Ex Eye
Self-Titled
(Relapse Records)
It’s really difficult to listen to the latest project from renowned saxophonist Colin Stetson and not think, “What the fuck was that?” His latest project, Ex Eye, is one of those metal adjacent records that traffics in the strange in familiar in equal doses. There are riffs, build-ups, blast beats, and a large percentage of the record is heavy. However, the feeling of confusion and “otherness” that permeates Ex Eye feels purposeful and gets to what Stetson and company do so well.
This debut is exceptionally evocative, no matter the speed or insanity. There are some truly calming moments, like the mid-way point of “Opposition/Perihelion; The Coil”, but even that features a hair-raising dissonant saxophone solo. The whole album is jarring in its ability to push and pull the limits of heavy music. This pervasive uneasiness coupled with a sound drenched in atmosphere gives Ex Eye a feeling of despair and doom. The band sound like they’re going for an apocalyptic jazz fusion sound that evokes what the Seven Trumpets of Revelation will actually sound like: a horrifying, stomach-churning sense of our inevitable, impending destruction.
And you know what? As much as Ex Eye is a challenging listen, its ability to mess with your mind and body (the dissonance hurts so good) is truly mesmerizing. From the first notes of “Xenolith; The Anvil”, Ex Eye have your undivided attention and refuse to let go, even in the moments of relative calm. The group are the rare breed of experimental and avant-garde that understand how to actually create music and push boundaries, and they’ve put that on full display on their incredible debut.
