ALBUM REVIEW: Hexorcist – Crucificial Imprecations

Five years ago, Hexorcist released one of my favourite death metal records of the 2020s, entitled “Evil Reaping Death“. As such, I was delighted to hear of its successor, which will be released by Invictus Productions and Godz of War Productions on 31st July.

An ominous introduction sets the morbid mood for the carnage ahead, swelling before erupting into chaotic death metal fury. The savagery of the riffs and pulverising drums entwine with whammy abuse and maniacal vocals to give the purified late 80s death metal onslaught that Hexorcist have built their sound around. Once again, they have utilised a classic-sounding production that allows every instrument to not only be heard but felt. The spaces between them give rusted breezes of decay to allow each sanguineous note to be digested. If you’re bored of death metal being mid to low tempos with super low tunings but not much aggression, Hexorcist will have you poised for punishment. From the swooping fills to the vicious leads, cutting bass lines, and consistently barbarous guitar riffs, there is no weakness in the invocations of “Crucificial Imprecations”, which starts off as it means to go on – with a nuclear metal attack. 

Twisted passages of deity-defacing death-thrash armageddon permeate the unrelenting chaos and offer these discomforting atmospheres without a moment of mercy or respite. Crank the evil and sadistic up to eleven and feed it on a diet of the most lethal death and thrash metal of the 80s, and you can imagine roughly what Hexorcist sounds like, although be warned; they are neither predictable nor adhere to any conventions but the upholding of diabolical might. There is not even a slither of fat to trim; this is not one of those bloated records where you are wondering why it has to be so long. Hexorcist do not allow even a second of music to make the cut if it isn’t absolutely perfect for the album. From those bursts of bestial fierceness to the more grooving whiplash hooks, you will not be spared for even a moment of this annihilating opus.

Remember the likes of “Show No Mercy”, “Bloody Vengeance”, “Altars of Madness”, “Seven Churches”, “INRI” and those other records that were the pinnacle of evil? Remember how they might have been death, black, thrash or some other constellation of metallic warfare that often wove it all together before pigeonholing and homogeny became the name of the game? Hexorcist nails that wild, unbridled and most hostile blend of their influences in such a way that feels truly authentic and feral. With razor-sharp musicianship that keeps all of the low end gut-wrenching while the malicious guitars cut like blades, allowing the skull to be caved in by indomitable drums. Not to mention the voracious hunger for carnage in the vocal department. This is a record without weakness that shows no mercy nor quarter and most importantly never falters in its consistent morbid majesty.

A rapturous invocation of pure death metal excellence. The magick of this primordial evil is to the point and yet expansive with technicality and precision, delivering total mania. A vicious and unforgiving half an hour of death metal that summons the ancient spirits of Morbid Angel, Sadistic Intent, Angelcorpse, Necrovore, Possessed, and more. A truly impeccable follow-up to one of the best debuts of the 2020s. s. Submit to the power from hell and unleash the macabre with Hexorcist’s ripping and ruthless new record.