Heartattack #39
Existi-Vein and Wire
To start things off I'll throw out the word "metal," but to really describe this I would have to add the word "frenetic." But the "frenetic" refers not so much to the pace but to the absurd tempo changes that Existi seems to pull off, very reminiscent of the 1.6 Band. They also throw in some jazzy and surfy sections to their songs,as well as the now de riguer,softly sang bits. Comparison-wise I would have to say that this sounds like what would have probably resulted if you had forced Roschach and the 1.6 Band into a studio together and locked the door until they had recorded something,and it had actually turned out good.

Lp Virus
Existi-Vein and Wire
Arizona's Existi is definitely something different. I have to admit, I expected crappy, poorly assembled melodicore. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised when giving this disc a whirl. With a predominant hardcore sound accompanied by indie, lounge, funk, and emo sounds, Existi's 'Vein and Wire' is definitely a recording to become attached to, and most possible, treasure. With the shortest song being a little over five minutes in length, one would expect to become bored and tired of such recording. No bloody way. Unexpected bursts of hybrid sound coming from all directions make this digital to analog experience electrifying. With an overall eerie and compelling sound, I really wish I could have taken this to listen to while trick-or-treating just recently. Eerie, compelling, and oh so expressive, Existi vividly portray their panoramic lyrics into what is "Vein and Wire'. Every track is memorable in its own way and there's no way of picking a favourite. Though, in my case, the song I'd be able to recognize by name first is "Musique Étrange" [French for "Strange Music," I believe] because it has no words. My interpretation of these lyrics is that they speak of typical human emotions, reactions, and behaviour under certain circumstances. These actions coming off as mechanical, help make the connection between vein [humans] and wire [automatic response and related thoughts triggered]. But hey, I could be wrong. An overall intense album with a perfectly function rhythm section with perfect syncopation abilities, a melodic guitar, and the hard and rough vocals accompanied by those of the guitarist and bassist. End transmission.

Audiocratic
http://www.audiocratic.com
Existi-Vein and Wire
Arizona’s Existi are a metallic hardcore band that fuses different elements together well, as their release ‘Vein And Wire’ proves. From the start ‘Note To Self’ intros in a quirky guitar like fashion before pelting head first into a rage of hardcore screamo, of epic proportions while making the sound intelligent and technically well done, an intense melodic build up before ending the track in more aggressive style, this band are truly impressive. They certainly build up an eerie atmosphere before crashing into their ‘core groove on most tracks, the subtle way Existi manage to blend elements without over doing it, really does pay tribute to their sound. The band use keyboard synth in places, giving a melancholy like scapes inbetween brutal lashings, although the band also have their melodic moments amongst the chaos, with the vocals able to cope superbly with harmony as well as intense screamo. ‘Double Negative’ & ‘Motions Of The Programmed’ both proving excellent tracks, and showing all the elements that the band bring into their music. ‘Musique Éntrange’ shows the band in a different and much more melancholy sense, the track is instrumental and ponders through with melody and an awesome guitar feel surrounds it, again it is epic like and the intensity changes, but effectively, this is the calm before the storm. The EP ends with ‘Here Now, In The Blue’ which begins with some searing guitar lines before upping the ante and unleashing the brutallic vocals, this track is well made and certainly gets you involved with the music, like the others, hooking you into the heavier parts, an excellent track to end an impressive EP with. Existi have really shown what they’re made of with this release and show that they’re a band with dynamics and massive potential for the future. I’ve got high hopes for this band and believe they can certainly achieve something with their music, label interest shouldn’t be too far away. Certainly a band every respecting hardcore/metal fan should check out.

Impact Press
http://www.impactpress.com/articles/augsep03/musicr8903.html
Existi-Vein and Wire
More complicated than my ex-girlfriend, with as many quickly changing personalities as well. Flashes of technical indie rock, splashed with hardcore intensity. They pull it off, or at least do something interesting enough that you don't go darting across the room to press eject and end the musical experiment. A work in progress, but something intriguing none the less.

Tounges of Destruction
Existi-Vein and Wire
One of the strangest records this year, 5 song and a playtime of over 35 minutes. Please image that TOOL meets DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, and then give them some electronic devices.Thats EXISTI. But the music of EXISTI contains more own elements as the named bands. Very powerful and loaded with emotions. One more band I like.

Zaoghost
Existi-Vein and Wire
Existi are Glendale, AZ local favorites that play an experimental brand of hardcore. They have been consistantly playing shows around Arizona and now touring the West Coast off the release of this highly impressive EP. Describing Existi's sound is tough, which immediately makes them stand above the rest of the technical hardcore bands. They mix up their sound often on this release going from hardcore to metal to jazz and everything in between. Do not pass up this band, I can see a bright future and growing fanbase.

Article in The Tucson Weekly "ON THE BANDWAGON"
Local ska-funk-punk sextet Chango Malo will also be debuting some new songs at their performance this weekend at Plush. The band will headline a gig that also features a middle slot set from Phoenix's Existi, whose self-released 2003 EP, Vein and Wire, merges snarling, screamo vocals and technically proficient math-rock arrangements that veer from jangle to Slayer-esque guitar hailstorms in the course of a single song. Tucson's up-and-coming young'uns Our Cure the Rocketship open. It all goes down at 9:30 p.m. at Plush, 340 E. Sixth St., on Saturday, March 6. Cover is a mere $3. For further details, call 798-1298.

Article in The Phoenix New Times for 2004 Showcase
Glendale’s Existi specializes in eerie atmospherics and the big, intensive buildup. Band members eschew formulaic song structures, and the listener would be hard-pressed to spot the point where a verse ends and a chorus begins in their experimental, largely electronic epics. A soft, jazzy syncopation suddenly gives way to fierce hard-core screaming; a panoramic surf guitar riff swells to a frenetic, brutal lashing. Fans describe Existi’s anti-formula as the calm before the storm, followed by the storm itself. Schooled on oddball influences ranging from Frank Zappa to Dillinger Escape Plan and Aphex Twin, the members of Existi are reportedly now working in the recording studio without a bassist. Not that it should matter. (Existi would like to add, where the fuck did they get the information that we were working without a bass player, What a bunch of dumbshits!!)