All-girl visual kei band exist†trace follow up the success of previous releases with their first full length album TWIN GATE. Containing five new songs and five previous single tracks, TWIN GATE is dark and powerful, expressing exist†trace’s world view. Jyou’s clear, strong alto breaks through the heavy guitars to vocalize the pain and suffering of existence.
“Orléans no Shoujo” (The Maid of Orléans) is a song about Joan of Arc that may mirror how exist†trace must feel being a successful all-female visual kei band in a male-dominated industry. In “Neverland” Jyou sings about flying away into the sky and into an eternal land; her haunting vocals paint allusions to Peter Pan that are filled with longing.
The heaviest tracks come back-to-back. “RESONANCE” and “VANGUARD” support the middle of the album with frantic drums and death screams. These are followed by mid-tempo rock tracks that showcase exist†trace’s versatility as they move away from the death vocals and metal.
TWIN GATE shows exist†trace’s maturation into a well-rounded band experimenting with pop and alt-rock. Polished production adds depth to the old and new tracks that should appeal to both current fans and hopefully make a lot of new ones on their upcoming Japan-wide one-man tour, and their first live in America at Sakura-Con in April 2011.
exist†trace Official Website – http://www.exist-trace.com/ exist†trace on JapanFiles – http://www.japanfiles.com/existtrace
