A five-piece hailing from Dublin, Xerosun are a proudly modern metal band who combine a wide array of influences to inform a sound that is both brutally beautiful and melodically memorable. Fronted by Martyna Halas Yeates, whose guttural roars earn initial comparisons with Angela Gossow in terms of potency, the band use Martyna’s ability to switch between searing roar and powerful melody to good effect, recalling the likes of The Way Of Purity (who have grafted a similarly industrial exoskeleton onto their work) as well as the melodic death metal of In Flames and latter day Children of Bodom.
The first thing that hits you between the eyes with Xerosun is the quality of their production. Whilst recent years has allowed bands to produce impressive work on an ever-decreasing budget, the production values of ‘This Dark Rage’ are still a cut above. With clear separation between instruments, plenty of depth and power and a number of ambitious synth elements woven into the fabric of the songs, ‘This Dark Rage’ has a powerful and professional sound that marks Xerosun out as a band whose attention to detail should see them go far.
The EP opens with the title track and there’s little room for breathing. Martyna’s blood-flecked roar announces the band’s arrival whilst guitarists Fiachra Kelly and Gareth Jeffs lay down huge, djent-ish riffs with aplomb. However, just as you think you’ve got a handle on the band’s sound, synth elements flit through the mix and Martyna switches modes, weaving a beguiling melody around the listener that only makes the ensuing payoff all the more vicious. It’s a hell of an introduction to the band and it certainly grabs your attention. With a short piano intro, the ferocious ‘Anatomy of a lie’ has a tough groove to it whilst the chorus, awash with melody, hints at an admiration for the likes of The Gathering with its rich harmonies and emotional resonance. Fast paced and heavier than what has gone before, ‘I spared hundreds’ is a gruelling marathon across gleaming, metallic pastures. Martyna gives a devastating performance, using her voice almost percussively as Damien Dziennik lays down a pounding backdrop and strings swirl to the foreground. The final two tracks are epic in nature. The first, ‘the mother of morality’ is a near seven-minute monster that sees the band deal in the sort of awkwardly syncopated, stuttering riffs that power Meshuggah whilst adding in a number of elements that are all their own, not least the shimmering synth that gives the piece a colder, more industrial feel. A track with a wide range of influences incorporated into its structure, ‘the mother of morality’ never forgets the importance of a good riff and the result is a track to which will please both the pit and those who like to enjoy music on a less visceral level. The EP concludes with ‘repent, rewind, reset’ which slowly emerges from a haze of guitar to deliver a satisfyingly grandiose finale that harnesses the melodic might of bands such as a stream of passion and the metallic heft of Gojira all at the same time. It leaves you very much wanting more and you’ll find that the carefully constructed textures remain long after the EP has ceased spinning.
‘This dark rage’ is a deeply satisfying EP on a number of levels. Thanks to a sparkling production job, the band’s impressive and ambitious arrangements shine through whilst the band’s musicianship is first-rate throughout. Moreover, Xerosun effortlessly combine a number of influences to offer up their own take on metal without sounding in thrall to any one particular band or genre – an increasing rarity in our heavily saturated times. Forget about the mainstream and bloated special editions designed to part you from your cash – bands such as Xerosun deserve your attention a hell of a lot more and if ‘this dark rage’ is an indication of the quality the band can muster, seemingly at will, their next album is going to be truly devastating. Intelligent, incandescent and fiercely independent, Xerosun could well be your new favourite band, make sure you check them out. 9
You can find out more about the band at their feature-packed website here.
