First off with the new update you lowered all the armor points each body piece gives when worn. You decided to lower the monsters stats who were below lvl 7 but neglected the higher levels.
1.) The higher level monsters are a pain in the booty to kill and when you have those mobs like you do its easy to get swarmed and totally owned. The higher armor was the only real fighting chance anyone could have against these monsters and their ridiculously hard hits.
2.) Then there is the whole other story of elite maps. Basically take #1 and multiply it by like 10.