This is Sparta! Sorry, wrong soundtrack. EX DEO is the most epic offering thus far in 2009, period. It is epic without drowning in its own pretension, grandiose without succumbing to parody and an excellent show of a band reinventing themselves. If unaware, EX DEO is the Rome themed project of KATAKLYSM's Maurizio Iacono and he has enlisted the bulk of his main band to handle the instruments of war. But sound like KATAKLYSM this most certainly does not. "Romulus" is representative of a man with a passion for history and the Heavy Metal knowledge to put that passion to sound that is at once immediate and enthralling. No wonder Maurizio has enlisted Karl Sanders, he of the comparably long song titles of confusion and terror, to help out on the excellent "The Final War (Battle of Actium)".

The closest relation to this album is of course NILE, with EX DEO being very academic in terms of lyrical content, staying the course of Metal with songs about war and conquest but giving a history lesson at the same time. In terms of the music itself, "Romulus" is a decidedly mid-paced affair, giving each movement room to breathe and the listener time to take in everything going on behind the scenes, such as horns and spoken segments purported to be quotes from Caeser himself. This is definitely not the sort of album one can listen to piecemeal as it is an experience, requiring the full attention of the listener. Maurizio employs different vocal techniques than his bread and bleach gurgle, a tactic that also adds to the atmosphere. He was not kidding when he said to not expect KATAKLYSM light, and EX DEO is a prime example of a band (or portions thereof) doing a side project that stands on its own merits and is not derivative of the main.

As stated, there is enough here to keep the listener interested for several listens, and "Romulus" will be reached for likely more often than the recent output from KATAKLYSM simply because it is different, interesting and has horns. EX DEO have crafted a fine album of might and are well on their way to conquering several territories, including my living room.