DE REPUBLICA

I've felt for a lomg time now that DEUS EX MACHINA have continued where AREA left off. That adventerous style of music with a vocalist who can dominate any time he feels like it. This particular album is where they came into their own and they haven't looked back. "De Republica" is rated as DEUS EX MACHINA's second best album on the Gnosis site and I agree that this album is without question a must have.

This first track "Exordium" is unlike any song i've heard from this band. It's stunningly beautiful with rare laid back vocals with acoutic guitar leading the way early. Gorgeous. It kicks in briefly after 2 minutes with organ, then before 3 minutes violin and drums come to the fore as vocals stop. Heavy guitar and organ follows. Incredible ! And a top three track. "Res Publica I" kicks in right away with vocals and a full sound. Horns a minute in after the vocals stop. "Res Publica II" opens with violin then the vocals join in. Drums and a full sound after a minute. It settles a minute later then the violin starts to dominate. Organ, drums and guitar after 3 minutes. Hell ya ! Vocals are back. Organ dominates late. "Res Publica III" has a Fusion flavour to start as keys then drums lead. I love how this sounds then we get a change after 3 minutes as the tempo picks up and vocals join in. Nice guitar 4 minutes in and the bass is prominant. Keyboards are back then the violin arrives. It's very AREA-like before 5 1/2 minutes. A top three tune. "Macte Aequitatem" features pounding drums as the guitar attacks. Vocals then violin follows as it settles briefly.

"Foederis Aequas Dicamus Leges" has some good bottom end to it when it gets going. The tempo continues to change here. Check out the vocals 5 minutes in and the guitar that follows. "Aeterna Lex" is an experimental vocal piece. "Perpetua Lux I" opens with acoustic guitar as violin joins in. "Perpetua Lux II" is the other top three song for me. The acoustic guitar to open is beautiful as vocals join in. Organ floats in then drums. Amazing sound. Synths before 3 minutes then the tempo picks up with guitar ripping it up. Then it settles with acoustic guitar and vocals like the intro. Organ and drums follow. Nice. "De Oraculis Novis I" opens with quite the instrumental display.Vocals before a minute. It settles when the vocals stop and the violin comes in. Vocals are back later. "De Oraculis Novis II" is heavy with vocals. Uptempo too.Check out the drums 2 minutes in. "De Oraculis Novis III" is a bit of relief after all the intensity. Vocals and violin stand out. "Dittatura Della Mediocrita" is uptempo with guitar,organ and drums standing out. This is great. Violin then vocals around a minute. It settles before 3 1/2 minutes. It's building. The vocals sound excellent when they kick in a minute later. Violin and guitar follow.

Challenging, yet oh so enjoyable.