ADE - Carthago Delenda Est

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In 146 B.C., after the Punic Wars, the city of Carthage (located at the North of Africa) was utterly destroyed by the Roman Empire, due the conflict of economic and territorial interests in the Mediterranean Sea and on its shores. All the territories from the Carthaginian Empire were annexed to the Roman Empire. But there was Cato the Elder, who spoke in some moments in his political life: "Ceterum censeo Carthaginem delendam esse" or "Ceterum autem censeo Carthaginem delendam esse" (that means "Furthermore, I consider that Carthage must be destroyed"), and was shortened to "Carthago Delenda Est", what means "Carthage Must Be Destroyed". Bearing all the historical and cultural load of the past, Italian quintet ADE faced a great trial and released one of the finest albums of the year, called "Carthago Delenda Est".

What is ADE is about, musically speaking? Well, they are a band that uses a mix between Blackened Death Metal and Technical Death Metal elements, but with a whole epic atmosphere in their musical work. It's complex in some moments due the technical skill level of the band's musicians, but it's brutal, epic, atmospheric and oppressive as well. Their work has a strong identity, and you'll find it when hearing their songs. Carthage must be destroyed, and you must be conquered, dear nephews and nieces! No concessions are left! Riccardo Studer worked on the recordings, made the mixing and the mastering for "Carthago Delenda Est.". He kept a brutal and bitter sound, aggressive as Hell and with very low tuning from bass guitars and guitars. However, the sound quality is clear for you to understand what they are playing and what the band's musical/lyrical identity is. The artwork is a fine piece, showing a perfect synchrony between it and the band's lyrical approach. It's a battle between the Roman centurions against the elephants used by the Carthaginian armies. It transports our minds back in time, maybe to witness the conflict between heroes from both sides, as Scipio and Hannibal. Their musical work is permeated by epic/ethnic moments created by orchestrations and keyboards parts played by Riccardo. So their music became even more grandiose, and the more you hear "Carthago Delenda Est," the more details you'll find, the riches they offer to your ears, and with a work like this, they become one of the strongest names into extreme Metal scene…and I'm not kidding with you. Be prepared to be taken by assault!

Their finest moments: "Carthago Delenda Est" is filled with epic orchestrations, excellent rhythmic changes (a fine work from Commodvs on drums) and great vocals by Traianvs (with some parts singed on Latin), but beware, because the technical level is high here; "Annibalem" is full of great orchestrations as well, played with a faster and straight insight, but in slower moments, you can hear the good technical work from Caligvla on bass guitar; the brutal and beautiful grasp shown on "With Tooth and Nail", where the guitars of Fabio and Nero rule supreme; the perfect equilibrium between instrumental technique and speed, filled with excellent musical arrangements shown in "Dark Days of Rome"; "Scipio Indomitus Victor" with its ruling epic atmosphere, with a brutal and technical approach (a particular feature from ADE); the grasping orchestrations and brutal vocals on "Zama: Where Tusks are Buried" (full of broken tempos and technical arrangements), and the aggressive insight use on "Sowing Salt" (an old practice, to prevent anything to grow on the salted land again).

May we consider "Carthago Delenda Est" as a new extreme Metal classic? Big Daddy can't say so, because only when time passes could we consider an album as a classic from its style. But ADE's talent is clear, and they can be great, so listen to "Carthago Delenda Est" and see what they have. This is another one of the greatest albums of the year.

Originality: 10
Songwriting: 10
Memorability: 10
Production: 9