened to it, the less I liked it. I think I haven't listened to it in 3-4 months or so, while I still love AAtG, The Mantle and the debut. Agalloch is surely the Best Dark Metal band out there! (clearly joking if that wasn't obvious )

Written by Erik M. on 10.11.2014 at 22:44

Well, I don't like it nearly as much as you (to me it's their worst album), but I did have the same experience as in that the more I listened to it, the less I liked it. I think I haven't listened to it in 3-4 months or so, while I still love AAtG, The Mantle and the debut. Aglloch is surely the Best Dark Metal band out there! (clearly joking if that wasn't obvious )

Joking about Dark Metal right? Because I realllllyyy hope you are (that is so...not a genre). Anyways, off of Agalloch and back to this unbelievable album Ecdysis. I'm re-listening to it again and I'm equally impressed as I was on the first 8 play-throughs. There's just enough emotion in the music to keep me addicted, without losing any of the ferociousness a death metal album should have AND without sacrificing the beautiful production in favor of the over-produced shit modern metal-acts call "clarity" (plenty of clarity here, but there's also some fuckin attitude and soul to it).

I remember hearing the song that was posted on MS a while back and it didn't resonate with me at all so I didn't bother checking this out. Guess I'll have to put this in queue if it's AotY material then.

Written by Alex F on 10.11.2014 at 22:56

Joking about Dark Metal right? Because I realllllyyy hope you are (that is so...not a genre). Anyways, off of Agalloch and back to this unbelievable album Ecdysis. I'm re-listening to it again and I'm equally impressed as I was on the first 8 play-throughs. There's just enough emotion in the music to keep me addicted, without losing any of the ferociousness a death metal album should have AND without sacrificing the beautiful production in favor of the over-produced shit modern metal-acts call "clarity" (plenty of clarity here, but there's also some fuckin attitude and soul to it).

Well, I did even say at the end I was joking, obviously.

About this album: haven't heard it and I'm not sure if I will seeing as I'm generally not that fond of death metal. But the amount of praise does pique my interest, I'll admit that much.

Written by Erik M. on 10.11.2014 at 23:07

About this album: haven't heard it and I'm not sure if I will seeing as I'm generally not that fond of death metal. But the amount of praise does pique my interest, I'll admit that much.

I think it's got enough variety in it for you to at least gather some enjoyment from it. It's a very melodic album, with quite a bit of thrash-influenced riffing and absolutely outstanding vocals too. It definitely won't be your favorite of the year, but I can't really imagine you hating it.

Written by Alex F on 10.11.2014 at 23:10

I think it's got enough variety in it for you to at least gather some enjoyment from it. It's a very melodic album, with quite a bit of thrash-influenced riffing and absolutely outstanding vocals too. It definitely won't be your favorite of the year, but I can't really imagine you hating it.

Thanks for the description. Sounds interesting, so I'll probably check it out then.

Written by Guest on 10.11.2014 at 23:06

I remember hearing the song that was posted on MS a while back and it didn't resonate with me at all so I didn't bother checking this out. Guess I'll have to put this in queue if it's AotY material then.

I had the same feeling with the preview song as well and I remember Marcel having the same apprehension. But the final album is really really nice. Kinda similar to Morbus Chron's and Tribulation's evolution so I'll easily recommend this to you

Written by Guest on 10.11.2014 at 23:34

I had the same feeling with the preview song as well and I remember Marcel having the same apprehension. But the final album is really really nice. Kinda similar to Morbus Chron's and Tribulation's evolution so I'll easily recommend this to you

Sounds like something I should get on to soon then. I really wanted the album to be as good as that artwork so sounds like it just might be.

Written by Guest on 10.11.2014 at 23:41

I really wanted the album to be as good as that artwork so sounds like it just might be.

Honestly, I don't think ANYTHING could live up to that artwork But it comes close

Nothing THAT exceptional happening here.

Written by Diverge on 11.11.2014 at 00:52

Nothing THAT exceptional happening here.

If you're not into death metal maybe...

This is truly one of the best DM albums of the year. It pisses all over generic shit such as At The Gates.

But I do rate Morbus Chron higher and a couple of DM albums as well.
Horrendous are truly progressing but in the way Morbus Chron and Tribulation went with their sophomore albums. This isn't as progressive.

Nice addition to Tribulation/ Morbus Chron/ Execration trend. I do like all of those albums more than this, but it's great for its own good.

Written by mz on 11.11.2014 at 22:14

Nice addition to Tribulation/ Morbus Chron/ Execration trend. I do like all of those albums more than this, but it's great for it's own good.

Far superior to those if you ask me. For some reason Tribulation never clicked with me, and while I adore Morbus Chron, this album instantly made an emotional connection with me (something that rarely happens), so it wins regardless.

Written by Alex F on 12.11.2014 at 04:02

Far superior to those if you ask me. For some reason Tribulation never clicked with me, and while I adore Morbus Chron, this album instantly made an emotional connection with me (something that rarely happens), so it wins regardless.

Does it mean that you haven't heard new EXECRATION? Shame if that's the case. Think about Diskord meshed up with Morbus Chron.

Weird ass album. Feels like a melting pot of Swedish OSDM, Death, Edge of Sanity, heavy-metal laden melodeath and a bunch of other stuff. Seems to work pretty well for the most part. I prefer Tribulation and Morbus Chron though I think.

Not too keen on the Chuck-ish vocals though I could probably give this a 9 in the future if I can get used to them.

Written by Guest on 22.11.2014 at 22:01

Weird ass album. Feels like a melting pot of Swedish OSDM, Death, Edge of Sanity, heavy-metal laden melodeath and a bunch of other stuff.

Exactly how I view it, and I happen to love the vocals, so that eliminates any issues I would have with it.

Written by Alex F on 22.11.2014 at 23:52

Exactly how I view it, and I happen to love the vocals, so that eliminates any issues I would have with it.

Yeah I think I recall you not having an issue with Death's vocals so this must be an ideal album for you (well you gave it 10, so clearly!).

Written by Guest on 22.11.2014 at 23:54

Yeah I think I recall you not having an issue with Death's vocals so this must be an ideal album for you (well you gave it 10, so clearly!).

I'm fine with Death's vocals up until Symbolic and Sound of Perseverance. Now those albums had some shitty fucking vocals (particularly the latter). I like to think that I'm not just overreacting with the 10 I gave. Of the 3916 votes I've given on this site, only 0.07% of them (29) are 10s... I play this album every single day, and I love it every time. It's a tough choice between this and Tekeli-Li for my album of the year.

Written by Alex F on 22.11.2014 at 23:57

I like to think that I'm not just overreacting with the 10 I gave. Of the 3916 votes I've given on this site, only 0.07% of them (29) are 10s... I play this album every single day, and I love it every time. It's a tough choice between this and Tekeli-Li for my album of the year.

Bitch please, I have a lot more 10s than you (a whooping 4%, I guess I just have a lot more love to give). Granted, I'm much more likely to vote on albums that I like then on albums I don't

Written by Alex F on 22.11.2014 at 23:57

It's a tough choice between this and Tekeli-Li for my album of the year.

Wait. Did't you say that TE isn't even on your top ten of year a few comments above this?

Written by mz on 23.11.2014 at 00:26

Wait. Did't you say that TE isn't even on your top ten of year a few comments above this?

Yep lol. My opinions change drastically. When I'm overwhelmed with new music it's difficult for me to take a step back and analyze it all at once. Currently I think I have a pretty static opinion on how the albums I've heard compare to one another, but I'm constantly listening and comparing, so theoretical rankings will change pretty often.

This band is horrendous!

Decent stuff. I'm really diggin' that album art, too.