Exoterik - Are You Alive?

Thanks for the copy of this single are extended to David from Holier Than Thou Black records - cheers fella! Exoterik are a four piece band comprising Anneka on vocals, Tom on guitar, David on bass and Steve on drums, and have recently been touring with Wednesday 13. Enough of the pre-amble...

1. Raping The Reverie (Single Edit). Atmospheric opening before initial power chords kick in forcefully. Song overall follows the quiet verse, loud chorus format but with a swagger and confidence that lifts it way above the generic. Crystal clear production probably has something to do with this, although the main reason has to be the level of musicianship and quality of the vocals. The bridge section works particularly well, carrying on the Eastern influence, and is reminiscent of "Kashmir". This is a well structured song with good dynamics and should work well live.
2. Are You Alive? Current single. Quality opening riff, very catchy. The underlying groove of the song, topped off with the great vocals, will make this one very popular live, especially as the chorus has a great hook. Overall I like this one but there were a couple of things that didn't quite work for me. The quieter bridge section sounds a bit flat, although live I'm sure it will provide an interesting counterpoint. The final chorus and repeated vocal gets a bit wearing and I wonder if the song would work better slightly shorter? For me the first two thirds of the track are excellent, but the final third doesn't have enough impact and gets a bit samey. That said I still think it will be a great live song, the opening riff and especially the hook in the chorus should ensure this sells well.

Overall impressions are positive. This isn't my usual style of rock, probably the only band in this genre that I rate being Lacuna Coil. I'm wondering how the full length album is going to sound - another seven or eight tracks of this quality and it should do well. Production is superb, guitars are crisp, drums (especially the snare) sound good and the vocals are strong and clear. Look forward to hearing the album when it's out and seeing how this works live. I'll keep an eye on your tour schedule or send you an invite from Millennium of Blood soon!