From the opening moments, Excommunication Hymns makes its intent clear. “Tumor” hits hard out of the gate, its crushing drums and riffs frame vocals that sound like a mind bending under the weight of guilt and consequence—“Look at what you’ve done” feels less like a lyric and more like an accusation hurled at you. “Sympathetic Resonance” follows as a defiant message of resistance, pairing ferocious instrumentation with a sense of collective uprising.

“Now I Am Become…” is one of the album’s most visceral moments. Yann’s guitar lines feel like they’re tapping directly into your spinal cord, while hymn-like vocals move between quiet plea and desperate scream. 

“The Dead Travel Fast” opens with a spoken monologue about global struggles before detonating halfway through with a return to Spiritiste’s signature heavy assault. “Children of Kali” reads like a call to arms, emphasizing unity and teamwork in the face of chaos, while “Transagion Prayer” digs into themes of exile and the pain of being cast out.

One of the album’s most haunting tracks, “Samsara Would Be Easier,” leans into a mystical instrumental atmosphere, with desolate vocals that feel resigned yet searching, coming to terms with mistakes. “Throwing Stones,” a standout highlight, confronts the violence and suffering embedded in humanity, delivering some of the record’s most powerful and emotionally charged moments.

“In Memory of the Occultural Engineers” shifts toward something almost hopeful, reaching for the idea of a beautiful future and a perfect world, urging listeners toward freedom and transformation. The closing track, “A Sheep’s Last Defense,” is a stunning finale: Jacey’s clean vocals mourn a life and question existence before the track erupts back into their ferocious scream, ending in a desperate cry for human emotion.