ALBUM REVIEW: Exuvia – Cage Fight
CAGE FIGHT‘s follow up to their 2022 self-titled debut has been hotly anticipated. The European quartet have been rightfully building a strong support over the last few years, thanks in no small part to their terrifying sound, incendiary live shows and cheeky poke at the industry as a whole with their ‘Male Backed Metal’ merchandise. However, their material is, as one might expect, where everything really matters, and that brings us to Exuvia, their sophomore album released via Spinefarm Records.
When a band is made up by musicians from other projects (CAGE FIGHT comprise members of TESSERACT and ETHS to name but two) there’s always a feeling that any record which appears will be a one-time deal, a fun way for those involved to divert from their usual style and let off some steam. A second album, however, is often an indication that this is an outfit here to stay. Exuvia doesn’t just make that statement, its progression in tone from the raw, unbridled juggernaut of its predecessor also conveys an intention to take on a life of its own, its four heads determined to make this as much of a regular recording and touring beast as their other pursuits.
The core sound from their self-titled effort is still at the heart of what they do. Deathstalker is a pacey, thrash number that does exactly what it says on the tin, while IHYG (I Hate Your Guts) is groove-laden to the point it would rival most vinyl records. Elsewhere, bassist Will Horsman, the newest member of the band, gets the chance to show off his songwriting talents with the punchy The Hammer Crush, short and sweet, it clocks in at under three minutes and pummels the senses, particularly following the two occasions within the track that vocalist Rachel Aspe screams the title. Then, there’s Pick Your Fighter, inspired by the song Et c’est parti by French pop artist NÁDIYA. It seems odd, but if you listen to the tracks back-to-back, the influence is easy to pick out. It also features Julien Truchan, vocalist for death metal bruisers BENIGHTED and a lesser-spotted James Monteith guitar solo, something not as prevalent within CAGE FIGHT and more often expected from his more progressive and dexterous work.
However, the star across Exuvia is Rachel, who has confronted her past head on and subsequently turned in an all-time performance both vocally and lyrically. By her own admission, this is the first time she has penned words for a record and the results are stunning: Pig is a voracious call out against men sending unsolicited messages, its groove more swaggering than chugging and Rachel‘s low gutturals during the breakdown are an inspired bit of vocal technique. The title track is a deeply personal account of her grandmother’s battle with cancer, finishing with a voice recording of the matriarch (who also helped her write the lyrics) and the loss of her grandfather is explored in the beautiful, yet crushing closing track Élégie, a song where Rachel, not for the first time on the album, sings rather than screams. It was a bit of a surprise when lead single Un Bon Souvenir surfaced and we hear her melodic cleans for the first time, but not only is she brilliant at them, in the context of the album it makes perfect sense.
In the animal kingdom, the process of exuvia is to shed skin, specifically when in the form of a hardened exoskeleton like crustaceans and arachnids when they grow. For CAGE FIGHT, it’s a perfect title for this record; they’ve retained what made them so fearsome, but taken bold new steps to evolve their sound, and the result is an album that will bowl you over even in a decade’s time.
Rating: 8/10
Exuvia is out now via Spinefarm Records.
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