Vexier, the sophomore full-length from Switzerland’s enigmatic post-metal / doomgaze / experimental rock outfit E-L-R (Prophecy Productions), is a record that takes its time to get where it needs to. The record features five tracks spanning a total of 45 minutes; the shortest song is more than six-and-a-half minutes.
‘Opiate The Sun’ begins with a slow-burning ambient post-rock introduction that lulls us into a kind of hypnosis. It then crashes in with full-blown metal riffs that borrow from the angular dissonance of black metal as much as from psychedelic rock. From underneath the droning, looping, blissed out post-rock melancholy wall of guitar and drums peak occasional ritualistic female vocal chants. The effect is somehow both magnificently life-affirming and painfully sad.
‘Three Winds’ leans more towards black metal, with furious blast beats and swirling lead guitar melodies.The melodies are excellent, and the atmospheres are captivating. The song changes gear to bring in more of the chanted vocals, before building back up to a harrowing and urgent psychedelic black metal onslaught. The track builds to a masterfully chaotic and evocative climax. As the guitars become more and more demented, the vocals serve as an anchor. As the piece progresses, ever more beautifully unsettling melodies intertwine and soar above the thunderous thud of the (excellently mixed) drums and bass guitar.
‘Seeds’ begins with a mesmerising looped post-rock bass riff which is soon joined by the full band. We are in doomy post-rock territory here, but the massive riffs are also punctuated by strange clanging black metal guitar stabs. The vocals are also more black metal influenced here; still intentionally buried in the mix, there are anguished screams and growls interspersed with the more familiar melodic chants. As the song progresses it becomes more majestic and epic — the layers of vocal harmonies become more and more prominent, (synth?) string parts emerge, and the whole thing feels huge, open, and cinematic.
‘Fleurs of Decay’ seems to begin where ‘Seeds’ left off, which I suppose makes sense. This piece leaves us suspended in a bleak and otherworldly dark space-rock atmosphere. It feels like a magic ritual gone bad. In space. Atmospherics and effects come in and out over the repetitive riff. Then, the music breaks down and leaves us with a more subtle backing and folk-inspired vocals. After that, we are launched into a progressive black metal, followed by more of the wonderful folk melodies — this time on top of folk-infused metal riffs. Although there are many changes, the underlying rhythm is unrelenting and, for all its bleakness, strangely lulling.
Album closer ‘Foret’ starts with another slow burn. This time, war-like toms and a weaving, pulsating bass line allow dark eBow guitars to build ominously over the top. The intensity gradually increases until huge post-metal riffs dominate. This time, almost spoken male vocals dominate. I don’t understand the words, but the delivery is suffused with despair and desperation. The guitars change gear to black metal trem-picking, and the female vocal chants return. The piece peaks with a masterful blastbeat section — with wonderful heart-rending black metal guitars undulating over the top. The coda brings us back nearly to where we started — with reverb-drenched clean shoegaze guitars and a dreamily dark repetitive melody.
Vexier is heavy, hypnotic, dreamlike, and filled with riffs and melody. It treads territory that will familiar to fans of post-metal, experimental black metal, blackgaze, doomgaze and the like, but it doesn’t merely parrot the tropes of those genres.
A record to drift away mournfully to.
Buy the album here: https://youtu.be/XYBz3SwK89A
7 / 10
DUNCAN EVANS