ALBUM REVIEW: Solve Et Coagula – Vexing Hex

At first glance it’s difficult to tell whether Illinois occult rockers VEXING HEX are taking their spooky mix of genres inspired by BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, DEVO and DANZIG seriously. Even on closer inspection it’s hard to tell which side of the thin line between pastiche and parody VEXING HEX lie, the only thing that can be said for certain is that the creepy quintet know how to have a good time. 

To address the Papa Emeritus shaped elephant in the room early on, VEXING HEX comfortably fill the same niche as occult rock sensations GHOST with a similarly gothy aesthetic and sound that mixes chunky riffs, ominous keys and poppy earworm vocals. Where VEXING HEX, with their own charismatic leader Cadaverus, Lord Of Dread, set themselves apart is their clear understanding of camp, with Solve Et Coagula carefully toeing the line between sincere appreciation of goth culture and clever satire. Intro track Into The Night acts as a fantastic example of their commitment to the bit, contrasting GHOST’s steady descent into camp with an immediate sense of tongue-in-cheek, self-aware sleaze through falsetto backing vocals and Scooby-Doo style spooky synths. In the age of rock and metal bands taking a sombre attitude towards the occult it’s satisfying to hear a band like VEXING HEX who understand the pure, uncut joy of getting a little silly every now and then.

One of the few things holding Solve Et Coagula back from the line between cheeky camp and outright comedy is VEXING HEX’s ability to deliver legitimately great riffs and catchy choruses – most of the tracks on the album would survive just fine even if stripped of their veneer of ironic goth pastiche. Frontman Cadaverus and guitarist Liminos, Lord Of Illusion bring across crunching riffs and impressive, soaring solos against a backdrop of keyboards, ranging from sinister organ stabs to retro rock pianos and 80s synths by keyboardist Vicera, Lord Of Torment, all balancing the band’s gothic vibes with explorative musicianship.

VEXING HEX find their perfect sweet spot on Solve Et Coagula, giving themselves enough room for proggy solos without dragging out the schtick for too long, however, the album’s weakest moments come when they break this formula. Most of the ten songs on the album clock in at around four to five-and-a-half minutes, the main outliers being the seven-minute single Vviccaphobia and the much shorter title track. Vviccaphobia is perhaps the closest the album comes to the GHOST comparison with a slower, doom-rock energy built around a repetitive guitar motif that really doesn’t do enough to earn the elongated runtime; Solve Et Coagula on the other hand sets a great atmosphere with a killer guitar line and 50s horror style warbling synths but lies in an awkward spot between an interlude and a full track, needing to either be stretched out or cut down to fit in.

Solve Et Coagula mashes together the last 70 years of horror culture into a spooky blend of styles that shouldn’t work on paper but with the right amount of tongue-in-cheek winking to camera comes together beautifully, from the cheesy, anthemic goth metal of One Thousand Eyes to the 60s style psych rock of Poison Apple and the more modern Sarcophagus which blends chunky OPETH style guitar riffs with hip-hop inspired electronic drums and synth bass. Even while drawing from so many different styles VEXING HEX manage to wrap everything in their own unique package, filling the album with references for the dedicated fans of occult culture while still making it feel like a cohesive whole.

Showing their clear love for the occult and gothic culture VEXING HEX deliver a clever and catchy pastiche of all things spooky. Solve Et Coagula acts as the Illinois quintet’s love letter to the last 70 years of horror plastered with their special mix of pop, prog and doom rock.

Rating: 8/10

Solve Et Coagula is set for release on June 21st via Wise Blood Records.

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