Panic. Labored breathing. An overbearing ominous feeling. Seconds later, VEXED drops in with an intensity to reel you in on their album opener, “PTSD”. For the Napalm Records signees, the three-piece is one of the fresher bands on the scene, but one that commands attention to every new listen. After sharing the stage with the likes of Spiritbox, Static Dress, Caskets, and more, with only four years under their belt so far, VEXED have risen from up-and-comers and have plenty of eyes and ears on them in 2023. With sophomore LP Negative Energy finally arriving, their year’s set to be a big one, with Tech Fest and Misery Loves Company shows on the way.
Lead single “Anti-Fetish” bends the hell out of some notes in its opening riff before we get the first taste of Megan Targett with a voracious vocal delivery. Of the single, the band shares: “Anti fetish is us confronting the constant comparisons and ungrounded hate that bands receive. It’s become completely accepted in the scene to cross the line of constructive criticism and just dive bomb into hatred and prejudice. This song is us setting the record straight by calling out the blatant discrimination.” In a scene obsessed with calling records “mid” and punching down, VEXED stands tall and content in supreme metallic hardcore form. Lyrically, “We don’t talk about it” paints a picture of suppression vs. the necessitation to have an outlet. Sonically, it benefits from an accompanying hi-hat ride to not just be a straight up -core track.
“X my <3 (Hope to die)” shows off some range from Targett and continues the groove well, but perhaps leans into its theme a bit too comfortably. Alternatively, “Panic Attack” sounds just like that with a monstrous riff from the opening seconds and a blistering vocal speed in its verse; verbalizing the loss of control with a chaotic instrumental backdrop feels accurate and succinct. VEXED’s best breakdown on Negative Energy goes to “Lay down your flowers” which gave me a swift kick to the teeth right before a Sabian Lynch (Alpha Wolf) feature that fits like a glove. “There’s no place like home” throws in some record scratches aplenty, so don’t be shocked to see this banger hit the “nu_metal moment” rotation.
VEXED is at their peak when they’re pumping out fast-paced, virulent tempos, and that’s the stage set on “Extremist”. On the other hand, in the back half of Negative Energy, songs like “Default”, where singing and melody sneaks its way in, there’s certainly some depth that the group could serve to explore more instead of a non-stop onslaught. There’s no too much of a good thing, but variety is the spice of 13-track albums – and I was surprised to see this vulnerability come to fruition after eight straight heaters. Single “Trauma Euphoria” has the chorus fans will be shouting back live, still bringing the heavy everywhere else in the track, including a well-placed guitar solo to close it out. A six-minute procedural in “It’s not the end” makes it the highlight song on Negative Energy, stretching out VEXED’s creativity and scope into a stellar listen.
VEXED wraps up Negative Energy with a soft instrumental “DMT” ahead of closer “Nepotism”. Not afraid to showcase their brutality one last time, it’s the lyrical icing on the cake, taking privilege to task and making a mockery of it. The track placement is curious, as I would have placed this with the heavy front-end of the album and had “DMT” end the flow more smoothly, but at the end of the day, there’s no weak tracks on Negative Energy. It’s evidence that VEXED may be young, but they’re hungry and show a talent that meets and can even exceed bands who have been doing it three or four times as long as them. I’m excited for VEXED’s future, as Napalm Records has found a gem and has well-put faith in them.
