Exodromos

The meaning behind the word "Exodromos" is enigmatic, but may best be understood as a combination of the prefix "Exo" (meaning outside or external) and "Dromos", a word that pertains to the pathway to an ancient tomb, particularly that of Egypt (though a second definition dealing with an Ancient Greek racetrack is possible, though far less likely). In keeping with the propensity for extremely deep and complex lyrical content, Wormed has basically found themselves in something paralleling "Stargate", or otherwise dealing with an interstellar understanding of spiritual dualism to adorn an album that is largely concerned with astronomy, astrophysics and biology. It's a fitting introduction to an album that, in contrast to its rougher predecessor "Planisphaerium" (which denotes an olden text by Greco-Roman scientist and mathematician Ptolemy), is marked by a clearer and more ambitious nature.

While a 10 year gap between 2 LP releases is quite a large one, this album doesn't deviate too far from its predecessor stylistically. The same hodgepodge of note motives and incomprehensible vocalizations endures, though it has become a tad less otherworldly due to a crisper production that allows the riff work to take on a slightly more traditional death metal character. There are times when the transitional works of Suffocation and Cryptopsy circa 1993-1996 can be deciphered amid the chaotic sonic foray, providing a vivid musical picture akin to terrified inhabitants of some distant planet as their sun supernovas. Particularly of note is the percussive rhythmic unity of the riff work with the Flo Mounier inspired blast and machine gun beats.

An important thing to keep in mind with this band is that, in contrast to younger brutal acts with a fixation for space such as Rings Of Saturn, this is not really a technical band in the same mold as the post-Cryptopsy crowd. Songs such as "Tautochrone" have a fair amount of frenetic guitar work that can be qualified as virtuosic, but they tend to be confined to the lower echelon of the guitar's range, thus not really qualifying as the sort of Braindrill showboating that tends to get associated with many younger technical acts. The bass is much more audible and involved on this album in relation to the first LP, but is also not openly showy in either a slapping Cryptopsy approach, or a post-Sadus fretless noodling mold either. There are a few moments such as the higher pitched riffing on "Multivectorial Reionization" where things could be qualified as slightly progressive, and the deep ended yet intelligible spoken sections both on this song and "Solar Neutrinos" do come off as unorthodox, but there are times when this sounds closer to Dying Fetus than Beyond Creation.

In contrast to their previous album, this is something that even an occasional brutal death listener like myself can go back to on a regular basis without getting bored. Wormed may not be the most prolific act out there today, but when they deliver, it hits the ears like a massive meteoroid traveling near light speed. If getting one's bones crushed under the weight of the equivalent of a sonic cannon while simultaneously getting an informal science lesson is the order of the day, consider "Exodromos" the cosmic soup du jour.