There seems to be a real renaissance of classic sounding metalcore/heavy hardcore recently. In a genre that has currently infiltrated by nu-metal stylings and djent riffs, it is refreshing to dip back into the sound that first leant itself to that metal/hardcore fusion.

That is why coming across the latest self-titled EP from Indonesia’s Exist Yet is such a delight. The debut release for the duo, it throws us back into the simplicity of hardcore with the intricacies of metal. Right from the jump, with the two-minute introductory track ‘Be Die’ we are given an old school metal guitar welcome. Once the vocals kick in though, the hardcore element is well and truly prominent, giving us a taste of what we can expect for the next three songs.

‘Indigo’ dips more into that hardcore sound, hitting us with the guitar chugs and a simple lo-fi distortion that has that almost muted, intentional under production feel. Laden with mosh riffs and in your face vocals, it is on from the start. A vintage slow it down and bring it back faster breakdown extravaganza, it may be a simple formula but oh it never gets old. Clearly the guitarist also has a lot in the tank, evident by the riffs and solos that take it in turns to lead us out of the track.

That lead out then brings us into seamlessly into ‘Insomnivm’. So effortless I did not even realise the track had changed. The guitars picked up the pace, giving us a Rage Against The Machine meets Knocked Loose kind of vibe. It is that obvious blend of metal guitarist meets hardcore vocalist, and it just works so well. This number has more metal leanings and also gives us more variety of the vocal sounds- switching from the standard vocals to more lower growls and a spoken, clean section. We also hear a little more from the bass, adding another dynamic to this already interesting track.

Taking on some doom metal sensibilities in track four, ‘Reductio Ad Absurdum’ it quickly descends into mayhem. Giving us back that hardcore speed, but still allowing the guitars to be deeply entrenched into their metal roots. From the solos to the riffs, it is a real treat that they truly let the guitars shine. The drums are fun, they keep the pace up and ultimately helps make this EP just a great metal infused hardcore release.

I do feel like the vocals would be an acquired taste, but personally, I do enjoy them. For what seems to be debut release from this Indonesian duo, Exist Yet have a great base to work from. They have obviously put a lot of attention to detail into how they want to be perceived and how they want their sound to go. It may not be the most evolutionary or boundary breaking drop, but it does offer a bit more a fresh take on the old school metalcore sound.

Rating 7.5/10
Review by Kayla Hamilton (@kaylazomboid)
Exist Yet ‘Exist Yet’ is out now. You can purchase here.