American quartet Exist were cranking out excellent revolutionary/technical demise steel for just about 15 years. Relatively than greatly retool their sound, they have got constantly subtle the stability of devilish aggression, jazz fusion instrumentation, and soothingly blank passages that first inspired fanatics on 2010’s In Mirrors EP. Their newest LP – Hijacking the Zeitgeist, which follows 2020’s Egoiista – raises the bar as soon as once more. Reinforced by way of a considerably new lineup, the file is a generally immersive journey whose nuances, symmetry, and economical runtime will make you wish to have to go back to it as incessantly as imaginable.
As with any of its predecessors, Hijacking the Zeitgeist is led by way of guitarist/vocalist Max Phelps (Cynic) and bassist/vocalist Alex Weber (WAIT). Drummer Brody Smith (Satyr) returns as smartly; on the other hand, the LP marks the departure of longtime guitarist Matt Rossa. In his position is Charles Eron (WAIT), who additionally handles synth tasks. In regards to the transfer, Exist clarified by the use of Fb in October 2023:
“Merely said, Matt felt that his time with us had run it is [sic] direction and … it used to be time for him to transport on. Whilst we will pass over Matt’s abilities, comradery and hilarious antics, we recognize his resolution and … will all the time believe him circle of relatives … Charles Eron has performed an enormous function in this new album along with his various ear, guitar enjoying and soundscaping abilities. Charlie has already had an ideal musical dating with two people for years in his venture WAIT and has been at the scene for the reason that early days of the band, so it feels somewhat herbal to welcome him to the fold.”
Certainly, Eron does lots to make sure that the gang sustains the entirety that is labored so smartly for over a decade.
As for growing the file, Phelps feedback that it used to be “essentially the most amusing [they’ve] had making an album,” including: “Musically, I believe it represents a brand new generation for the band with each a heavier sound and a lot more compact preparations. Possibly it is honest to mention that it is comparable to our “Everlasting Waves” or “Shifting Photos” (for the Rush nerd, like us) when it comes to the band’s trajectory from the previous couple of albums.”
Even though it isn’t that a lot of a departure from prior releases, Hijacking the Zeitgeist‘s 36-minute runtime no doubt is helping it transform Exist‘s most simply digestible but without end attractive assortment to this point.
Plus, their tried-and-true fusion of invigorating growls and calming making a song are on complete show all through the series. Opener “Blue Gentle Countless” – a track about “the addictive and misleading nature of our obsession with era,” Phelps explains – provides a in particular gripping instance of that back-and-forth brilliance. Somewhere else, “A Trail to Nowhere” and “One Level Got rid of from Human” observe go well with with similarly fascinating effects, while “Funeral Toll” slightly overlaps the 2 approaches to mine ethereally engaging riches.
The ones tracks no doubt justify comparisons to acts corresponding to Demise, BTBAM, Fallujah, Persefone, and sure, Cynic. So, too, do the difficult and versatile – but by no means overly ostentatious – preparations. Particularly, “Thief of Pleasure” options elegant juxtapositions of stampeding riffs and rhythms underneath (or round) transcendental guitar notes and restfully atmospheric detours. In a while, each the identify observe and “Window to the All” faucet into colourful jazz fusion jauntiness.
Exist have outdone themselves another time with Hijacking the Zeitgeist. Past introducing Eron as an ideal substitute for Rossa, it sees the band as an entire upholding their excellence in each and every manner possible. Whilst their previous data by no means felt verbose, the truth that this one is significantly shorter most effective serves to make it extra centered and replayable as smartly. By way of all way, test it out once you’ll!
