Exist Trace

[Elec]

This is a thread for discussion on Exist Trace.

http://sound.jp/existxtrace/

There's been some talk lately (lots initiated by this one particularly infatuated jerk whose name starts with an 'E' and ends in 'lec', who apologizes for near thread derailment), and some questions, so... let's start it off.

I have no idea about their history, but here's what I know.
Exist Trace is Vocalist Jyo, guitarists Omi and Miko, bassist Naoto, and drummer Mally.

They have a demo tape and a demo MD that aren't in print, obviously, and then...

SINGLES
Ambivalence (8.28.2005)
1. Proof of the Blood 2. Kiba

Funeral Bouquet (2006.2.15)
1. Judea 2. Anecdote 3. Marchen

Riot (7.17.2006)
1. The Colors 2. Venom

MINI ALBUM
Annunciation -the heretic elegy-
1. Water 2. Sacrifice Baby 3. Hai no Yuki 4. Mabushii hodo no kurayami no naka de 5. baptism 6. end-less (plus a bonus DVD of Judea)

They also have a photobook, "Prologue", which I bought because I am a weak, weak man.

They're on Sequence Records, and, um... go for it.

 

[PureElegance]

Can you scan the photobook? So we can see how they look like ^^;

 

[Tastes Like Future]

I like this band.

Their video for Judea is decent, as well.

 

[Harlequin]

At first I wasn't so sure I'd like them. I have nothing against female singers, I mean I love Ayumi and Kokia, but I wasn't sure I'd like one as a J-Rock vocalist. That's also the reason I've never really tried Olivia. But, I decided that, since the link to download was right there, I'd give'em a shot...

And I wasn't sold. I thought the vocals were weak, and the music, although nice, wasn't exactly catching my interest either. So I ignored them for the Riot single, but when I saw their mini album up for downloading, I thought "Why not?"

I enjoyed it, especially the second song, Sacrifice Baby. I still find the vocals a bit weak, but Elec's review of them live redeems that. After all, if a band can sound better live, at least vocally, than on recording, I can look past some of the minor things that bothered me. Unless the band just sucks, of course.

I still can't say I love them, or that I'm going to go out and buy some of their stuff, but I can still enjoy them. And who knows? They may wow me one day to the point I buy something of theirs.

 

[Amatsu]

omg. Judea is the shit. i neeeeed to hear more!!

which ones are females and which are male?

if anyone wants to pm me with some d**nl**ds so i can hear some more, i'd apprieciate it. o.o;;

i don't want to buy anything before i know if i like them.

 

[PureElegance]

O_O what link to the download?

 

[j-aesthete]

which ones are females and which are male?

There are no y-chromosomes in this adorable band, thank god.

Can you scan the photobook? So we can see how they look like ^^;

My scanner is dead, but here's a few handheld shots of their photobook (until someone can do it proper):

Cover
Photo One
Photo Two
Photo Three
Photo Four
Photo Five
Photo Six
Photo Seven
Photo Eight

 

[Lem]

They're 'meh' I think It takes awhile for the vocals to catch on though. Nothing I'd buy or search high and low on the net to download either. To me truthfully I think they're like any other VK band only they aren't going for the annoying Oshare thing and they're girls.

 

[Elec]

I totally understand everyone's critiques. I hold out hope, though; as the ideas are totally there and the mini-album was a nice surprise. "Water" is the best track, IMHO.

What's the main draw for me?

Miko. That's pretty much it. *tee hee*

EDIT & PS: Hi Volt.

 

[Susan]

This is something I HAVE to check out.

Thanks for the info, Elec!

 

[Harlequin]

I totally understand everyone's critiques. I hold out hope, though; as the ideas are totally there and the mini-album was a nice surprise. "Water" is the best track, IMHO.

"Water," eh? I have to say otherwise, although I respect that. It's a great introduction to the album, but it never seemed to really pick up for me. It speeds up a bit in the chorus, yeah, but I'm always waiting for the moment to come where I could really get into it... but it never came. It's eerie, kinda haunting (Like water! Right...) and yet it's overshadowed by the third track, um... "Hai no Yuki" in both departments, to me. Give it time though, it may be something that'll grow on me! One thing I feel should be mentioned is that Jyo shows some range in this song, which is always a plus.

"End-less" is probably my favorite track, after a few more listens. Jyo seems strongest here in terms of singing. Musically it isn't spectacular, but I was waiting for Jyo to burst out with some "oomph" and this song has it! That said, I don't think it's the strongest musically, I just really like it, hehe.

I'm curious, though. You've seen them live, would you mind telling me the position they're in? Or, which guitarist is the lead? I like being able to tell which guitarist is playing which part, and right now I have no idea. ^_^;

 

[Elec]

Really?? To be perfectly frank, I think Hai no Yuki is awful, but to each their own. The more everyone mentions "end-less" the more I go back to discover that I like it more than my first listen-through suggested.

Omi is the 'lead' guitarist, and Miko the other one. However, Miko has the opening guitar riff in "Venom", if you know that song.

Right now, the only 'weak' link I can discern is Jyo's hesitance to try for the high notes, which she sounds great on, and over-reliance on the low notes, which just kinda sit there and don't do much. They're fun performers though, and yeargh I'm gonna fanboy gotta stop.

Anyway, is that what you meant by "what position"? Any more questions?

 

[flowersofnight]

Anyway, is that what you meant by "what position"?

What do you THINK he meant?

(... actually I think it's a question of left vs. right, since apparently sometimes guitarists have established positions and even mix their parts on CD to the left or right channel respectively)

 

[Formless]

Don't feel bad Elec. I'm in love with Miko too. ;[

I'd say SACRIFICE BABY is my new fave song from them. I love the way it rocks along. Jyo sounds more steady on this release then previous works. Looking forward to their stuff, and seeing them sometime!

 

[PureElegance]

Holy toledo theyre pretty! I'm getting a few songs in a minute so I'll see what theyre like.

 

[Monophobia]

They're 'meh' I think ...To me truthfully I think they're like any other VK band only they aren't going for the annoying Oshare thing and they're girls.

I agree. Also I find it annoying how some guys are "fanboying" over certain members of this band simply because they're female. These are the same people who would probably roll their eyes and complain about the fangirling/fanboying of male VK musicians.

 

[Orchid]

Also I find it annoying how some guys are "fanboying" over certain members of this band simply because they're female. These are the same people who would probably roll their eyes and complain about the fangirling/fanboying of male VK musicians.

I've never heard of or really care to hear Exist Trace, but would there be complaints about something like that if they were all male, even?

 

[Formless]

They're 'meh' I think ...To me truthfully I think they're like any other VK band only they aren't going for the annoying Oshare thing and they're girls.

I agree. Also I find it annoying how some guys are "fanboying" over certain members of this band simply because they're female. These are the same people who would probably roll their eyes and complain about the fangirling/fanboying of male VK musicians.

Yeah, that's me.

But really, you find few all-female bands that actually rock. I find them comparable to D'espairsRay in ways, and I'm a D'espairsRay fan. The difference between me and Elec (I can't really speak for anyone else) fanboying over Miko? We actually like the music for more than "well, it's cool". I think it's common knowledge that me and Elec both dive into the details of songs. I really have no problem with finding a member of a band attractive, as long as it's not expressed over and over in an obnoxious way. So, yes, I happen to find Miko very attractive, but you won't be seeing posts like "OMFG MIKO HAVE MY BABYZ" anytime soon.

@Orchid: Probably not.

 

[Elec]

o, yes, I happen to find Miko very attractive, but you won't be seeing posts like "OMFG MIKO HAVE MY BABYZ" anytime soon.

You might see me making them, though. (But not quite like that. And not here. That would be rude. :-*)

And Kaz is largely right, but that doesn't make my attraction "more pure" than, say, some girl's attraction to Toshiya.

Mono, I understand your complaint. I have addressed it elsewhere to other people, and touched on the issue briefly in my blog, but let my try to more clearly outline it here.

You're absolutely right I'm "fanboying", but up until now I've had nothing like this to really "fanboy" over. The genre is 'visual' for a reason. Therefore I could never understand people freaking out and getting all giddy about, say, touching Hizumi's crotch or whatever. Because I'm not necessarily physically attracted to guys.

I've lightened up my position on people saying who they're physically attracted to in this whole thing, because all of a sudden I was acting strikingly similar to how presumed "fangirls" act. I understand the visceral reaction more, now. Do I still condone it? Eh, not in all cases, hardly. But I realize my massive bias, and I think that just because in the past I've been a dick to over-zealous sexually-frustrated female fans of VK doesn't mean I can't alter my position as new experiences present themselves.

Plus, I have never been against the notion of "celebrity crushes"; I find them common and healthy in many instances. (obviously, some take it too far, but that's the internet for you.)

So let me have my Miko thoughts, and you can have your...whoever...thoughts. I don't think anyone's gotten TOO annoying with it (except maybe me).

 

[Susan]

I'm listening to exist trace right now. Upon throwing away anything and everything in this thread (or at least trying to)...

I find them decent. It's mostly been bleeding together. Like the singles seemed just a bit repetitive. A few sounds sounded really similar. But I wasn't really playing that much attention (Been reading comic books!). The mini-album is holding it's own for me so far, though. Just listened to Water. It's bleeding through my veil of absentmindedness!

They're not horrible, that's for sure. You can listen to them And there's a definite progression in their music. I can;t say in any particular area. Just a general progression from "meh" to "good." They're not anything I'd jump to buy right now (Maybe by the time they're ready for a full-length album?) But I'll definitely find myself listening to them again and following their careers a little bit from now on.