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Existance: Existance
Existance 2012 Debut Review

Existance: Existance

(Traditional) Heavy Metal
5.0/5.0

To understand the music of France's Existance you may need to explore its roots. The band is led by guitarist and vocalist Julian Izard. His father is Didier Izard, who played for French metal legend H-Bomb, a speed metal band, probably an originator in France. But Julian isn't following the same path, at least the speed metal side of things.

Existance Band Photo

Existance: playing live, without a net.

Existance and their debut smacks more of traditional Eighties heavy metal. You know to whom I refer. While Julian and Existance didn't follow in his father's foot steps, he did take some advice from his elder. Existance couldn't settle on a vocalist, so Dad suggested Julian take the lead. And he did.

This debut is a solid performance of classic heavy metal, with nods to hard rock. It does not waste its time with modern influences. It's steady and heavy. It carefully weaves melody throughout, and blisters with guitar work. Unlike modern metal, you do not need to be angry to listen to this music. In other words, instead of the viciousness of current hardcore metal trends, Existance lets the music and lyrics do the talking. Best tracks: all of them.

This is such a breath of fresh air. Metal as it was intended to be: melodic, heavy, and uncompromising, without references to modern metal. Read: harsh hardcore motifs or death vocals. Existance betters, and pisses on, that stuff.

I dig this album. This is great heavy metal. Very recommended.






In Short

Existance's debut offers the good stuff: uncompromising melodic heavy metal. There's no modern hardcore harsh bullshit here. Only the best.

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