Author: Rok Klemše
Artist: Exsilium
Label: Self-released
Release: 2011
Length: 40:05
Rating: 4/5
Black metal is definitely one of the stronger metal genres on Slovenian soil, though it’s true that most of its representatives play classic black metal and stay loyal to the genre’s Norwegian roots. These days Somrak, Dalkhu, Grimoir, Naberius and others swear by black metal’s raw, primal sound, while there are fewer bands that mix black metal elements with other genres. The avant-garde Dekadent are one example, and Exsilium are another band flying the flag for more genre variety, adding touches of folk/pagan metal to a black metal foundation on their debut Too Many Years of Silence.
The album title is more than fitting – back in 2007 Exsilium recorded the well-received demo Into the Exile, and then, apart from a handful of gigs, silence settled around them. That silence lasted in the Exsilium camp until 2011, when it was shattered like thunder by the arrival of the long-awaited debut. The band clearly knew those years of silence had been way too long, and they didn’t go at the album half-heartedly. First and foremost, that’s thanks to the clean, clear and pompous production by Žiga Zmazek and Jan Švigelj (Negligence Studios), whose powerful, convincing sound breathes a sense of battle-ready epicness into the songs. Right in the first track, From Red to Black, the world of Exsilium unfolds in all its glory – furious battle rhythms, punchy guitars, melodic heavy metal solos and a raw vocal that reaches hymn-like triumph with a clean-sung part at the end. The song’s incredible dynamics show in the opening explosion of black metal rawness, followed by a central guitar solo that flows extremely effectively into the melancholic, epic vocal peak of the track.
In the very next song Exsilium show another strong card up their sleeve: the keyboards, much to my delight, don’t sound cheesy, nor do they try too hard to imitate folk instruments. Instead they complement and enrich the music and add atmosphere. The folk/black metal »duality« is actually first flagged only by Heathen Blood, which drags us in with the sound of the jaw harp (an instrument you hold between your teeth and pluck), and the record is cut roughly in half by the instrumental Zora, where the wonderfully composed piano parts make themselves heard again and prove once more that their main purpose is to elevate the band’s guitar and rhythm foundation. One of the album’s strongest moments is undoubtedly the mighty anthem in Slovenian, Slava, which swells under the weight of melodic guitar lines, infectious rhythmic structures, thundering choir vocals and incredibly convincing lyrics. The Slovenian lyrics work so well in Slava’s setting that it’s a real shame there isn’t more Slovenian on the record. Sadly, the album runs out of steam a bit toward the end, as the second half mostly doesn’t reach the quality of the first. Slava’s »Slovenian brother« Vinotok isn’t as convincing as its »sister«, and the title track, a sort of genre hybrid, doesn’t quite justify its status as the flagship song, thanks to a somewhat weaker performance and bland ideas.
On Too Many Years of Silence, Exsilium have managed to blend the worlds of folk and black metal brilliantly. With Exsilium, thank the Slavic gods, there’s no room for mindless drinking and party songs, as the band approaches its themes with a great deal of seriousness. That’s also why I really hope the band expands the space for »Slovenianness« in the future. Thanks to the excellent Slava and the solid Vinotok, that side would surely be worth exploring even further. Above all, though, I hope there won’t be too many years of silence before the next album.
Lineup
Žiga Rus – vocals, bass
Aleksandra Rajković – keyboards
Matevž Cmagar – guitar
Bojan Kostanjšek – guitar
Andrej Vnuk – drums
Production
Žiga Zmazek and Jan Švigelj
Tracklist
1. From Red to Black
2. The Burning Halo
3. Heathen Blood
4. Zora
5. Slava
6. Icebound
7. Vinotok
8. Too Many Years of Silence
9. Moment
