Italian black metal band CANTICUM DIABOLI bring together tragic events from their country's history, disturbing folklore and superstitions in a musical concept on their new album, "Compendium Horribilis". Due out on November 11, 2026, via Ad Noctem Records, the album explores eight dark stories, ranging from the execution of Giordano Bruno by burning at the stake and the Sack of Rome in 1527 to the legend of the Venetian vampire and the Monster of Ravenna.

Latin for "horrible collection", "Compendium Horribilis" delves not only into historical events but also into themes of death and superstition in Italian culture. Among the stories featured on the album are the tradition of the putridarium, special burial chambers used to allow the bodies of the dead to decompose, and the legend of the Venetian vampire.

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Musically, CANTICUM DIABOLI stay rooted in black metal while bringing together razor-sharp melodic guitars and more aggressive passages. The album is driven by blast-beat-heavy drumming, with vocals performed in both Italian and Latin. The band's musical approach, shaped by influences such as Watain, Dark Funeral and Necrophobic, is among the defining elements of the new record.

Recording and production took place at New Sin Studio, which has also worked with bands such as Labyrinth, Elvenking and Vision Divine. Extensive use of analog equipment during the sessions was intended to achieve a more organic sound.

The album artwork, created by guitarist Apostata, also reinforces the historical dimension of the concept. Inspired by 16th-century printmaking, the cover places the Monster of Ravenna, one of the historical and folkloric figures of horror featured on the album, at its centre.

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Formed in 2014 by guitarists Apostata and Laevus, CANTICUM DIABOLI initially drew heavily on Scandinavian black metal before developing an identity of their own through Italian and Latin lyrics and a medieval-inspired visual approach. The band's debut full-length, "De Flammis et Dei Ruina", was built around tremolo-picked guitars and punishing blast beats, while their 2023 EP "Ecce Pontifex Bonifatio" brought a more rhythmic and technical approach to the fore, along with influences from Swedish death metal.

Comprising nine tracks, "Compendium Horribilis" will be released digitally and on CD on November 11.

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