My introduction to Vexing Hex came a few years ago, thanks to Legions of Metal 3.5. Caught in this bizarre half dormant, half alive state of being, society trying to rise from the ashes of a global pandemic, this mini edition of Chicago’s premiere traditional metal festival was a beacon of light amidst a wasteland of darkness. And who better to double down on this darkness than Vexing Hex? Decked out in matching robes, crowns, and corpsepaint, the band treated the eager audience (many of whom were catching their first show in nearly 2 years) to a full course meal of occult metal mastery.
In the nearly 3 years that have passed since that rewarding festival slot, Vexing Hex have returned to bestow upon us their long awaited sophomore album, Solve Et Coagula. To set the record perfectly straight, a sophomore slump, this is not. It’s also far from a rehash of their debut album, Haunt (2018). Sure, the Ghost comparisons are unavoidable (hard rocking riffage, unbridled psychedelia, emphasis on melody, occult lyricism). In the same breath, Vexing Hex tread new creative ground on Solve Et Coagula, expanding their sonic palette with influences both foreign and familiar.
Hook-centric cuts like the opening “Into the Night”, “Poison Apple”, and “Revivified” certainly channel this aforementioned Ghost vibe, lying somewhere between the ’70s metal worship of Opus Eponymous (2010) and accessible explorations of future releases. However, Vexing Hex do this in their own unique way, adding a, dare I say it, quirk that is distinctly theirs. For example, the backing harmonies on “Poison Apple” screams The Beatles, while “Into the Night” boasts some almost ABBA-esque melodies. Other notable outliers include the Fire of Unknown Origin era Blue Öyster Cult romanticism of “One Thousand Eyes” and spacey psychedelia of “Mind Funeral”.
Fear not metallists; there are no shortage of all out, denim and leather clad, headbanger moments on this outing as well! Vexing Hex wastes no time getting down to business with the fire and brimstone laden doom-thrash of “Besmirched”, which definitely gives off some early Trouble vibes. “VViccaphobia” continues to bring down the heavy metal hammer, with its doomy Danzig-esque riffs and bombastic arrangement. I’d be lying if I said the chug heavy “Sarcophagus” didn’t take me by surprise, perhaps even feeling a little “modern” or out of place when compared to the retro nature of this affair. However, when all is said and done, it’s this very nature of unpredictability that Vexing Hex proudly own as their signature.
Solve Et Coagula is a very well rounded and refined hard and heavy album, checking off all the obligatory boxes to make for a successful album of this nature. The songwriting is on point, the musicianship is straightforward, the production and atmosphere is undeniably old school. Let’s be honest: Would you really want to hear an “occult rock” album produced by the likes of Rick Rubin? That observation aside, Solve Et Coagula is guaranteed to keep you and even your non-headbanger friends in a state of perpetual trance for the remainder of 2024.
8 out of 10
Label: Wise Blood Records
Genre: Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
For fans of: Ghost, Blue Öyster Cult, Lucifer