Live-Metal.Net - New Noise: Exemption

EXEMPTION

Long Island, NY
Style: Metal, Stoner Rock

This is for fans of Corrosion of Conformity, Pantera and Down. And that's just the beginning. Read on.

Since 2003 Exemption has been carving its name into the Long Island scene one show at a time. Combining precision, ferocity, soul, and skill, Exemption has managed to create a sound all their own that fans of anything under the Rock and Roll roof can appreciate. Not concerned with any trends, Exemption plays the music they want to play and has compiled a diehard fan base over the last few years, that grows steadily with each show. With their new full-length, self-released album, The Rabbit Hole (2007), Exemption has brought their sound to a new level of ability and independence. It has been written, recorded, mixed, designed, and promoted all by the band themselves with only some occasional help from supportive friends.

Wow! That's all I've got to say after listening to The Rabbit Hole, the new release from the Long Island trio Exemption. The band name is not all that special. Same goes for the album cover or packaging (the band self-released the CD). But what awaits the listener inside is a diverse, groove-heavy, monster combination of stoner rock, blues and heavy metal. The most important part of this album is despite the crisp production, it sounds as if the band is just jamming in a room together. And jam they do.

OK, so maybe it's easy to hear what bands these youngsters listen to (Pantera, White Zombie, Clutch, Queens of the Stone Age, Alice In Chains, Corrosion of Conformity, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Black Sabbath and Lynyrd Skynyrd, to name a few), but the influences (especially Stevie Ray Vaughn) make this 11-song collection unique. It's not too often these days that a band pounds out Dimebag riffs, then breaks down into a blues-metal number. When Exemption isn't rocking your face off with bashing riffs (“Hot Sauce,” “Holy Hand Grenade”), they're boogieing and bluesing (“Helion Ardor,” “Chunderpuss” or “Bear Foot”). I haven't heard a more diverse band in recent memory. The songs are a bit lengthy, averaging six to seven minutes, but Exemption, through advanced chemistry and musicianship (these guys are all 18 or younger at this time), doesn't waste a second of any song. Guitarist Nick Lee is the highlight of the disc, sounding like an apprentice of Dimebag Darrell himself. Vocalist/bassist Tom Moran reminds me of Pepper Kennan of C.O.C. at times and complements the music perfectly. Drummer Ray Marte adjusts to the many different styles and changes at the drop of a hat. I'll stress again: This band sounds like they're in their 30s or 40s, not teens.

Exemption already has shared stages with The Misfits, Dry Kill Logic and Byzantine and currently is unsigned. If someone doesn't get the job done soon, Live-Metal.net may be tempted to start it's own label to have them ink the dotted line.