Getting Antagonized | Antagonist: Exist Review

September 30th will mark the release of a few highly anticipated metal albums this year. One of the releases that will have to contend with Amon Amarth, Trivium, Bleeding Through and In This Moment is Antagonist’s Exist, with their first release on Prosthetic Records. This isn’t the first record though. This So-Cal band has been around for a decade and have self-released 3 Ep’s, a full length and one full length on Dwell Records. So what does Antagonist have to offer us with Exist?

Let’s introduce the band real quick. Carlos Garcia takes on the tasks of vocals and guitars with Paul Salem on Bass and Backing Vocals. Matt Lopez rips on guitars and Orlando “lond” plays drums. Now on to Exist.

Exist is a melting pot of genre-mixing metal. A little thrash, a little hardcore and a wee bit of death metal (Vocally). The guitars blend great head-banging rhythms with melodic lead hooks and solos that scream experience and skill. Garcia vocals and Salem’s backing, alternate between screams, clean vocal chorus and bridges, to the low guttural growls. Bass and Drums hold everything together with heavy lows and no over-use of the double bass pedal. If there is one thing I can not stand when I listen to a song is over-use of a double bass in spots that feel out of place and out of sync. None here. Tight breakdowns and bridges keep things interesting while intelligently written lyrics and clean guitar breaks make for a great listening experience.

Antagonist have only a handful of tour dates coming up in California and recently wrapped up their summer tour. Look for Exist in stores September 30th and if you dig them, check out a live set and show your support.

You can listen to the first two tracks Bomb Shelter and title track Exist on Atagonist’s Myspace. The mix sounds a bit rough online but the cd sounds much better. You can also download Bomb Shelter courtesy of Prosthetic Records website.

Notice a slight resemblance between Antagonist Exist art and All That Remain’s Overcome art? You should. They are both the work of Century’s Carson Slovack.