Ars Subtilior, for the uninitiated, is a style of music that originated in Paris, Avignon and parts of Northern Spain in the fourteenth century. It was characterised by its rhythmic and notational complexity, and was played often to a small audience of musical connoisseurs rather than for the masses. The Cage part of the title, I’m still trying to figure out. In the inlay, it states that all lyrics were extracted from the notebook written from within a cage and a box. Certainly an intriguing statement; is that metaphorically? Was the lyricist in prison? Or did he actually lock himself in a cage for the sole purpose of writing this album?
I put this in the stereo with no real expectations, and was totally blown away. It’s the sort of album that’s hard to predict, because every track is different and it’s a bit like it’s telling a story. ‘Very End’ in fact comes at the very beginning and introduces us to some spine-tingling piano music that works together with the background rumble to create an atmospheric and most intriguing opener. My other half is, at this point, convinced I’m listening to the soundtrack to a horror movie, and certainly the dramatic synths have the feel of accentuating a gruesome murder scene. As the violins swing wildly into ‘The Disinherited’ I’m suddenly reminded of the recent Pensees Nocturnes as there is a similar avant-garde weirdness happening in here – full of unsettling sounds and there’s a rather sinister feel to it. ‘Le Nebuleux Sentier’ takes a much mellower approach and certainly it’s a much-needed calm after the storm. There’s a Mediterranean warmth and intrigue to this; the violins sound delightfully saccharine and the clean vocals help to draw you in.
‘Die Letze Fuge Vor Der Flucht’ invites you to take to your pew as a funereal church organ plays out; you can picture a room in mourning and suddenly we can hear the smashing of windows and burning of wood and everything descends into chaos.
There’s certainly a death metal approach at the core that comes across in the bludgeoning riffs and thudding drums, and also in the deathly growls that play a fairly heavy role on the album. ‘Trapped In Flesh’ reminds me in part of Opeth, with its smooth blend of deathly rhythm with a jazz suaveness. This one is really captivating, and the delicate female vocals are a beautiful touch. ‘Sombra Y Silencio’ sees the female vocals take prominence, they are waif-like and truly beguiling mixed with the crestfallen melody and again, there’s an exotic feel to this and the rhythm section really picks up behind with guitars raging and drums bashed at vehemently.
This is the kind of album that makes you listen with intent, curious what’s going to happen next. There’s plenty going on here, with tons of twists and turns and with madness and mellowness in equal measures. Knowing how to categorise this is a job; avant-garde, dark and progressive death metal comes nearest to describing it if you must…but it’s an exceptional album.
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