Ensoph Rex Mundi X-Ile

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer

Rex Mundi X-Ile is album number five from Italian noise merchants Ensoph. The masked, alias-using metallers are back with their own unique and disturbing brand of techno-industrial gothic kind of, sort of black metal.

You have to give Ensoph credit for being adventurous and experimenting with different sounds. Unfortunately, the impression left by Rex Mundi X-Ile is that the band is trying a little too hard to incorporate too many different sounds, and the result is simply too cacophonous to enjoy on any meaningful level. The blast beats and sinister vocals recall Dimmu Borgir and the techno beats and melodic keyboards bring to mind Samael, but instead of striking a balance between the various elements, Ensoph slathers the whole mixture in high speed, high frequency industrial noise. It’s a shame too, because under the surface there’s a lot here to like.

Unless you’re a major fan of electronic and industrial music, Rex Mundi X-Ile may prove to be a bit too much to handle for even the most open-minded metal fan. If you get the chance though, by all means check out the band’s cover of the Alice in Chains classic “Would?”. It’s not as faithful to the original as Opeth’s recent version, but it’s definitely more creative and slightly less noise-laden than the rest of Rex Mundi X-Ile.

Label: Cruz Del Sur

Lineup:
N-Ikonoklast: Vocals
Xrapael: Guitar, Samples, Programming
KKTZ: Bass
Next-X@nctum: Keyboards
Xenos: Drums

Track Listing:
1. Evil Has Found a Servant
2. Dance High & Shine, Shiva!
3. Shame on You!
4. Splendour & Majesty
5. In Cineries et Cilicio
6. The Whore and the Ashetist
7. Thir(s)ty Pieces of Silver
8. …And I Hear a Voice
9. 9XS
10. Disciplini Arcana (Un Canto Per L’esilio)
11. Come In Uno Specchio
12. Would?

Online: Official site

HRH Rating: 5/10