Sometimes the reason why a band doesn’t pull off their sound is out in the open. It can be mixing woes, over- or undercommitting or just a lack of songwriting proficiency that leads to a lackluster album. These cases are easy to review, as the reviewer can easily pass them off as an objective truth. It is harder to objectify my thoughts and feelings on an album when the band does everything right and still doesn’t quite stick the landing. Vexing are such a case. Whereas other bands use dissonance as a shield and an excuse to become overly textural and muddy, Vexing incorporate it into their style in quite interesting ways. They do it so much that I am tempted to claim that Grand Reproach is not much of a sludge metal album at all, but that is probably splitting hairs.
The way Vexing deals with dissonance is to use them as both melodic leads and harmonic enhancements. Vexing‘s chords are often enhanced with additional intervals and the band can explore higher registers without losing too much of the driving groove. This groove is a remnant of the band’s sludge roots, if nothing else, and is a guiding structure to the band’s sound. When the band does indulge in tieing the notes over a chord over each other and just presenting us with a texture for a moment, the bass and drums remain locked in and they often carry the groove between disparate sections. In general, I appreciate how aware Vexing are of their rhythmic impact. The drums can often transform repeats of sections and make them feel fresh, so that the songs develop at all times. But, again, I can’t fully put into words why Vexing‘s music doesn’t quite click for me. I recognise talent and commitment, a distinct style and a creative drive and yet, I cannot bring myself to go higher in score. Even moreso than usual, I recommend giving the album a spin and coming to your own conclusions.
