Friday 25 May 2012

Hexis - Seputus | Fatum


Scandinavia has a legacy of producing a countless amount of heavy acts that have helped propel heavy music into every imaginable direction. Denmark, however, have never quite managed to produce the same prolific amount of influential acts as their Scandinavian siblings. Although, as Mnemic slowly moves further and further out of consciousness, there seems to be a growing number of underground acts that are slowly making their way up the ranks, and Hexis are the band at the forefront of this resurgence.

The sheer ferocity of the opening minute on the first track makes the song difficult to fully grasp at first. You almost feel like you have to take a step back, readjust yourself, and then give it another shot. The double kick drum drives the song forward at a tremendous pace, while the screeched vocals somehow manage to avoid getting lost in the all the mayhem. The band's use of dynamics is what manages to set them apart from other bands. For a track that started off as a ferocious audial assault, it has effortlessly managed to drift into a slow and haunting middle section, right before it gears up for a return to it's more familiar stomping ground.

By the time the second track sets in, you already know exactly what Hexis is all about, and Fatum doesn't even come near to disappointing. However, it's clearly noticeable that the black metal influence isn't quite as prevalent on this track, as the double kick and blast beats force the song forward and further into the direction of hardcore punk. As previously mentioned, what Hexis manages to do really well is add dynamics to their songs. After all, if you want something to seem really fast, put it next to something really slow. Separately, it simply wouldn't work, but as the song sways between the two different tempos, it keeps the listener both engaged and entertained, while the eerie atmosphere that surrounds these songs is impossible to escape.

As hardcore makes its way further and further towards the depths of the black metal genre, it's inevitable that some bands won't be able to keep up, and, instead, will stick to their comfort zones. Other bands, such as Hexis and deafheaven, have long since left the traditional hardcore comfort zones behind them and will probably continue to push the envelope as far as they can. I don't expect any subsequent Hexis releases to sound like this. Instead, I imagine they'll continue to evolve and grow. Personally, I'm actually excited to see how far it will go.


You can listen to the entire EP here - Hexis- Seputus | Fatum

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If you have anything you think I'd enjoy, whether it's your band or a band you like, please feel free to forward me it. This'll work best if there is as much interaction between you guys and me as possible.

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