exist†trace - WORLD MAKER

Much has been made of exist†trace, the best known - if not the first - all-female vosual kei act. The girls roared onto the scene about a decade ago, and have made quite a strong impression on fans of the genre. Reactions ranged from women pleased to finally see themselves represented in their favorite genre, to men being impressed by the band’s heavy instrumentation and remarkable vocals. exist†trace helped open a door for female visual kei artists to take the spotlight, and continue to stand at the top of that particular pyramid. But that's all old news now.

Having changed the visual kei scene forever, the band has now set its sights on becoming true musical innovators. Their sound has always been somewhat different from the mainstream, but past releases such as Ginger have seen them increasingly experiment with their style. Now, with WORLD MAKER, these five talented women are taking a new stand. A new, fantastic world has indeed been created, just as the album's title foretold.

Fittingly, the first track is titled WORLD MAKER, and concretely sets the mood for the rest of the album as more pop-orientated than anything exist†trace has ever attempted before. To write the song off as mere "pop", however, would be to rob it of the impact left by strange, dreamy hopefulness on display throughout the track. The single DIAMOND is next; an aggressive, electronically-driven number that really puts the band's current capabilities on show. Spiral Daisakusen, another single track, then barges in, making clear through its unusual disco-rock sound that, despite exist†trace's recent move to a more mainstream sound, the band still have an incredible amount of variety to offer.

JUST ONE is the first duet between Jyo and miko, a staple of the group's recent efforts. As always, the pair complement one another well, making the track another great hard rock number packed with emotion. Things slow down for Imagination, a bluesy funk-tinged song that manages to be a whole lot of fun despite the more laid-back style.

The next song, Feel, takes a different direction from those before it. The track drones along menacingly, with each instrument contributing greatly to the overall atmosphere. It’s Jyo who really sells the track, however, cramming in just about as much emotion as one can manage. Even after a significantly lighter bridge, the song plunges right back into darker territory, leaving a wonderfully creepy impression.

Another standout track, SHOOTING STAR, brings the mood back up. Like DIAMOND, this one is another hard rock efrrort with prominent electronic elements. Unlike DIAMOND, SHOOTING STAR has a bouncier feel and a much more palpable attitude. On top of that, the electronic beeps and whirrs create a "spacier" atmosphere, just as the cosmic title suggests. The bridge is a wholly unexpected electronic free-for-all, but it's a pleasant surprise rather than an unwanted intrusion.

Jyo has always been one of the band's most important assets, with a voice that's been inordinately powerful since the beginning. On Antique Doll, she really gets to shine, and her emotive howls soar high over another frantic, driving track. Kuchibiru comes next, and on the whole, feels like a song that will play well with audiences. The audience participation is practically built-in thanks to a good deal of clapping noises, but the whole composition has a rawer feel to it that begs for numerous live performances.

Shades of the band's past works can be felt in RAZE, an assertive track that hearkens back to exist†trace's earlier days by way of a very firmly metal composition. It's been a while since Jyo let loose with one of her incredible roars, but the more subdued shouting on RAZE should whet the appetites of most fans who miss the old days. Thanks to some more uplifting sections, though, the song is a beautiful hybrid of old and new.

As the album winds down, listeners are presented with exist†trace's stirring take on a ballad in the form of Nagai Yume no Owari ni. Though gentle at first, the song gradually builds to an impassioned climax that puts Jyo's full ability on display. The album ends with VOICE, a hard, peppy track that closes out the album with an enthusiastic bang.

Beyond being Japan's biggest female visual kei band, there has always been something special about exist†trace. There's really no one like them, as evidenced by their continued originality no matter where they stand on the ladder of popularity. Back in their darker days, the girls still managed to create forceful, heartfelt songs unlike anything else at the time. Most bands soften once they reach the big leagues, but even while doing so, this one has given both fans and new listeners something unique. With WORLD MAKER, the band has truly made a new world, a fascinating one that is open to everybody. With exist†trace at its helm, it's a world that will most certainly live on.