From Nashville, Tennessee breathes a new challenger to the melodic metal genre, with their Goliath of a Self-Titled album guaranteed to become one of your most played records.
The journey begins with "Retribution". A dark, atmospheric intro kicks the song off, bleeding into spectacular guitar riffage that will give bouts of carpal tunnel to anyone who attempts to learn the song for themselves. The drums are in perfect harmony with the guitar, each beat perfectly accenting each other, with the vocals locking in the final piece of the puzzle. This song will have you headbanging long after it finishes.
"Dead to Me" follows suit, fading in with guitar and drums before a quick base line and a shift in the guitar brings in the vocals. The groove of the riff will make even the most stubborn listener move with the beat. The clear articulation of the vocals showcases a control and expertise rare within the genre.
"The Silenced" comes in as the third track on the album, immediately punching you in the face with high vocals and blasting drums. The guitar continues the groove, allowing the listener no respite from moving. The vocals really shine through on this track, the wide range in screams exhibits more evidence of the dedication to the craft and overall talent of the band.
"Burning All Humanity Down" leaves its mark with one of the catchiest choruses of the album. The tone of the scream coupled with the high note guitar riff will take over your body and you will yourself screaming along with the song before you can catch yourself. And just like every song before this, the guitar solo is blisteringly fast and incredibly technical, creating an experience when you listen to this song and every other on the album.
Fifth on the album is "Divided We Fall" continues the perfect symphony of sound that you come to expect with Existing in Exile. There is a synchronization between the drums, guitar and vocals displaying the chemistry between the members and the devotion to the music that is unparalleled with most debut releases. "Divided We Fall" is the perfect name to encompass this song and the instrumental and vocal performances.
Sitting as the longest song on the album, "We All Suffer" begins with an incredibly zesty guitar intro, the vocals and drums building on top as the song continues. Everything is brought into this song, taking the listener on a masterful journey throughout the song. The fast parts are accompanied by slower parts, which create goosebumps as they progressively build up. There are a few quick clean vocals that are placed within the song, standing tall alongside the screams and creating a beautiful dynamic. If you only have 8 minutes and 38 seconds to live, this song needs to be your top choice of how you will spend your remaining minutes.
"Vladimir" carries on the groove, switching between quite a few riffs throughout the song, showing the ingenuity of the guitar and the limitless number of riffs that can be written on the instrument. The drums keep pace and match perfectly, providing the perfect sound and beat to complement the vocals and guitar. The end of the song slows down for a second, allowing for clean guitar to take center stage for a few moments before the drums and distortion kick back in, ending the song on a high note. Crossing the Line does allow for any respite, but do not mistake the slower tempo of guitar and drums for a lessening of heaviness or technical ability. The harmonized guitar and low rhythm will make you move, while the range of screams and deep drums add to create a flawless ensemble.
"Freedoms Reign" begins with the cock of a gun, the instruments and vocals immediately following suit and hitting you in the face, keeping up the groove and the pace of the album. As with each song that has come before, and with each remaining song on the album, "Freedoms Reign" is a testament to the quality and the dedication that each member of the band puts forth in the music. It is perfectly crafted form start to finish, from the guitar riffs to the vocal performance and the lyrics.
"Plague" sits as the tenth song on this behemoth of an album, and if you thought they would be slowing down, you will have another thing coming. Plague starts immediately, deep guitar and gutturals burrowing into your ears while the drums will shake your skull. The song will take control of your body and force movement, willing or not.
The second to last song for the album is "Crimson", perfectly synchronous guitar and drums will make you want to dust off your own guitar or drums and pick them back up. The song follows a wave, moving from high tempos to low tempos, balancing the two spectacularly while the constant, controlled vocals finalizes the experience of the song.
Rounding out an incredible, monster of an album is "Menaced". There are not enough synonyms in the English language to describe the level of caliber that not only this song, but the entirety of the album is on. The quality of the instruments and vocals are unmatched, with a very deep respect and expansive knowledge of music and the capabilities thereof.
Do you love technical, melodic guitar solos and riffs? A wide range of kick ass vocals? Earth shattering drums? Grab this album, it will be absolutely perfect for you.
Members: Blake Byrd - Guitar George Kingery - Vocals Jason Smith - Guitar Bradley Trotter - Drums