EP Review: Ex Deo – Year Of The Four Emperors (Reigning Phoenix Music)

Carl Fisher 2 min read

Ex Deo is no mere band – it is a titan in the world of symphonic death metal, a living embodiment of the might, majesty, and madness of Ancient Rome. Forged in 2008 by Maurizio Iacono, the visionary frontman of the legendary Kataklysm, Ex Deo channels the ferocity of metal through the monumental lens of Roman history and serves as exploration of Iacono’s heritage and links to Ancient Roman bloodlines.

The forthcoming EP, ‘Year of the Four Emperors’ (out Jan 10th, 2025), their first at new label home Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM), promises to elevate Ex Deo’s artistry to even greater heights. Resurrecting the chaos of AD 69, a year that saw the rise and fall of four emperors amidst Rome’s most harrowing upheavals.

Heartily bombastic, potently heavy, and dripping in historical worth, Ex Deo’s new EP is a wonderful four-track listen. One that is, as always, rich in storytelling and structure. From the moment opening track Galba unleashes a warring display of symphonic grandeur and vicious sounding heaviness, the EP takes hold. Calling it immersive is an understatement, and few bands are capable of grabbing the attention as quickly as Ex Deo do here.

Yet this is par for the course with this band as they’ve been delighting and enlightening listeners since their debut album, ‘Romulus’.

Though this hardly means Ex Deo are phoning it in, they have far too much pride in their music and unleash even more impressive efforts with Otho and Vitellius. The former takes more from the world of melodeath, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with that and Ex Deo’s moody approach is exhilarating. Whereas the latter is aggressive, very aggressive, and creates strong imagery of a brutal battle for Rome (which saw the end of this particular Roman emperor).

Finally, it’s Vespasian and while this may have brought stability to the Roman Empire for a while, Ex Deo’s thick riff and rampant drum sections tell a more ‘epic’ story. Where the layering of symphonic elements compliment rather than distract.

It’s such a satisfying EP, even if most will be left begging for more. Such is the immense talent of Ex Deo and their ability to immerse the listener so effortlessly.

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Ex Deo – Year of the Four Emperors Track Listing:

1. Galba
2. Otho
3. Vitellius
4. Vespasian




Links

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Reigning Phoenix Music

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Ex Deo - Year Of The Four Emperors (Reigning Phoenix Music)
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