Vexing Hex is one of the more unique bands I have heard recently. It’s hard to pigeonhole their sound because they change genres like most people (hopefully) change their underwear. As a whole, I would say it is occult rock but it’s also so much more.
Elements of punk, doom, pop, stoner, traditional metal are intertwined into their song structures. Throw in some prog, grunge, a hefty dose of the 80’s, and even some thrash…and you might have a good idea as to what they sound like. Ultimately, however, Vexing Hex prove with “Solve Et Coagula” they don’t sound like anyone but themselves.
This might sound crazy but if I were to describe their sound, and this album, with one word it would be: Halloween. This is the soundtrack to a crisp, cool Autumn night.
Through my internet travels, I have seen a lot of comparisons to Ghost but I honestly don’t think they sound all that similar and “Solve Et Coagula” is better than anything I’ve heard from them anyway.
This is apparently their second full-length—I haven’t heard their first one so I have no basis of comparison. I went into this album completely blind and it offered constant surprises through an engaging, varied, and dynamic sound.
The production and mix sounds fantastic. There is a vintage atmosphere (I bet this album would sound GODLY on vinyl) throughout but it’s modern enough for each instrument to stand out on its own without overpowering the others. All the little details of the album, of which there are many, can be heard in full glory.
As I said earlier, there is an occult/horror vibe to the album but, despite that, the album is fun as hell. The band clearly embraces all their characteristics with a certain undeniable charm and had a blast recording this.
The album opens with the ultra-catchy “Into The Night,” and features a chorus that WILL bury itself into your brain. The riffs and bass are jaunty, in a pop sort of way but it’s definitely rock based. The organ is a nice touch, adding a lot of old school atmosphere to it. The bass pops well, keeping the song beefy when needed but melodic in other areas. The drums are very complimentary to the music and offer their own variety of play.
“Besmirched,” lets their metal elements shine through, sounding not unlike some old school 80’s thrash metal. The subtle keys keep the band well within their elements, always sounding unique as they take on new avenues and adventurous. I love the keys around the 2 minute mark…..spacy and a little scary but act as a nice bridge between the last minute or so of the song which is surprisingly speedy.
“Mind Funeral,” is a highlight for me because, not even mentioned how goddamn catchy it is, the sound on it is very fresh. The melodic bass and clean guitars pair with keys in the beginning for a gloomy, unexpected intro. The riffs are solid, a sterling combination of metal and pop. The way the drums dance around the song is a sensibility that most bands in the modern age won’t try for but the band pulls it off. The dual melodies near the end cap it all off nicely.
The album returns to a doom/metal sound with “Poison Apple,” providing some deeply toned, gnarly riffs. The keys are whimsical and even though they seem to sound like they wouldn’t work with the riffs, they absolutely do. I bet this sound will be a total killer live.
The final song, “Revivified,” combines melancholy clean parts that appear in between the riffs, ensuring the band rocks even while being morbidly emotive. The guitar solo in the later half is great and I love how it helps transition the song into the next movement, which is a rifftastic.
Vexing Hex’s “Solve Et Coagula,” is one of the best surprises I’ve heard this year and a wholly unique experience. It’s just heavy enough to satisfy metalheads, not overly heavy enough to alienate non-metalheads, and has more than enough variety that even people who don’t even like rock music will still find themselves headbanging (or even dancing) to these catchy occult tunes.
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