XECSNOIN - Corridor To The Frozen Sky

XECSNOIN is one of those rare bands that seems very comfortable with itself. Despite being formed sixteen years ago, the death metal quintet seems very content in their own indie niche. Few bands in the genre expect mainstream popularity, of course, but nearly two decades is a very long time to stay underground. Again, however, XECSNOIN doesn't seem to mind. When one takes up death metal, it's not about popularity, it's about making some of the heaviest, most intimidating music around -- a feat the group accomplishes with rare skill.

Formed in 1998 after bassist JUN returned from a stint abroad in Germany, it wasn't until 2002 that XECSNOIN released its first single. Since then, the band has gone through droves of different members and put out just as many releases. Despite all XECSNOIN's ups and downs, could the band have achieved its final form at last? Corridor To The Frozen Sky is the group's third full album, and their first featuring female vocalist U. Despite a few missteps, this new release indicates the band may have struck gold.

The album's introduction, Leaving Saudade, sets the tone of the entire work with some impressively somber instrumentals. As befitting a death metal band, however, the next track, Take Away My Pain, is a non-stop aural assault. U's clean vocals will sound familiar to devotees of bands like exist†trace, but when it comes to screaming and growling, she has her own distinct voice.

There, however, lies the album's main complication. Though her growls and roars on the last track are spot-on, it's made apparent in the third track, Remaining, that U's death voice is not for everyone. Rather than the deep, guttural growls many death vocalists summon, U often opts for a more raspy, throaty tone. On some tracks it works well and on others it does not, but thanks to some top-notch instrumentals, Remaining evens out into a reasonably effective piece. Ragnarok, the next track, brings with it more of U's hoarse shouting, accentuated by the song's downbeat tone.

The harsh vocals are more or less back in top form for track five, Light My Fire. It seems that U is at her best when she has a thick instrumental backing, and there's nothing wrong with that. Light My Fire plays to the band's strengths very well, and the song even closes with some fabulous guitar riffs. The instrumentation grows a bit more sparse again with Diaspora, and U is once again at her raspiest. This track, however, has a somewhat lighter sound than the others, so U's clean vocals are able to pick up some of the slack.

Follow Me is next, and it's fully instrumental. Even with U's unusual vocal style, she's never outright unlistenable, but this track really drives home XECSNOIN's greatest asset: its string section. Jin, JUN, and Zakuro are the band's three longest-serving members, so it's no surprise that they're the most musically competent. Follow Me is an emotive, atmospheric, and brilliantly-played addition to an already exciting album.

Hands On Wheel brings U back, and since the song is one of the album's heavier efforts, her voice has no problem filling it out. She even gets to shine here as she did during Take Away My Pain, offering up some even more skillful howls than in any previous track. Things slow down again for Along The Borders, letting the strings shriek rather than grind, and giving U a chance to sing for most of the track.

The last track, Disillusion, is probably the most indicative of XECSNOIN's talents. Every instrument gets a chance in the spotlight, even HIROKI's drums, and U is at her very finest. The PV for the song overflows with combative energy, and this energy is still transmitted even without actually seeing the band. Disillusion is the proof that XECSNOIN is a group of talented individuals, several of whom have earned their metal veteran status.

Though not perfect, Corridor To The Frozen Sky is an extremely solid release from an extremely solid indie band. U's vocals are often hit-or-miss, but on most tracks it's more a matter of personal taste than one of skill. As can be heard on tracks like Take Away My Pain and Disillusion, she is competent in her craft, and once listeners are accustomed to her voice there should be no obstacle to loving this album. The whole band, particularly the older members, is far more skilled than most bands at the same level usually are. After all those years underground, XECSNOIN has shown that they don't need to see the light. If they choose to surface, however, there won't be anything standing in their way.