CAGE FIGHT – EXUVIA

Limited edition clear magenta vinyl LP.

The second opus from London’s heaviest metalcore quartet.

Recorded by Sam Bloor at Lower Lane Studios and mixed by Jim Pinder (Sleep Token, Malevolence), EXUVIA retains the raw, old school hardcore heart of CAGE FIGHT – vibrating with meaty grooves, pummelling rhythms, plus a wave of furious anger that feels like a punch to the gut. At the same time, it also explores more multi-layered terrains, atmospheres, and melodies, making CAGE FIGHT sound bigger, tighter, and more epic than ever before.

Throughout the 11 pieces of music, the band proves they aren’t afraid to experiment… and have a bit of fun. A case in point is Pick Your Fighter, which features Julien Truchan from Benighted on guest vocals, and was inspired by a French pop song – Et c’est parti… by Nâdiya – though you’d never guess it from the song’s crushing heaviness.

The rest of the lyrics on the album are written by vocalist Rachel Aspe – the first time she has expressed herself in this way, and the results are deeply personal, taking in anxiety, assault, and having to deal with grief. The expansive final song, Élégie is about losing her grandfather, and the regret that can come from things left unsaid.

On the song Pig, meanwhile, she calls out the creepy men who send women unsolicited messages online, while the title track was inspired by her grandmother, who is currently battling cancer, and helped Rachel write the song’s lyrics.

The album’s cover art (shot by photographer Manuel Acquualeni) depicts a radiation mask, establishing a connection both to Rachel’s experience with her grandmother and to the album’s title – EXUVIA can be defined as a cast-off skin or outer shell. It also represents healing, something Rachel feels she has achieved by opening up in the lyrics.