Review Summary: Ruh Roh!
The Italians have always had a flair for the dramatic so it's no surprise that their metal scene would be as theatrical as it is intense. Dating back to the 80's bands like Mortuary Drape, Bulldozer, Death SS and the band that I'm reviewing today, Opera Xi, have carved out their own unique niche amongst the global metal scene. Today I'll be covering their debut record, The Call of The Wood. From start to finish it’s a melodic, eccentric and barbaric ride to the Waffle House. Released shortly after such genre defining classics like In the Nightside Eclipse, De mysteriis Dom Sathanas and The Principle Made Flesh among others, the Italian Horde led by the iconic Cadaveria pray to the old Gods in the forest and ritually conjure up an hour long behemoth consisting of Bathory styled riffage, prominent basslines, and some of the most dramatic keyboard flourishes heard from the second wave of black metal in addition to Cadaveria's guttural vocals.
An easy comparison to make here would be early Cradle of Filth but significantly more barbaric, grittier and chunkier in guitar tone. A similar emphasis on gothic synths and haunting atmosphere can be found here but the heavier guitar tone, driving basslines and deeper pitched harsh vocals help Opera XI stand out from early Cradle. Opening with an 18 minute behemoth titled Alone in the Dark, Opera XI set the tone with an ominous intro of wailing and wind effects, kind of bringing to the imagination a scene of a seance being conducted to communicate with the dead. The song transitions into a raging inferno punctuated by blasting drums before shifting tempos and incorporating some piano flair and acoustic interludes. Ultimately, it's a powerful song but a few minutes could've been shaved off of it. with that said, the breakdowns combining with the keyboards after the 12 minute mark was masterful decision however. The next 4 tracks are less lengthy which helps keep the core sound fresh and sounding inspired. Cadaveria is often regarded as being one of first women to make their mark in the black metal scene and her approach does not disappoint. Her screams are vile and bestial, in my opinion sounding a bit like Chuck Schuldiner but more menacing. Occasionally, she'll throw down some cleans or harsh spoken word which sounds pretty ***ing metal. Ossian, the guitarist, does a great job in laying down the battering ram assault. Brutal riffage reminding me of Quorthon's early contributions to black metal play a tremendous role here but at the same time he's not afraid to paint the canvas with some wild soloing nor slow it down with some slower acoustics breaks. The bass playing on this record is absolutely phenomenal partially because of how audible it is. Vlad's tone and skill mesh perfectly with the rest of the instruments, much like Silent Bard's keyboard playing. Some people might not like the more flamboyant aspects of symphonic black metal but I personally appreciate the more eccentric or romantic approach taken with this style of music,
in 2025 The Call of The Wood isn't reinventing the wheel by any means but at the time I'm sure it wasn't quite as oversaturated as it now. Regardless, in a time period where the Norwegians were going church crazy and the Floridians and Swedes were duking it out in the death metal corpse pit, Opera XI entered the fray on their own terms to contribute to the burgeoning black meta scene. If you like Cradle of Filth or Mortuary Drape you'll find a lot to like here.
