New album, “Compendium Horribilis”, out on November 11th!
“Compendium Horribilis”, Latin for “horrible collection”, brings together eight tragic and macabre stories from Italian history, folklore and superstition. The album moves from the execution of Giordano Bruno and the Sack of Rome in 1527 to the Venetian vampire legend, the funerary tradition of the putridarium and the story of the Monster of Ravenna.
Musically, the record continues the path established by CANTICUM DIABOLI on their earlier material. Arcane guitar melodies alternate with tighter, more aggressive passages, while the drums bring a strong blast beat-driven attack influenced by bands such as Watain, Dark Funeral and Necrophobic. Vocals in Italian and Latin remain an important part of the band’s identity.
Production was handled by New Sin Studio, whose previous work includes Labyrinth, Elvenking and Vision Divine. The band wanted the recording to retain an organic and genuine character, making extensive use of high-quality analogue equipment during the sessions.
The visual side of the album was created by guitarist Apostata, who drew on the look of 16th-century printmaking for the artwork. At its centre is the Monster of Ravenna, one of the figures appearing in the album’s collection of historical and folkloric horrors.
CANTICUM DIABOLI formed in 2014 around guitarists Apostata and Laevus. Their early material was strongly influenced by Scandinavian black metal, while the use of Italian and Latin lyrics and medieval-inspired artwork gradually became part of the band’s own identity. Their first full-length, De Flammis et Dei Ruina, established an approach built around tremolo-picked guitars and ferocious blast beats, while the 2023 EP Ecce Pontifex Bonifatio moved into a more rhythmic and technical direction with a stronger Swedish death metal influence.
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