Vinyl Review: "All Tree" by Hexvessel

I can't give credit where credit is due, but I didn't create what I'm about to say.... The best thing about being  a metal fan is that we never really stop being newbies.

In a genre that's so gloriously underground, it's impossible to know even all of the big bands, much less the smaller ones.

Case in point, last year, a friend of mine asked me if I'd heard of Volbeat, because he hadn't.

In that vein, it's time to announce that today's review is my first vinyl review from Prophecy. They're, supposedly, a goodly sized Black Metal label. Honestly, this is the first radio for your fiend and humble narrator here with Prophecy.

It's like in all those ebbs and flows of metal. Sometimes the right stuff gets to your ears and sometimes, you just get Y&T.

Now, let's get to this record by Hexvessel.

Hexvessel

If there's anything more black metal than that name, well, there's no simile to use there, because that's impossible. This is quite possibly the best name for a Black Metal band that doesn't fall in with all those commoners.

Though, the cover doesn't really look very black metal. The back cover gets closer. Assuming this is some sort of hippy black metal band. That's a thing right?

If there are at least four sub-sub-subgenres of Black Metal including the word atmospheric, certainly there's earth conscious black metal.

So, putting the record on the platter...and this acoustic introduction is amazing.

It's powerful and bone crushing. Well, it'd be bone crushing if it was electric and distorted. Even acoustically, it vibrates the soul. This is a spectacular usage of dynamics. It's going to make the eventual blastbeats and distorted chord droning even more powerful that it's certainly going to feel.

Right?

This mellow, acoustic introduction is now well into the second side. Certainly they're just testing me righ....

OH NO!

I got Days of the Newed AGAIN!!

Any chance you remember that band? They opened up for Metallica on the Reload tour. Ahead of the concert, Streetside Records on Grand Ave was kind enough to sell me a copy of their debut record. Whilst listening to it, the question continued when are they going to drop the bomb and get heavy?

The best way to describe that album was picture that really cool acoustic track your favorite metal band did, now do that for about 45 minutes straight and tell me what you think.

In the end, we didn't catch them on the Metallica bill. We arrived in time to miss them and the CD had already been sold to Vintage Vinyl on Delmar.

Hexvessel never comes off as a gimmick the aforementioned band did. It's not just a group of homelesss metalheads with acoustic instruments trying to make a record.

This is their box of crayons and it's surprising more varied than expected. The usage of strings all over this LP is expert level. It's touches like that which turn this blasphemous (from a metal standpoint) starting point into an amazing record full of powerfully emotional songs.

Now, let's get into the LP and itself. If you don't want to read about it go ahead and head down to my unboxing video, but if you prefer reading and think my voice is terrible (and I wouldn't blame you), read on, my friend!

To begin with, this record comes with a vinyl only bonus track, Summer Fires. Should someone in the industry deem me to be important enough to seek my input, I'd have to say that vinyl only bonus tracks are a must.

When the needle hits the vinyl, it's a 180 Gram monster. It's even available in my personal favorite color: transparent marbled smoke. There's just no other records that look as cool.

There's a full gatefold cover featuring a 16 page booklet. Seriously, this album is the Cadillac of vinyl releases. In an age of streaming albums hitting number one on the charts, this is the kind of stuff you should be throwing your money at.

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