03/26/2021 17:33

Pestilence

Pestilence announce 'Exitivm' album

A new album, on a new label armed with a whole new line-up and a new dynamic: no matter what, Pestilence or more specifically their maestro Patrizio Mameli are like the phoenix, rising from the ashes, over and over again.

Artwork by Michal "Xaay" Loranc.

Three years after 'Hadeon', the band and their totally revamped line-up – besides former Dew Scented and Creepmime Joost van der Graaf on bass and Bleeding Gods' Rutger van Noordenburg on lead guitar, former God Dethroned Michiel van der Plicht joined on drums last year – not only prove to be worthy of its golden legacy but actually deliver with 'Exitivm' what is probably their best incarnation in over a decade, with the kind of instantly recognizable sound that will immediately make all 'Testimony of the Ancients' fans drooling with anticipation while proving they're not a nostalgia act but are living in the now.

Recorded over two months last summer and armed with the crispiest production they've ever had, their ninth full-length is titled 'Exitivm' for a reason. Meaning "brutal destruction" in Latin, those ten new tracks (plus one intro and one outro) are brutal yet progressive, drenched in a sci-fi atmosphere and transfigured by Mameli luminous solo work and subtle keyboards layers. Both a reinvention and a confirmation of everything the band has been standing for since 1986, thirty-five years later Pestilence are more than ever exploring the further outposts of the extreme metal sound on 'Exitivm'.

Track listing:
1. In Omnibvs (Intro)
2. Morbvs Propagationem
3. Deificvs
4. Sempiternvs
5. Internicionem
6. Mortifervm
7. Dominatvi Svbmissa
8. Pericvlvm Externvm
9. Inficiat
10. Exitivm
11. Immortvos
12. Personatvs Mortem (Outro)

The album will be out on June 25th, 2021, via Agonia Records, on following formats:

- jewelcase CD
- digipak CD in slipcase, limited to 2000
- box set (incl. patch and flag), limited to 1000
- picture vinyl (with slipmat), limited to 300 (hand-numbered)
- "pinwheel" vinyl (with poster and special sleeve), limited to 200 (hand-numbered)
- "firebreath" vinyl (with poster and special sleeve), limited to 500 (hand-numbered)
- black vinyl
- cassette, limited to 100

As controversial as he can be to some, nobody will ever deny the band's undisputable driving force, Patrizio Mameli, and his constant ability to reinvent himself. Unlike most of the bands in the scene, Pestilence just keeps evolving. From the raging thrash leanings of their cult 1988 debut 'Malleus Maleficarum' to the jazz-infused versatility of 1993's 'Spheres' or 2009's 'Resurrection Macabre' frontal assault, not to mention the fans' favorite and Scott Burns-produced 'Testimony of the Ancients' from 1991, he never did the same record twice. No matter who playes with him on any Pestilence album, Mameli always gets the best out of the musicians he is working with. But first and foremost, the man has a one-of-a-kind vision, instantly recognizable style and yet always stretching musical boundaries. And it's never more true than on 'Exitivm'.

After a vast reissue campaign in between 2015 and 2018 and an acclaimed new album 'Hadeon', the band got seemingly stopped in their mission to conquer the death metal scene in early 2020, like everybody else, by the global pandemic, going as far as forcing some of the band's 'Hadeon' line-up members to drop the towel. But what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger and instead of letting that whole situation drag him down, Mameli chose to do the exact opposite and write the best and darkest album possible to date. And he just did that. With its ambitious lyrical concept about "global domination", "induced mental illness", "inner and outer demons" and malicious external entities, 'Exitivm' is propelling the band one again to the forefront of the death metal movement with yet another original and brilliant artistic overhaul.

Mind you, as soon as you're past the very cinematic introduction 'In Omnibvs', you're instantly caught up by 'Morbvs Propagationem' whose intense riffing will take back to the 'Testimony' days. Except that their core sound has been revived, with now extra layers of ominous soundscapes ingeniously suggesting an atmosphere of suspence and horror, boosted by Mameli's jazz-fusion impressive solo works and a renewed sense of urgency. This rejuvenation, with emphasis on "new musical landscapes but also sick and twisted riffs" as stated by Mameli himself, is no accident though. Not only has Mameli been extremely inspired by the turmoil humanity had to face since March 2020 but with the new line-up, Pestilence is more than ever a BAND where everybody feeds off of each other's musical talent. And it definitely shows.

With the exception of the drums - tracked down by van der Plicht himself at his home studio - the album was recorded over a period of two months in between June and August 2020 at Pitchnote Productions. The album has been produced, like all Pestilence albums, by Mameli and is co produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Jory Hogeveen (Shinigami and Ancient Rites). Last March, the band filmed their second ever official video – three decades after 'Land of Tears' – for the song 'Morbvs Propagationem'.

Both a reinvention and a confirmation of everything the band has been standing for since 1986, thirty-five years later Pestilence are more than ever breaking new grounds and exploring the further outposts of the extreme metal sound on 'Exitivm'.

(source: Agonia Records)