Review: Ex Deo “Year of the Four Emperors” [Reigning Phoenix Music]

Watching Paint Dry (Roman Edition)

I guess the aftermath of this Ex Deo listening session should leave me kind of disgruntled, and disappointed, or at least I ought to be sitting here scratching my head in doubt. But in all honesty, the four songs on Year of the Four Emperors have already left my consciousness almost immediately after this EP ended. There’s literally nothing distinct I can recall but the uniform, coarse delivery of Maurizio Iacono’s vocals and some Roman chants echoing in the background. Even these vocals turn out to be just a nostalgic mirror image since I’ve known the man from far superior records that he released with the once quite mighty Kataklysm. Said band has been churning out disappointing, unimaginative releases for almost two decades now, so I can’t really explain why I had any expectations towards this record.

Maybe it’s because it’s quite the departure lyrically, an entirely different premise, with those two millennia-old stories n’ stuff? Unfortunately, that theme switch and ancient battle hurdy-gurdy don’t make any difference, when the guitar riffs, leads, motifs and everything around them are just flat-out tedious, giving the generally streamlined songs nothing but a few semi-memorable c-movie lines to break the monotony (hey, now there is another thing I remember – movie samples or spoken word parts!). The thick, modern but ultimately stock production doesn’t help establish a lasting identity, though the band does sound the best when they kick into the late Bolt Thrower-esque rumbling gear, yet it’s more the tempo and familiar trench-digging rhythms than the actual riffage doing favours to their reputation. There’s no sense of real aggression, no urgency, no true emotional bite to this, it’s just plodding along in the most unremarkable manner – like a band of honorless mercenaries doing the bare minimum for their paycheck, rather than a proud Roman phalanx forging onward with the ultimate quest upon their shoulders.

You know, Year of the Four Emperors isn’t offensively abysmal or even straight-out garbage, it’s just the most forgettable, tired, and worn-out death metal release I’ve heard in many moons and I really don’t have the intention to listen to this ever again after the conclusion of this review; perhaps – for art –  this is even worse of a fate than getting slammed and roasted over the ridiculous use of dope-high EEEEEEs atop ape-stomping caveman rhythms. At least those were memorable. Here, there’s just no catchy hooks, no bite and sadly not even mere moments that truly demand a rewind.

Like everything that Kataklysm has done (man, this is basically the same lineup!) since at least 2008, there’s nothing to cling onto but the recurring sadness that these guys will never create anything truly worthwhile ever again (prove me wrong, please!?).