Horrendous – Ontological Mysterium (Review)

This is the fifth album from US death metallers Horrendous.

Horrendous’ trajectory through their last three albums – 2014’s Ecdysis, 2015’s Anareta, and 2018’s Idol – has been an enjoyable one to experience, but it’s been a while since we’ve heard from them. As such, it’s great to finally have Ontological Mysterium, which contains 38 minutes of new material.

Ontological Mysterium takes somewhat of a step back from the progressive mayhem of Idol, but not a full one. Horrendous still have a strong progressive aspect to their sound, but Ontological Mysterium is a much more refined entity. This is reflected in the average song lengths, and the fact that this is the band’s shortest album. Streamlined and direct, Horrendous have distilled their formula into something lethal and condensed, while still being exploratory and idiosyncratic.

The music is packed with irregular riffs, rich atmospheres, technical depths, extradimensional melodies, and wandering bass. Amidst the old-school death metal carnage the equally old-school progressive elements can be keenly felt, especially in select places. There’s also more of a classic heavy metal influence in the music, informing the songwriting more than you might expect.

The album is quite diverse, with different songs showcasing different aspects of the Horrendous experience. Chrysopoeia (The Archaeology of Dawn) is the longest track, with a potent progressive aura, whereas follow up Neon Leviathan is a more aggressive, faster song, with a barely restrained wild edge. Aurora Neoterica is two minutes of luscious atmosphere that’s calming and spacious after that. Preterition Hymn sounds like prime Death with a rocking heavy metal melody and chanted cleans, while Cult of Shaad’oah is a monstrous jagged rager that bleeds malevolence into an uncaring cosmos. Exeg(en)esis is a jammy, trippy, unusual progressive piece that squirms and writhes. This is followed by the title track that goes to town with its Death and Pestilence vibes. The final song is The Death Knell Ringeth, which brings the album wonderfully to a close, with just over five minutes of well-realised, riff-focused, Atheist-esque, atypical death metal.

Ontological Mysterium is a pretty damn special album. While its progressive personality has been refined into shorter, more concise tracks, its a personality that remains untamed. Horrendous have produced a sterling album of progressive pandemonium on their new album. It takes multiple spins to truly appreciate its labyrinthine expressions, but this will be time well-spent for any fan of intelligently crafted extreme metal.

Very highly recommended.