Eximperitus - Meritoriousness of Equanimity

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Eximperitus is a death metal band from Belarus, who formed in 2009.  Their latest album, “Meritoriousness of Equanimity,” is their third full-length album; they have also released two demos, an EP, and a compilation. 

The band used to have a really dumb long name and I’m not going to waste my time typing out because it would take as long to do as it does to listen to this album (just under 34 minutes).  I’d much rather listen to this album because it is an absolute hellride.  If every death metal album released after this one is even half as good, then the genre will have a legendary year.


It’s so easy yet so hard to describe what exactly this album is.  On one hand, it’s death metal (or noise, if you hate death metal).  Easy, right? On the other hand, it’s beyond death metal into realms of brutality that some bands labeled as brutal death metal can’t even touch.  It’s also technical.  It has ambient/atmospheric sections.  There are even some cleans.  


It gave me what I wanted, and expected, while also giving me things I didn’t even know I needed.  I want to say that it’s an absolute blast to jam this from beginning to end because all the songs fit together, even the two instrumental interludes. 


“One Step Long Infinity,” starts off with death growling vocal patterns that sound very similar to Behemoth’s “Slaves Shall Serve.”  I don’t know if that was on purpose or not but, either way, fantastic job with smashing my face inside of the first .3 seconds of hitting play.  The riffs are one part technical, one more groove, and two parts hypnotic. Is the math right on that?  Hey, I’m not smart—why do you think I write metal reviews?  Anyway, every instrument has an incredible tone, and the production captures each brutal moment while keeping it all razor sharp.


“Finding Consistency in the Fourth Quadrant," is so weird/alien/mysterious in the beginning with its odd melodies.  The atmosphere drenches whatever type of blood something like this would bleed over the music and growls as the song moves forward into some very well done, and quite insane, clean vocals.  This song is theatrical without actually being so and that’s a good thing because it means it never does anything less than “crush in your skull.”  Oh and it ends in piano.  Because why not.  But it works. 


“Golden Chains for the Construction of Individual Greatness,” is one of those song titles that might not mean anything but also could be everything.  Killer riffs rip the song apart, but it’s held together by yet another demonstration of the band's odd but keen sense of melody and penchant for ambience.  After the 3:35 mark, it all comes to a rising crescendo before cooling off as it fades into the distance into the short but very sweet instrumental “Molecular Disintegration of an Unattainable Solitary Will in a Vessel of Wisdom…” 


The final song, “Standing at the Skirt of the Ruins of Human Nature (...on the Other Side of Man and Time)" is a terrific final track and perhaps my favorite one.  The entire song is sinister and more than a little scary—the guitar tone is straight up evil, and the atmo/ambient section are epic as a fishing trip to hell.  


Ultimately, Eximperitus’ “Meritoriousness of Equanimity,” is an absolutely maddening, ridiculous album but in the best way possible.  Death metal needs an album like this, and you need it.  


Rating:  Excellent






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