Jex Thoth
Blood Moon Rise ()
Wydane przez I Hate Records/Soulfood Distribution/SureShotRok wydania 2013Kraj USANapisał Wouter8
Lay off the bong for a minute, and let me tell you about this girl I met recently. She’s really nice, you’ll like her. In the last years there has been an incredible influx of female-fronted psychedelic rock/stoner/doom metal bands. It seems every label is searching to find its own Jess and The Ancients, Seremonia, High Priest Of Saturn or Jex Thoth. I’d hook up with Noora from Seremonia any day of the week. Geeky girls are the hottest. The band derived its name from the husband-and-wife team of Jessica Bowen and now ex-member Jackson James Thoth. Atmosphere is another strong suit of this record, which is something sadly absent from many contemporary metal acts, regardless of genre. Combining elements of wicca, pagan nature-worship, hippy and stoner rock frontwoman in one package that is breathtaking and awe-inspiring, she remains relatable yet there’s something uniquely charming about her. Bowen’s wonderful voice isn’t especially operatic or over-the-top, but within her range and register she’s one of the best singers on the scene today. The thing about Jessica Bowen is she never lets her voice dictate where the music should go, and she isn’t afraid to not sing at all. The point is that both music and voice work in unison, and neither takes prominence over another. Black Sabbath is the obvious influence for the majority of material present, and it is understandable that for clarity’s sake this band labeled as doom metal. Jex Thoth doesn’t really qualify purely as metal as there’s plenty of influences from more mainstream genres and even singer-songwriter type artists. This is something for people who like music from the heart that is directly aimed to touch your soul. We all know that women were active in metal long before the arrival of one Angela Gossow. While she might be its most populist example, she also isn’t the person to look up to. Unless you consider being pandered to a virtue, which is a discussion for another day. No. Lay off the booze and sensimilla for a while and be mesmerized by this enchanting witch. You won’t regret it, I promise.
www.ihate.se
