IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

Hexvessel - His portal tomb (video)

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 17:39:32 -0700

New from Finnish cult/psychrockers Hexvessel off their latest record "No holier temple".

Hexvessel mixtape - Houses of fir

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 17:43:15 -0700

Cult Nation has a new mixtape curated by Finnish neofolkers Hexvessel available for free download: http://www.cvltnation.com/cvlt-nationhouses-of-fir-mixtapecurated-by-hexvessel/

Hexvessel - Woods to conjure (video)

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:55:37 -0700

The first track from Hexvessel's upcoming album "No holier temple", due out September 7 via Svart Records.

Beastmilk Use your deluge Svart Records

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 19:01:25 -0700

Now this is where it's at! This four-tracker kicks off like the ugly cousin of something that The Cult would have put out back in the day and it's immediately evident where talk of the Helsinki quartet being a lo-fi outfit comes from. It's not that they're lo-fi though, it's more that the guitars have been given a dirty post black metal(ish) production and remain subdued when compared to the sublime vocals. They're like an apocalyptic marriage of the voices of Ian Astbury and the enigmatic Czral from Norwegian oddballs Virus. Kvhost of Hexvessel infamy is the man here and he simply kills. After opening track "Void mother" the band venture into a more retro-based aesthetic and, as weird as it might sound, from here on out "Use your deluge" is probably best described as hippy '60s surf-punk for the 21st Century. There are many influences at work here and the concept has clearly been built from a punk foundation. It's also a grower that runs from "not sure" to "utterly amazing" in the space of a few days. Awesome stuff.

New Hexvessel confirmed for September

Wed, 23 May 2012 19:00:12 -0700

Excellent Finnish occult rockers Hexvessel have announced that their sophomore album will be called "No holier temple" and will be released on September 5 via Svart Records, both on CD or 2LP. And speaking of Svart, their latest release from similarly-minded act Jess and the Ancient Ones is streaming in full now via Terrorizer: http://www.terrorizer.com/blog1.php/2012/05/22/terrorizer-stream-jess-and-the-ancient-ones

Svart Records spring release schedule

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:53:07 -0700

Svart Records' upcoming release schedule is bonkers -- in addition to the new Beastmilk and Hexvessel 7"s, as well as the "Dawnbearer" 2LP repress, they've also got like 5 new releases coming out every week from May through June. Here's the Finnish/Scandinavian highlights:

05/09 - Sähkö-Isku - Sata kaljaa 12"
05/09 - Kovaa Rasvaa 7"
05/09 - Problems? - Ei tää lama päähän käy 7"
05/09 - Unicef - Käkimassaa 7"
05/09 - Kollaa Kestää - Jäähyväiset aseille LP
05/16 - Abhorrence - Completely Vulgar 2LP / CD
05/23 - Jess and the Ancient Ones LP/CD
05/23 - Callisto - Noir 2LP
05/23 - Sarcofagus - Envoy of Death LP
05/23 - Sarcofagus - Go To Hell 7"
05/23 - Kimmo Kuusniemi Band - Moottorilinnut LP + DVD
05/30 - CMX - Kolmikärjen veljeskunta 4LP
05/30 - Musta Paraati - Peilitalossa LP
05/30 - Reverend Bizarre - Crush The Insects 2LP
05/30 - Rattus - WC räjähtää LP
05/30 - Mana Mana - Maria Magdalena 7"
06/06 - Pelle Miljoona & NUS LP
06/06 - Pelle Miljoona & 1980 - Pelko ja viha LP
06/06 - Carpathian Forest - Strange Old Brew LP
06/06 - Candlemass - Ancient Dreams 2LP

Hexvessel - Preachers orchard

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:47:41 -0700

An old track from Hexvessel circa 2009 soon to be (re?) released on 7" to coincide with the band's appearence at Roadburn. More info here.

Beastmilk - Void mother

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:06:44 -0700

Absolutely killer new apocalyptic postpunk from Finland, featuring Kvohst from Hexvessel on vocals. The band's new 4-song EP "Use your deluge" will be out on March 27 via Svart Records.

Hexvessel - I am the ritual (video)

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:59:11 -0800

An excellent new video from Finnish neofolk act Hexvessel.

Hexvessel - I am the ritual (live video)

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:08:51 -0700

Quality crowd footage of Hexvessel performing "I am the ritual", live in Helsinki on May 27.

Hexvessel podcast at The Soggy Bog

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:30:57 -0700

Mat Kvhost of Hexvessel contributed a new podcast mix for The Soggy Bog of Doom: http://thesoggybogofdoom.podomatic.com/player/web/2011-06-23T08_41_09-07_00

Lodge Doom Visions of Dunkelheit SenzaVib

Wed, 11 May 2011 11:54:55 -0700

Lodge Doom are a Swedish act who play a sort of grandiose hybrid of heavy progressive rock and folk (Scandinavian and otherwise) that, while often quite ostentatious, largely succeeds due to an obvious and persistent concept and ambition. Bookended by a pair of atmospheric interludes, "Visions of Dunkelheit" covers a vast musical terrain that approaches both the mellower moments of Amorphis and the pagan folk of Hexvessel and beyond, yet always remains anchored by the excellent violin playing of main instrumentalist Thomas von Wachenfeldt and the band's overriding dark vision. Whereas the band's previous release "The Walpurgis Night EP" suffered from an inadequate recording that failed to match the band's large aspirations, there are no such issues here -- "Visions of Dunkelheit" sounds every bit as big as their ideas and so it succeeds in most every way. My only complaint however, and unfortunately not a small one, is that the vocals don't always measure up quite so well. Whether it's a matter of distinction or range, it's the one thing that keeps this good album from being a great one.

Hexvessel Dawnbearer Svart Records

Thu, 05 May 2011 13:21:19 -0700

It's quite an enigmatic release, this debut from Finland's Hexvessel. It's enigmatic in that it's profoundly strange; in some places it's like the alternate soundtrack to "The Wicker Man", exuding an off-kilter folk presence that is somewhat unnerving, while in other places it's simply beautiful, as if this is the music of the fairies. Of course, given the name of both band and album, together with the ritualistic cover art and black metal-type song titles, it comes as quite a surprise that's there's no metal here whatsoever. Instead, "Dawnbearer" is just under an hour of psychedelic folk music that conjures up visions of lace-clad maidens dancing around a hayfield on a late summer's eve. That might sound a bit strange, but give this a spin and you'll know exactly what I mean. If occult '70s folk is your thing then this will quite possibly be your release of the decade.

MP3: Hexvessel - Wayward confessor

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:40:44 -0700

Not to diss on Torpedo, but when I imagine the soundtrack to the end-times, I tend to think of Apocalyptic Folk or the "metaphysical black'n'roll" of Okkultokrati. Hexvessel fit into the former category and provided a perfect soundtrack for my apocalyptic/disaster-prep book club meeting last night where we discussed the first half of the anthology "Brave New Worlds: Dystopian Stories". Amongst other similar artists, naturally, many more of which I will be listening to as I await the coming drift of the radiation cloud headed now for the Pacific coast.

Quarterly report: Q12011

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:42:59 -0700

Did I scare you? Truth is, I needed a day off and April Fools was a perfect excuse. The reality is that I don't think I can ever fully give this up because how else would I find out about all the new music that interests me? Sure, I could read rehashed press releases on many blogs from whatever artists currently happen to have the best PR and of course there's quite a few excellent genre-specialty sites covering mainstream pop, metal and hip-hop, but if there's anyone else out there covering underground/DIY indie/punk/hardcore/experimental/etc. with the same dedication, depth and breadth as IAT! please let me know so I can retire. I mean it.

Anyhow, the first three months of 2011 are now over and done with so let us now take the time to pause for reflection and for positivity's sake, let us first recount the highlights -- Peter Bjorn and John's "Gimme some" and Paper's "Mischmasch" are easily the two biggest standouts of the lot. Both superb albums, both well worth picking up. Niels Nielsen, Penny Century and Katharina Nuttall all released solid records as well, as did Maim, Iceage, Hymns From Nineveh and First Love, Last Rites. Been listening to Hexvessel and Sail a Whale a bit too, though the latter is a late discovery for me since it was released in 2010. Supersci's newest record "Timelines" from last year is another good one that I missed when it was fresh. Also still plenty to look forward to, Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words' swansong "Dreadcade" being a top pick, along with the arena-aspiring sounds of We are the Storm and Pixie Carnation and other exciting stuff like Gösta Berlings Saga looking quite promising.

As for reassessing my 2010 top picks, I'm still spinning all three on the regular -- Masshysteri, Dear Euphoria and Okkultokrati -- with no intention of shuffling them aside anytime soon. I revisited Johan Heltne's "Sara," this past weekend too and found that it's only gotten better over time. As for The Bear Quartet, as much I love them (and that's a lot), I don't feel the need to listen to "Monty Python" again for a while. Give me a year or two with that one to see where it stands against the rest of their impressive discography. Robyn, of course, remains tops, but you already knew that. I also revisited Underachiever's second demo and discovered that I totally get it now, while Faster Katt's latest is just ok when compared to the debut and Life Before Man's sole release has me wishfully thinking they'll actually get around to being an active band. 2010 was a good year and it feels good to say that my feelings on most of the records I praised has not diminished.

So while I'm still consistently fighting against burnout and the endless tide of mediocre music that makes its way to me, it's good to take a break to remember that there's still lots of reasons to be excited, both for now and for the future. There's always lots of good music, sometimes you just have to work a bit harder to find it.

Kvohst's world without us

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:37:19 -0700

Kvohst of Hexvessel has assembled a podcast mix of evil psychrock gems for Club Mega Therion blog: http://clubmegatherion.blogspot.com/2011/03/world-without-us.html

Hexvessel - Invocation summoning (video)

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:23:24 -0800

Stereogum has the premiere of the new Hexvessel video "Invocation summoning", as well as links to a number of other tunes: http://stereogum.com/645091/hexvessel-invocation-summoning-video-the-death-knell-tolls/franchises/haunting-the-chapel/
If you dig dark neofolk or stuff like Wovenhand and The Goner, you should definitely check out Hexvessel. It's a great record.

Hexvessel prepares Dawnbearer

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:27:13 -0800

Hexvessel, the "psychedelic occult folk music" solo project of Mathew "Kvohst" McNerney (DHG/Code) has confirmed that his debut album "Dawnbearer" will be released on February 5 via Finnish label Svart Records, on both CD and LP.

Presenting: Hexvessel (feat. members from Code)

Thu, 06 May 2010 14:20:24 -0700

Check out Hexvessel, the darkwave/neofolk sideproject of Aort and Kvohst from Code: http://www.myspace.com/hexvessel