Let’s go into battle! And what better way then to ride on the horse of Ex Deo whose album The Immortal Wars carries you to troubled landscapes of sheer terror. You can almost taste the dirt as the bullets fly. The invasion has begun where no man will rest on his laurels while the war steams ahead with guttural low toned growls and epic riffs.
‘Hispania’ (Siege of Saguntu) is a battle inside your head as it is tossed into complete and utter turmoil, with savage rhythms and bludgeoning beats that all add up to a real aggressive fest of metal.
‘Crossing the Alps’ shows determination and struggle through its venomous riffs and blasting beats. Its nagging melodic chimes are compelling and indeed forthright.
‘Suavetaurilia (Intermezzo)’ is a real classic combination of Roman intrigue and killer instinct as it soars wildly with an abundance of manic and atmospheric magnetism.
On ‘Cato Major – (Carthago Delenda Est)’ the trouble continues with vicious beatings and tormenting rhythms that manipulate the audial with glaring ferocity.
Then ‘Ad Victoriam (The Battle of Zama)’ shows the tempting swaggers of highly charged riffs and plentiful atmospheric ambience blend together in a battle of their own making and indeed with epic proportions.
‘The Spoils of War’ gives out a really nasty grisly vibe of barbed animosity. Slower and definitely toxic in its delivery the slithers of rhythm cut like a sharpened dagger right between the shoulder blades.
‘The Roman’ sinisterly sends out a message of haunting hostility as the choral voices reach their crescendo and lead us away from the toils of war to focus on the Roman who in his time has probably slain many, as the music would suggest. The short sharp melodic stabs rain down, nothing subdued but totally defiant in a bid to make one sit up and listen. How could one not?
This is all powerful, mesmeric and epic on a grand scale. It hasn’t forgotten it is metal but gives it new life, and new meaning. It is cleverly written, and executed to give the listener an absolutely incredible listen from start to finish. You can imagine the scenes all playing out in your head. Not only that, but there has been a lot of thought gone into this album and not just in the music but the album cover too! It more than lives up to expectations and actually exceeds them, with plenty of vehemence!
EX Deo The Immortal Wars is out via Napalm Records on 24th February 2017.
