[Video] From Exile featuring Emil Werstler: “A Warm Place” (Nine Inch Nails Cover)

Daath‘s Emil Werstler guest solos on From Exile‘s cover of Nine Inch Nails‘ “A Warm Place.”
Directed by Michael Corrigan
Cinematography by Sidarth Kantamneni

[Stream] Daath: “Indestructible Overdose”

I got a sneak preview of the new, self-titled Daath record coming out next month, and while I usually don’t enjoy metal this brutal, I was thoroughly impressed with it. Around this town, so much of the what gets praised in this genre is sludgy, droney, and down right boring, so it’s refreshing to hear something with such precise and imaginative song writing that also still intensely kicks ass. Here’s an audio sample of one the tracks:

This Daath record features keyboard work by Eric Guenther of From Exile, who will be returning with a brand new lineup next month to play their first show in almost three years, so stay tuned for further details. Here’s a Daath studio video highlighting Guenther’s contributions:

[Mp3] Levi/Werstler: “Noxious Vermin, My Friend”

Guitarists Eyal Levi and Emil Werstler took a break from their primary project, Atlanta-based death metal outfit Daath, to drop a shred record called Avalanche Of Worms earlier this year. One of the things I dislike most about metal music is how rigidly metal bands adhere to certain concepts of the genre, and Daath is no exception. Which is why I love Avalanche Of Worms so much, because Levi/Werstler completely break free of the genre limitations that have previously confined them and just let loose. Listening to the record, it’s obvious they needed an outlet like this to showcase the wide range of musical prowess they command, because Avalanche Of Worms contains a bit of magic that sets it apart from most cold, mechanical shred records I’ve heard before. The album is bolstered by a complimenting supporting cast around the duo that includes Sean Reinart (Cynic) and Eric Guenther (From Exile). Here’s the opening track of the sprawling sonic journey:

Levi/Werstler: “Noxious Vermin, My Friend”

Buy Avalanche Of Worms
Levi/Werstler website

Best New Atlanta Music: From Exile – “Monolith” LP

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After playing their last show in 2007, From Exile headed into the studio to begin working on their second record. During the arduous two year process, the 5-piece act that had once been drawing hundreds of people to house shows on the west side disintegrated, leaving only the core duo of Eric Guenther and Ben Wetzelberger behind to pick up the pieces. Rather than becoming frustrated and falling apart, the two remaining members used the situation as an opportunity to reinvent themselves into something far greater. They were able to fully focus on pursuing their personal vision and created a phenomenal album that delivers on all of the vast potential many of us had seen for a long time.

While I enjoy a lot of music in the general spheres of metal and prog, I find the rigid nature of those genres stylistically often constrains the elements of music I value most. The primary attention to technical prowess and excessively complex compositions dominates those scenes and their almost athletic, competitive nature leaves very little room for good songwriting or taking artistic chances. It’s ironic that a genre called “progressive” seems so relatively conservative in today’s musical landscape.

But lately there seem to be more and more innovators in the general umbrella of metal that are pushing things forward, and that especially appears to be true locally. Bands like Mastodon and Baroness have been able to break down some sonic barriers of the genre, and From Exile are pushing those boundaries even further. If there is one thing that Monolith excels at more than any other, it is how perfectly it manages to extract everything great about prog and metal without retaining any of the bullshit.

That’s not to say that this record doesn’t shred and showcase some very impressive chops, but there is a tastefulness and a restraint to the way they utilize the enormous talent at their disposal that I’ve rarely heard in such epic music. In lieu of having a band around them, the From Exile duo turned to fellow Atlanta metalists Daath, and in addition to Monolith being co-produced by Eyal Levi, both he and Emil Werstler have guest solos and the drums throughout are done by Kevin Talley. Even Tealights‘ Mary Knight dropped some cello on the recording. The extremely able supporting cast around the band is implemented in a way that enhances and compliments their strengths, and in the end this record is a success on just about every facet you can measure.

From Exile are streaming the entire album at their website, so go check it out for yourself.

From Exile : Monolith

From Exile : Veritas

Stream and Buy Monolith

From Exile myspace


Here are a couple of studio videos of the making of Monolith:


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Photos: Daath @ From Exile House, Gary Eddy @ Train Tunnel (10/16/09)

Daath @ From Exile‘s House Party:

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More Daath photos here




Gary Eddy @ Secret Train Tunnel Folk Show:

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Videos: Daath On Tour

Atlanta badass metal outfit Daath just got back from being on tour with Dragonforce and Cynic. While they were on tour, they shot some videos and made a “Daathumentary” or two about their adventures. This is most definitely the “funnest” documentary on an Atlanta band I’ve ever seen:


Buy The Concealers

Daath myspace

What Up In The ATL?

Radiohead!!! I am all pumped up about catching them in Atlanta on Thursday and I even decided to ball out and catch them again in Charlotte Friday night. I’ve been wanting to see a Liars show for forever, so I’m excited about that too. Here is the entire Radiohead Glastonbury 2003 set to get you hyped up for this week’s biggest event:

Before I get into the rest of what is going on this week, I’m gonna hit you with a bit of last week. Here is Genghis Tron from last Tuesday night:

Last Thursday our crew hit up the Fuck Yesss Le Castle Vania birthday bash at The Drunken Unicorn and had a blast:


Click here to read the entire post…

Video Of The Day: Daath

The new album comes out on tuesday, here’s a video:

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