Representing a new stage in their career, the sophomore beast by this UK metal entity retains the band’s raw, old school Hardcore heart while also exploring more multi-layered terrains, atmospheres and melodies.
The word Exuvia refers to the outer skin that’s shed by creatures like arachnids, crustaceans and insects, giving way for a new stage of life. It’s the perfect title for the sophomore opus by London, England-based Crossover/Hardcore outfit Cage Fight. Recorded by Sam Bloor at Lower Lane Studios, mixed by Jim Pinder (Sleep Token, Malevolence), and displaying a grim artwork shot by photographer Manuel Acquualeni (depicting a radiation mask, connecting both to fronwoman Rachel Aspe’s experience with her grandmother, and to the album’s title, while also also representing healing), the blistering, 11-track Exuvia finds the band formed of Rachel Aspe on vocals, James Monteith on the guitar, Will Chain on bass, and Nicholas Plews on drums in a time of change after their 2022 self-titled debut, retaining the raw, old school Hardcore heart of Cage Fight while also exploring more multi-layered terrains, atmospheres and melodies, making their sound bigger, tighter and more epic than ever before.
After the dark industrial intro Confined, featuring Rob Parton of electronic music project Arconic, get ready for total madness and chaos together with Cage Fight in Oxygen, where Nicholas simply hammers his drums like a demented creature, offering Rachel exactly what she needs to vociferate deeply and rabidly; while in Pig the indomitable Rachel calls out the creepy men who send women unsolicited messages online, and she makes sure she scares the shit out of those bastards with her she-devil roars in a true headbanging Hardcore feast. Pick Your Fighter, featuring Julien Truchan of Benighted, brings forward excellent lyrics (“Pick your fighter / The battle begins / Only one will win / Pick your fighter / The choice is yours / He looks up toward his dream / Recalling and rising / His thoughts elevate him / His fists are fiery waves / Here to smash the enclave / Refuse to be enslaved”) inspired by a French pop song named “Et c’est parti…” by Nâdiya; whereas James takes the lead with melodic yet visceral riffs in the hard hitting Un Bon Souvenir, blending Hardcore and modern metal music. And his guitar keeps exhaling aggression and fire in Deathstalker, with Rachel sounding possessed by a demonic entity on vocals.
The second part of the album begins with the atmospheric, creepy interlude Le Déni, or “the denial” from French, penetrating deep inside our souls before the band comes ripping with the title-track Exuvia, inspired by Rachel’s grandmother who is currently battling cancer, and who also helped her write the lyrics. The music is absolutely heavy, fierce and caustic, with Nicholas once again dictating the pace supported by the thunderous bass by Will. James then offers another round of his striking riffage in The Hammer Crush, inspiring us all to bang our heads together with the band until the very last second, with Rachel’s Death Metal-like vocals adding endless rage to the music. In IHYG (I Hate Your Guts) they invest in a more direct Crossover Thrash sonority, with the heavy kitchen by Will and Nicholas reverberating through the air in great fashion, followed by the expansive final track Élégie, which is about Rachel losing her grandfather, and the regret that can come from things left unsaid, offering a darker, more introspective side of the band. Moreover, Rachel lets all her anger and fear flow from her desperate vocals. There’s also an alternative version for one of the songs titled Un Bon Souvenir (Single Version), which is more like a bonus track as it’s a less detailed version of it. Not bad for some radio exposure, but the full version is way more compelling.
“With Exuvia, we took a step back and reflected on where we wanted to take things next. Our first record happened quickly: it came out of Covid, we had this crazy momentum with writing, and we just rolled with it. On this new record, we explored deeper in terms of songwriting and melody, and also got to know each other better as musicians,” said guitarist James Monteith. “One thing that has stayed the same is that we want to have fun. But now with the knowledge of who we all are, we’ve managed to hone in on a sound that we really want – it feels like a rebirth of the band.” You can get to know more details about the band’s sonic metamorphosis on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping an eye on their incendiary live shows, stream their music on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course put your blook-soaked hands on their new album by clicking HERE. Exuvia might represent an evolution in the sound by Cage Fight, and they might be shedding their skin in the process, but in the end when you look deep inside their soul, they’re still a metal band. Heavy, hungry, and ready to kill, armed with their stunning new offering.
Best moments of the album: Oxygen, Pick Your Fighter, Deathstalker and The Hammer Crush.
Worst moments of the album: Un Bon Souvenir (Single Version).
Released in 2026 Spinefarm Records
Track listing
1. Confined 1:28
2. Oxygen 3:06
3. Pig 3:18
4. Pick Your Fighter 2:44
5. Un Bon Souvenir 6:03
6. Deathstalker 3:24
7. Le Déni 1:46
8. Exuvia 5:56
9. The Hammer Crush 2:50
10. IHYG (I Hate Your Guts) 3:44
11. Élégie 5:57
12. Un Bon Souvenir (Single Version) 4:01
Band members
Rachel Aspe – vocals
James Monteith – guitar
Will Chain – bass
Nicholas Plews – drums
Guest musicians
Rob Parton – everything on “Confined”
Julien Truchan – vocals on “Pick Your Fighter”
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 