(2017) Ex Eye - Ex Eye



Review: 
EX EYE was conceived during the sessions for Colin Stetson‘s landmark 2016 album, Sorrow: A Reimagining of Gorecki’s 3rd Symphony. Liturgy drummer Greg Fox and keyboardist Shahzad Ismaily (Ceramic Dog, Secret Chiefs 3) both played on that record, and the trio undertook discussions of forming a band that engaged black and post-metal aesthetics. Stetson reached out to his longtime friend, guitarist Toby Summerfield, and the quartet commenced playing festivals. 
Relapse Records heard and signed them almost on the spot. This debut four-track album embraces and challenges accepted notions about post-metal, black metal, and doom metal. 
Opener “Xenolith; The Anvil” commences with a crescendo of squalling tremoloed guitar, tsunami-like synth, and blastbeats before establishing an interlocking groove with Stetson’s bass horn creating its main body. Fox’s blasts re-emerge to carry it out, and the listener is left wondering what exactly happened over the last five minutes. “Opposition/Perihelion; The Coil” is the set’s longest jam at over 12 minutes. Introduced by Stetson’s alto saxophone acrobatics — circular breathing and multiphonics — Summerfield adds spiky riffage as Fox bridges the drum gaps between Emperor’s Faust and Rashied Ali, and Ismaily weaves string-like waves on his synths. Stetson takes solo fills that add a large, bold, underscored “POST” to these metallic proceedings. A long breakdown ushers in a sinister dirge-like groove where Stetson stretches a bit and Summerfield’s playing becomes the force of tension. 

Tracklist: 
01 - Xenolith; The Anvil.flac 
02 - Opposition; Perihelion; The Coil.flac 
03 - Anaitis Hymnal; The Arkose Disc.flac 
04 - Form Constant; The Grid.flac 
05 - Tten Crowns; The Corruptor (Bonus Track).flac 

Summary: 
Country: USA 
Genre: post-rock