REXUL hailing from North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany was formed in 2019. Both band members were formerly part of Thrash/Death Metal outfit DIABOLICAL IMPERIUM. REXUL are a Death Metal band and their debut full-length album "Erebus...Virtuosus...Alpha" has a length of 49 minutes. The album was mixed and mastered at German Gernhart Studio. It was released via German label FDA Records which has a number of Death Metal, Grindcore, and Hardcore bands among their roster.

REXUL are one of those many bands that started their career shortly before the start of the pandemic and were left stranded in no man's land, facing all the additional pandemic induced difficulties. They made the best out of it and focused on writing music and "Erebus...Virtuosus...Alpha" is a result they surely can be proud of. The album delivers traditional Death Metal which is clearly US school inspired and the REXUL info sheet refers to bands like DEICIDE and MORBID ANGEL. While traditional Death Metal is certainly the base of their sound, REXUL added a melodic component which separates them from the classical American Death Metal.

The album contains several short intros/outros/interludes which helps to maintain freshness and more importantly, they are part of a concept. The atmospheric intro "999" provides a first excitement, which is released into "Intergalactic Eyes" that is pure Death Metal: dark and tight guitar riffing, hammering double-bass drumming with occasional blast-beat outbursts and aggressive growling vocals at the low to the medium end of the guttural range with occasional screams. The track is centered on mid-tempo with up-tempo parts. There are a few melodic parts in "Intergalactic Eyes": first the Thrash Metal inspired short lead guitar solo halfway through the song that transitions into a longer blast-beat sequence, second the almost neoclassical extended lead guitar solo towards the end of the track. "Reentry In Emptiness" continues with the Death Metal assault at mid-tempo and also here, an extended harmonic lead guitar solo is at the heart of the track. The guitar riffing includes Thrash Metal vibes. Near the end, the song goes into a slow, atmospheric driven part before it transitions into the short acoustic interlude "The Light". "Reentry In Emptiness" is the official video release and the YouTube link is given below.

"Enlightened By The Morning Star" and in particular "Fraternitas Of An Old Noir Latreia" are pummeling tracks with plenty of double-bass and blast-beats. "Enlightened By The Morning Star" has a strong melodic component with an excellent lead guitar solo which gives the song the extra dimension. "Fraternitas Of An Old Noir Latreia" has more brutality and directness, but still includes a lot of melodic lead guitar contributions. Both songs belong to my album highlights.

After another interlude "333" which reintroduces a dark atmosphere, there is the third Death Metal double with "Immaculate Vengeance" and "Curia". "Immaculate Vengeance" includes additional highly pitched vocals and screams which gives the track an additional layer. "Curia" starts with a melodic and catchy guitar riffing at mid-tempo, but then turns into a pretty chaotic break with the lead guitars and another blast-beat attack. The riffing may be a bit one-dimensional along the track and "Curia" cannot really keep up with the other songs on the album.

There is another interlude with "The Darkness" before the final double is introduced slowly with "Undead Between The Column Of Salomon". It does not take long to dissolve the slow start into another bludgeoning, vicious track with a strong melodic base. The riffing and the lead guitars provide, alongside the grim vocals, a doomy atmosphere. "Laudatio Per Mortem" maintains the darkness and REXUL demonstrate one more time their signature strength, which is the addition of contributing melodies to their Death Metal sound. With "666", an atmospheric outro concludes the album.

REXUL deliver a good debut album. "Erebus...Virtuosus...Alpha" does not follow a traditional Death Metal dogma. There are plenty of classical Death Metal elements and textures in the sound of the album, but there are also strong melodic components, plenty of melodies and harmonies. That makes "Erebus...Virtuosus...Alpha" to a very interesting album and gives it a special note. REXUL put a lot of attention to details including the order of the songs. The very good combination of Death Metal elements and melodic parts shows the maturity in songwriting. The album is very well produced. REXUL have a very good start to their career and Death Metal fans can be excited for the things to come from them in the upcoming years.