Back from a short hiatus that I’m still not sure I’m completely done with (even as I write this, my first WFA in almost 3 months), it took me more time than usual to really narrow down who I wanted to write about for this article. Still, I think my choice was at least partly a result of observing the times and the weather we’ve been having here lately – not to mention the band in general. Things feel cold (literally and figuratively), bleak, tedious, and decadent in ways they haven’t quite been before on many levels. Snow has fallen, and even though the temperatures have risen a bit, it still lingers in various parts of my neck of the woods; 5 to 11 degree days will do that, I suppose. So it seems only fitting to bring a black metal/folk artist into the discussion as we welcome Exulansis as today’s Weekly Featured Artist.
Formed in 2016 as a two-piece between two friends, Mark and James, from Colestin, Oregon, Exulansis was forged out of what James has described as an ode to misunderstanding, or maybe just being misunderstood. While this isn’t the entire focus of the who, what, when, where, and why of the band’s formation, it definitely helped (contrary to what the word implies) to identify the band, as well as create a concept upon which they could build various expressions. While the duo quickly transformed in sound and expanded in personnel by the end of 2017, bringing in the string wizardry of Andrea Morgan, among others, it wasn’t until the release of their debut, Sequestered Sympathy, that the band fully came into their own. The band embraced their trademark doomy, folk-influenced black metal right off the bat, and expanded upon it as future releases would see the light of day.
With themes of personal struggle, philosophical concepts, and political commentary at the forefront, Exulansis have a lot to say, especially since their name includes “The tendency to give up trying to talk about an experience because people are unable to relate to it. But perhaps, despite the cynicism involved in trying to express the complexities of this often bleak world we exist in, it is seen as far more important to open up that discussion and get people talking or listening, rather than sitting back and assuming it is all hopeless? Either way, listening to the powerful array of sounds woven into each track on Sequestered Sympathy will immediately tell you where this band is at in their range of expression. The instrumentation works beautifully with the atmosphere each track is trying to create, creating a perfect soundtrack for your cold, sunless winter day.
Tracks like “Barren”, “Despondent” and “Dead Can’t Die” really make you want to hear the stories behind their conception. As Andrea describes how cathartic the writing and recording process of this debut album was, it is clear that this was the beginning of something much more meaningful for the band than we may ever realize. The music has its own distinct quality, dancing around elements of black metal, doom, folk and melodic embellishments throughout, but the energy it exudes is palpable. Listening to the record, you can genuinely feel the weight of each of the six songs; a dense wall of sound that gives the listener a live exhibition of what we can only guess is a navigation of juxtaposition in finding strength by confronting one’s deepest pain. The band formed a tight bond while working on this album that has only grown since, and as my ears digest each detail – it becomes clear that Exulansis was meant to be.
…via a 2020 interview with Metal Underground:
‘Andrea: When we recorded this album in April of 2019, there was a lot going on personally for each of us, and the process of documenting this music was as intense as it was cathartic. It really brought us together and helped establish our foundation not only as friends and family, but who we are as an ensemble. It was clear after completing this album, that we were in this for the long haul. Our relationships with each other and our ability to communicate musically has continued to grow ever since. The reception of the album has been truly humbling. People from all over the world have reached out to us to express the challenges they were enduring when this music came into their lives, and the catharsis it has brought them. To know that the energy we put into making this music could then be transferred as a form of healing to those receiving it, reminds us of the powerful bond that is forged from unified intention. This exchange makes it all worthwhile and we’re so grateful for that experience.‘
Despite being around for almost a full decade, the discography of Exulansis is quite short. Aside from two demos, one released in 2016 and the other in 2017, the band only has their 2019 debut and two more records released in 2023. Their latest, Overtures of Uprising, is the most polished and complete representation of the band’s highlights. The title track, which clocks in at 11:43min, feels like an interactive experience told through waveforms. With lyrics that speak to the decaying state of the earth and the cruelty of mankind that only fuels it, this is one of those songs that hits a cinematic nerve as much as an emotional one. It’s almost like world building, but done through compelling lyricism as well as the layered timbre of the instrumentation and just that weighted form of composition that goes straight for the nervous system.
Having become apart of the Bindrune Recordings family, a fitting home for a band the likes of Exulansis, it makes sense that my first time hearing or learning of them came about during a run they did with Panopticon in 2024. As much as the folk/black metal style may also be carried in Panopticon’s music as well, Exulansis still sticks out with a phenomenal live experience that only projects more of a physical manifestation of the aforementioned weighted compositional factor they seem to have going on. Dimmed lights, some samples, and their aura being the only real props to be brought to stage, this is another band that seems to do a whole lot with very little. There is a power within their music that feels both impossible to fully explain, yet mutually understood by those who have even a mild taste for black metal, folk, and doom music.
While we still have much to be seen from the band, Exulansis makes a strong case for themselves as their music is established within a bold, antifacist, observatory take on the state of affairs all around the world. While their name may hold true in the sense that many of the experiences the band either talks about or has personally been through themselves can barely, if at all, be understood on a measurable level – we can all at least remotely relate to what a deep pain is like. Exulansis have a realism to how they engage with every level of their being, whether it’s through songs, merchandise, how they interact with others, or even speak about their viewpoints on the world. The last 5 years have shown a fair amount of promise for them, even with having felt the effects of 2020 as anyone else, but as a collective that appears to function like a family unit and find their strongest bonds through what they do musically, it stands to reason we haven’t heard the end of what their massive, relentless wall of sound has to offer.
At any rate, you should keep yourself up to date with all things Exulansis via their Facebook, Instagram, and Bandcamp! As far as all available sources I could find show, it doesn’t seem they have too much in the way of tours, shows, or too much news to announce as of yet, but this only creates grounds for a pleasant surprise once they do in h the near future. If you need something heavy, but still emotional, dreary, and heartbreaking enough to open your soul and cry to? Miss out no longer on Exulansis. This band writes anthems for those who desperately yearn for the day humanity is restored and the earth is treated with just even an ounce of better respect.
Exulansis is…
Ellis Ray – Guitar & Vocals
Andrea Morgan – Violin & Vocals
Mark Morgan – Drums & Vocals
Kevin Handlon – Bass
