I Exist

The latest effort from Canberra, Australia's I Exist begins with a shove: "Lightning Curse" is a big, beefy hit to the solar plexus and a solid start to their third album. Unfortunately, the band relies a little too heavily on that flattening brawn, opting to power through song after song rather than take their time with them. The faster songs on From Darkness tend to bury much of the band's creative interplay, which when left alone makes for some of the most striking moments of the album (see "Sorrow on Hill 105" or the Slayer-referencing "Ride To Hell"). Though they most often sound like a dumber version of themselves, the hooks come out on occasion, especially when Simon Murphy's punchy drumming is able to cut through the mix and give the songs some definition. I Exist's brand of Wolverine Blues can be revelatory when given enough time and space, but falls into cliché territory when they use their powerful riffs not to guide and shape their songwriting, but as tools for bludgeoning.