Exalt, hailing from Ontario, is a band that will leave you with a sense of dark emptiness and blind aggression when listening to its music – especially with its second LP, Pale Light , as it’s a force to be reckoned with. “Death Is A Road” begins the album, and we soon hear a punishing riff, but that is only the beginning. Songs such as “Forsaken” and “Greying” are fast and you leave in the dust by the time the breakdown kicks in. “Deafen” is foreboding and a total ass beater all at the same time. What I really enjoy about this album, though, is the differences in the songs. While many of the songs are a blistering whirlwind, a few stand out. The title track, “Pale Light,” has an eerie introduction, but when the song comes full circle, it sounds like something that would be in a medieval war film right before a grand battle. “Palmcarver” is a full-on noise track, and the vocals create an even more unsettling feeling. The lyrics “End all earth / Clean all skin / Fear all life” are drilled into your skull. “Feed” is the best of the best on this album, as Exalt truly shows all that it has. The intro riff makes me headbang vehemently, while the second half of the song is dark and mysterious, and it will leave you lost in a haze.
“Flesh to Ash” reveals the chaotic aspect that was more present on the first LP, but here we have it done better than ever before. “Fear Is the Hand” closes the album, leaving you with a sense of uneasiness and a sudden need to regain your balance after finally ending the shadowy barrage of anger that is Pale Light. Simply put, if you like unrelenting metallic hardcore with an evil and sharp tinge, this album is a necessity for your ears.
