“This is a sign of the times.”
I will always be an advocate for more poppy sensibilities in metal. Be that through soaring, catchy hooks or through some bright and twinkly instrumental/production work, I’ve always found that a pop-centric texture in the context of a heavier soundscape provides such a unique sonic experience. It seems Exist Immortal agree too, as while they’ve historically been a djenty prog-metalcore outfit, over the past few years the group have been honing in on their pop- and electronic-angled take on metal, crafting a sound that is well and truly them.
Following the release of 2016’s Breathe, the group embarked on a several-year-long campaign of singles and EPs, that all eventually added up to the Triptych collection, among some standalone tunes. With these singles and EPs, it’s clear to see that the UK metallers hit something of a creative stride. In part, this can be owed to the gorgeously melodious guitar work of then-newcomer Mikey Goodson, who joined the group shortly following Breathe.
Through these releases, however, while their keen metallic edge was certainly still present, it was clear there was a different intention and approach to the songwriting, that led to the shedding of much of the more overtly brutal elements of their releases previous. The band’s brand new, aptly self-titled Exist Immortal seeks to bridge the gap between their styles through combining the keenly melodic and catchy edge of Triptych with the core-adjacent style of the band’s early work.
This is apparent from the jump on Exist Immortal, as we see the valiant return of screamed vocals at the forefront from vocalist Meyrick De La Fuente, which is further complimented by a barnburner performance from SiKth co-frontman Joe Rosser. The blend of their styles old and new translates masterfully here, too. This is particularly evident in the guitar work of Goodsman and Kurt Valencia, as the track dances between soaring pop-metal leads and dutty metalcore chugging, complete with dissonant chording and head-bobbing grooves, all bolstered by the groove-laden drumwork of Charlie Bines, who provides one of the tightest drum performances of the year.
Circling back to Rosser’s feature, Exist Immortal also sees the group looking outward to collaborate with their peers in a way previously unseen on their material. Featuring an all-star cast of vocalists in not only Rosser, but further Dilan Alves (Harbinger, ex-Nexilva) and Luke Griffin (Acrania, Human Error, SHUSH), as well as guitarist Moray Pringle, it’s clear that Exist Immortal pulled out all the stops to make this an album that truly shines a light upon who the extended EXIM family is.
Further to that, Griffin’s downright disgusting vocal feature on closing track “Casting Eyes” proves to be one of the most left-field vocal features I’ve heard all year. Hearkening back to a level of overt brutality not seen in such full force since 2014’s Darkness of an Age, Exist Immortal’s closing moments are defined by one of the band’s most punishing songs to date.
Where Exist Immortal shines is not simply confined to heaviness, however, as many of the record’s cuts contains some of the most gorgeously infectious melodies I’ve heard all year. Tracks like “Yours To Define” and “Emerge” explore further angles of melodic grandiosity in this way with some true stadium-screamer hooks, whereas cuts like lead single “Flare” toy with some more trap-angled instrumentation for a more subtle melodic make-up.
Through masterfully refined songwriting, moments and tracks like these define what I believe to be Exist Immortal’s finest work to date, and a more than worthy recipient of being the self-defining achievement that is a self-titled record. Through a blend of the keen pop sensibilities of their later work, and the bombastic brutality of their formative records, Exist Immortal proves to be a necessary listen for all fans of prog, metalcore and all-round hooks alike.
9/10
Exist Immortal will be available this Friday, October 14th via Seek & Strike, and you can pre-order the record here.