"Vestige" Single by Under Exile Review

Under Exile is a metalcore band from Shiprock, New Mexico, the heart of the Navajo Nation. They bring intensity, blending the aggression of modern heavy sounds with these raw lyrics focused on the roots of their Navajo upbringing and universal experiences. Their songs touch on topics, wrestling with themes of existentialism, fighting adversity, and a shift in focus of control. Their music speaks and is a representation of the Native American voice that provides a perspective on their cultural backgrounds without confining their sound. 

This past January, they released a single named “Ephemera,” which shares the name of the new EP that is set to release on March 27th. “Ephemera” is a dark-rooted single exploring consumerism, digital worship, and identity erosion, according to Metal Injection. Metal Sucks also claims that if you are a fan of modern metalcore sounds, then these guys should have already been on your radar, so if they’re not, you’re behind. 

Just recently, they dropped a new single that’ll be on the new EP titled “Vestige.” This song is focused on survivor’s guilt and having the weight of knowing you lived, yet someone else didn’t. The internal conflict that you face is holding onto their memory and wanting peace from these feelings. Even though it is deeply tied to guilt, it is meant to resonate with anyone who has experienced grief, regrets, or a haunting feeling of disclosures. 

The structure of this song sounds like modern-day metalcore music, and unfortunately, it does mean it’s a little hard to understand what the vocalist is actually singing. However, if you listen closely (or look the words up like me), the depth behind the meaning and pairing with its sound makes it even more of a masterpiece to me. 

Click The Image To Stream The Song

There’s this dark beauty in the lines, “I walk toward the flame, Time dissolves your name,” because it’s about knowing you survived and someone else did not. Yet as time goes on, things fade and evaporate into the past. These lyrics are intricate and so carefully chosen to fit the overall sound. The track begins with this delicate sound before the guitar and rhythm punch in. These riffs carry along well with singer Franklin Yazzie’s gritty gruff vocals. But then, towards the end, the beats slow down and transition back into this soft violin sound, yet with a faster tone. There’s like this gentle feeling at the start, then the sound is rough, and then it ends with the same soft notes, except it's different. A sense of urgency pairs with it to me. I feel rambly because this is also just an indescribable sound in words, and it makes more sense if you just listen to the song yourself. 

“‘Vestige’ is rooted in survivor’s guilt, the quiet weight of living on when someone else didn’t. It captures the internal conflict between holding onto memory and wanting relief from the pain that comes with it. At its core, ‘Vestige’ is about the remnants people leave behind or the emotional residue that lingers long after loss, and the lingering presence of someone or something that shaped you, and the difficult process of carrying that memory without letting it consume you. While deeply tied to survivor’s guilt, the song can resonate with anyone who has experienced grief, regret, or the haunting feeling of unfinished closure”. – Under Exile

New EP from Under Exile coming out on March 27th, but until then, you can stream “Vestige” and the title track, “Ephemera” on repeat. Go do it!