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Hailing from Montreal, Quebec, Ex Deo are the Preatorian Guard of Canadian heavy metal. Originally conceived of by Kataklysm front man Maurizio Iacono as a side project wherein he could indulge in his love form ancient Roman history, since its inception in 2008 Ex Deo has become a full band. Caligvla is their second album, following 2009's acclaimed Romulus. While Iacono has repeatedly stated that Kataklysm remains his primary focus, the conceptual strength of Ex Deo is only challenged by the exceptional quality of its execution.


Caligvla takes its name from the Roman emperor famous for his cruelty and excess; the first track, “I, Caligvla” is written as a monologue in the voice of the vice-riddled, hubris-filled ruler on the occasion of his being crowned emperor. Iacono's deep, snarling voice delivers the lyrics with absolute conviction, as though the speaker Caligula truly believes he is a “god made flesh.” The drumming is at once militaristic and celebratory, encapsulating both the celebratory spirit of the coronation and the threatening darkness of violence and depravity the coming reign will embody.

While Caligvla could easily have been a concept album based entirely on the exploits of its title character, Ex Deo cast their net much wider, including songs that draw upon some of the bloodiest and most decadent highlights from the history of the Roman Empire. To match the vast scope of the album, the music is must more dramatic and even operatic in its intensity. The music is invariably stirring and battle-ready, lending immediacy into the retelling of events that are thousands of years old.

If there is one criticism I have to level at this album, it is that Caligvla is unapologetically front-loaded. The first five songs are unquestionably some of the finest battle-hewn and heavily narrative death metal to come out in recent memory. These songs unite the orchestral sophistication of Septic Flesh at their finest and combine it with the sword-and-shield glory that Amon Amarth have perfected. “Per Oculus Aquila” is an extraordinary song, brilliantly structured and perfectly performed, full of heart and guts, screams and blades, as stirring as the best stories always hope to be.

The back half of the album, however, gets a little dicey. The songs are still really good – there are moments in “Along the Appian Way” capable of giving the listener shivers – but here and there, the seams of the record start to show. There are moments where the drama is laid on a little too thick and the performances begin to hint, very slightly, and becoming overwrought; in particular, “Once Were Romans” is at times a little bombastic for its own good. But, again, this is a minor issue, a slight interference with the listener's suspension of disbelief that is easily overcome and disappears altogether when the record starts again.

The concept of a death metal band with symphonic elements that bases its material and aesthetic entirely on the history of the Roman Empire is so excellent, and yet could easily have been spoiled by too much drama, not enough skill, or sheer overexcited mishandling. Luckily, Ex Deo are a project that is genuinely excellent, with a execution that matches the concept from brilliance, and with Caligvla, we are finally getting a bit of an idea of exactly what this group is truly capable of. I've no doubt that the next effort will be even better.

(released September 11, 2012 on Napalm Records)



Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.