Search long enough through the endless mess of local music these days and you’re bound to find a gem.
A gem that will put a hex on any listener with their blend of eerie guitars, blown-out bass, erratic beats and keys. All of which compliments a vocal style that is as haunting as it is captivating. A gem that grabs a hold of you and never lets go until the final note rings out.
That gem is better known around the Indianapolis area as We Are Hex.
Things have never been the same since they moved into a foul Indianapolis neighborhood into a space dubbed the “Hex Haus.” In just two years alone they’ve released one critically acclaimed album (“Gloom Bloom”), toured extensively, opened for national recording artists AFI last June, and maybe more importantly, caught the attention of our good friend Craig “Dodge” Lile (My Old Kentucky Blog, anyone?). Now signed to MOKB’s Roaring Colonel Records and eager to outdo themselves, We Are Hex returned to the Hex Haus to record their sophomore effort, entitled “Hail The Goer,” due out in stores August 3.
Not having heard of these guys before the AFI show, they really impressed me that night with a sound and energy I hadn’t seen in a local band in a long time. “Gloom Bloom” was a great debut and well-deserving of every positive review out there. Recording a follow-up would be no easy feat, as expectations are always high when your first record impresses, but they seem capable of doing it. So did they?
In the words of one band I’m somewhat embarrassed to say I listened to in high school: “Sophomore Slump or Comeback of the Year?”
Though their sound is a little more stripped down this time around, We Are Hex is still “just one big mess” that will shock, perplex, and amaze you all at the same time.
Stripping down your sound always runs the risk of losing part of what made you so great in the first place (also see: “Load”-era Metallica or when Korn decided to go unplugged). In this case, they don’t lose a beat. Songs like “Don’t Let Dirt In Here,” “We Are The Goer,” and “Warphone” are great examples of this. Don’t get me wrong, the extra melodies and overdubs from their debut were fine, but at times they bordered on distracting or unnecessary. On this record, they do more by doing less (this includes taking out some of the one-minute filler tracks they used last time). They’re still the same band and use many of the same elements as last time, but they’re also a different band looking to give themselves a little more breathing room and a chance to grow. Did they succeed? Absolutely.
Also to note on this is frontwoman Jilly Weiss’ vocal presentation. In a nutshell, this is what she does: she sings, she wails, she cries, she screams, she whispers, she creates a combination of all of these, and she gives one of the best vocal performances by any singer anywhere. You wonder why they impressed me so much at the AFI show? It all starts with her (she is, after all, the lead singer).
Despite the previous two points I talked about, this is not an album for everyone. For those who like their music a little more conventional, poppy, or sounding like the kind of stuff the average American Idol audience would listen to, then you’re going to be very disappointed (and maybe a little frightened in the exact same way parents were in the 50s when they heard Elvis for the first time). On that note, it may take a few listens to fully appreciate what they do. Even I had to listen to them a few times before I could really say anything, and I’m glad I did. Though part of me does still wonder what kind of band they are, I’ll get over that part. This is a band that does things their way and follows their own rules (heck, they recorded and produced both of their albums from the Hex Haus).
Overall, that hex they put on you with their first effort still has enough charm to carry over to their second effort. For those who want their music a little more “conventional” or dare I say, “normal,” check out the latest Top 40 artist. For those professing true music love, look no further than this giant mess of pop slop we like to call We Are Hex.
Want more? Check out their CD release party at Radio Radio July 24. An $8 cover gets you in and also gets you a free copy of “Hail The Goer” ($10 gets you in along with a free vinyl copy of their new album). “Hail The Goer” hits stores August 3.