VEXES are an experimental, eclectic, groove-infused new post-rock/metal outfit who have garnered much attention in their native land and promise to do the same in the UK / Europe with the release of Ancient Geometry. The special European version features three stunning bonus cover tracks, including ‘Head Over Heels’ as well as ‘Shattered Dreams’ by Johnny Hates Jazz and ‘Voices Carry’ by ’Til Tuesday.
The band comment: “We are thrilled to be working with Silent Cult and for the opportunity to have our music heard by an expanded audience with the international release of our debut album Ancient Geometry. We’ve been writing for the better part of nine months or so now for the follow up to AG, and as a “break” from that process and as a thank you to anyone that has listened to us thus far, we wanted to put our spin on a few of our favorite songs from the 1980s. The songs we chose were very influential to us in various ways, both from the standpoint of our personal lives and in the general vibe of our music. There is a lushness and delicate quality to the sound of the original tracks, and such a great pop sensibility, which is something that we try to incorporate in our sound, blended with ferocity and vulnerability. We hope that everyone enjoys our take on these classic tracks.”
Listen / Order Ancient Geometry here: https://orcd.co/ageurope
From start to finish, Ancient Geometry takes listeners on a journey – starting with the bombastic ‘Hellion’, the first song VEXES wrote together. The track flips between thrash beats and surging, choppy riffs layered with atmospheric guitars. After battering the listener with songs like ‘Lift’ and ‘Decisions are Death Here’ – each of which veer from tuneful and textural to brash and furious, VEXES tone down and emphasise vulnerability over anger. The distorted guitars and unsettling tempos don’t disappear, nor does the juxtaposition of crooning and roaring vocals, but on songs like ‘Plasticine’ and ‘Lush’ the vocals become more consistently tuneful and the backing instrumentation less pugnacious. At the midpoint of the album there’s ‘No Color’, a multifaceted song that flows like a daydream turned into a nightmare and features a guest rap by Islander member Mikey Carvajal.
VEXES came together after John Klagholz and Charlie Berezansky’s previous band, Vessl, called it quits. The two were interested in starting a heavier project to filter some different ideas into. After finally completing their demos, they sent them to a few respected musician contacts of theirs, and within a few weeks, heard back from former A Life Once Lost drummer Justin Graves. Graves was impressed with the tracks and hinted at wanting to join the band.
“As soon as I heard these songs, I knew this band was something I immediately wanted to be a part of,” says Graves. “Then, not long after I decided to join, we were in need of a new bassist. I rang up my former A Life Once Lost bandmate and friend Bobby Carpenter, he heard the tracks, and the rest is history. It was nice for Bobby and I to take a long break from our extensive touring years (we’ve both been touring since our teens) and figure out how to be adults, but it’s time for us to get back out there. We’re stoked to be doing it with VEXES.”
VEXES are a new voice in the dark gunning to show others the light. Klagholz says, “I like to play things I don’t hear other bands doing. It’s impossible to create something that’s totally original, but that’s not going stop us from trying.”
Ancient Geometry was engineered and mixed by front-man Charlie Berezansky at Skywire Sound Studios in West Creek, NJ, and mastered by Mike Kalajian (The Dear Hunter, Saosin, Emmure) at Rogue Planet Mastering.
VEXES are:
Charlie Berezansky – Vocals, Guitar, Keyboard
John Klagholz – Guitar, Keyboard
Bobby Carpenter – Bass
Justin Graves – Drums
For more information:
https://www.facebook.com/wearevexes
https://vexes732.bandcamp.com
Band photo by Kurt Fowles