Romulus (album)
Encyclopedia
Romulus is the first and debut full-length album by Canadian
death metal
band Ex Deo
. The album was released on June 19, 2009 through Nuclear Blast Records. The album was recorded with producer and Kataklysm guitarist Jean-Francois Dagenais
.
The album title refers to Romulus
, one of the traditional founders and, according to the tradition recorded as history, the first king of Rome
.
page.
Since February 20 the band started a weekly studio blog
to keep their fans in the loop while they were working on the album. The blogs also included a special section called Do you know Rome?, which contained a weekly historical fact about the Roman Empire
. In total there were about 5 fact posted on their MySpace page. By the time they posted their second studio update the band already recorded most of the music and even completed the song Storm the Gates of Alesia. During the time they posted their third studio update Iacono announced he completed the vocals for the album.
In March the band announced both the album's release dates and track list. They also announced the album was completely recorded.
On April 22 the band announced that Nergal
, Karl Sanders
and Obsidian C. would make guest appearances on the album.
The band also posted another track called Legio XIII on their Myspace page. A song in honor of Rome's most devastating and lethal legion ever assembled; the 13th Legion which helped bring Caesar
to power." And on June 15, 2009 the band announced they were streaming the entire album on their MySpace page, just before it was released on June 19, 2009.
, Serbia
.
In March Iacono announced the video for Romulus was shot and that he was very happy with the outcome.
Though the video for Romulus was already completed in March, it didn't air until May 12. But the band received tremendous feedback from their fans on their MySpace page shortly after.
Another music video was shot for the track "The Final War (Battle of Actium)".
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band Ex Deo
Ex Deo
Ex Deo is a Canadian death metal band formed in 2008 in Montreal, Quebec. The band is a side project of Kataklysm frontman Maurizio Iacono, based on the history of the Roman Empire.-History:...
. The album was released on June 19, 2009 through Nuclear Blast Records. The album was recorded with producer and Kataklysm guitarist Jean-Francois Dagenais
Jean-Francois Dagenais
Jean-François Dagenais is the guitarist for the Canadian death metal band, Kataklysm. He is also a music producer.- Kataklysm member :As opposed to many of the original members Jean-François has been with Kataklysm since the beginning...
.
The album title refers to Romulus
Romulus and Remus
Romulus and Remus are Rome's twin founders in its traditional foundation myth, although the former is sometimes said to be the sole founder...
, one of the traditional founders and, according to the tradition recorded as history, the first king of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Recording and production
On December 5, 2008 the band announced they signed to Nuclear Blast Records for a record deal. This was the beginning of the creation of the forthcoming album. Shortly after, on December 31, 2008 the band announced they would air the first track of the upcoming album on January 11, 2009. The first track they aired was a demo version of Cry Havoc, followed by enthusiastic feedback from their fans on their MySpaceMySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page.
Since February 20 the band started a weekly studio blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
to keep their fans in the loop while they were working on the album. The blogs also included a special section called Do you know Rome?, which contained a weekly historical fact about the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. In total there were about 5 fact posted on their MySpace page. By the time they posted their second studio update the band already recorded most of the music and even completed the song Storm the Gates of Alesia. During the time they posted their third studio update Iacono announced he completed the vocals for the album.
In March the band announced both the album's release dates and track list. They also announced the album was completely recorded.
On April 22 the band announced that Nergal
Adam Darski
Adam Michał Darski also known by his stage name Nergal and previously Holocausto, is a Polish musician and television personality, best known for being the frontman for blackened death metal band Behemoth.- Biography :...
, Karl Sanders
Karl Sanders
Karl Sanders is an American musician, most widely known as the founding member of the American Egyptian-themed death metal band Nile. He was born in California, and lives in Greenville, South Carolina. Karl is endorsed by Dean Guitars, and has two signature models by KxK Guitars...
and Obsidian C. would make guest appearances on the album.
The band also posted another track called Legio XIII on their Myspace page. A song in honor of Rome's most devastating and lethal legion ever assembled; the 13th Legion which helped bring Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
to power." And on June 15, 2009 the band announced they were streaming the entire album on their MySpace page, just before it was released on June 19, 2009.
Track listing
- All Songs Written By Maurizio Iacono.
- "Romulus" – 5:17
- "Storm the Gates of Alesia" – 6:31
- "Cry Havoc" – 7:01
- "In Her Dark Embrace" – 4:48
- "Invictus" – 6:47
- "The Final War (Battle of Actium)" – 5:01
- "Legio XIII" – 5:53
- "Blood, Courage and The Gods That Walk The Earth" – 6:02
- "Cruor Nostri Abbas" – 5:29
- "Surrender the Sun" – 4:55
- "The Pantheon (Jupiter's Reign)" – 3:56
Personnel
- Maurizio Iacono - vocals
- Stéphane Barbe - guitar
- Jean-Francois DagenaisJean-Francois DagenaisJean-François Dagenais is the guitarist for the Canadian death metal band, Kataklysm. He is also a music producer.- Kataklysm member :As opposed to many of the original members Jean-François has been with Kataklysm since the beginning...
- guitar, producer - François Mongrain - bass guitar
- Jonathan Leduc - keyboards
- Max Duhamel - drums
Other credits
- Adam "Nergal" DarskiAdam DarskiAdam Michał Darski also known by his stage name Nergal and previously Holocausto, is a Polish musician and television personality, best known for being the frontman for blackened death metal band Behemoth.- Biography :...
– vocals on Storm the Gates of Alesia - Karl SandersKarl SandersKarl Sanders is an American musician, most widely known as the founding member of the American Egyptian-themed death metal band Nile. He was born in California, and lives in Greenville, South Carolina. Karl is endorsed by Dean Guitars, and has two signature models by KxK Guitars...
– guitars on The Final War (Battle of Actium) - Arnt "Obsidian C." Ove Grønbech – guitars on Cruor Nostri Abbas
Music video
On January 30, 2010 the band announced they were going to shoot a video for the track Romulus in early March. The video was shot and directed by renowned director Stanimir "Staca" Lukic in BelgradeBelgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
.
In March Iacono announced the video for Romulus was shot and that he was very happy with the outcome.
Though the video for Romulus was already completed in March, it didn't air until May 12. But the band received tremendous feedback from their fans on their MySpace page shortly after.
Another music video was shot for the track "The Final War (Battle of Actium)".