Jex Thoth - Jex Thoth (2008) (+ 2CDS - Totem/Witness)

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Jex Thoth - Jex Thoth (2008) (+ 2CDS - Totem/Witness)

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Named after the band's striking female vocalist, Jex Thoth take their cues from the metallic strains of Black Sabbath and the retro experimentalism of Amon Düül II. Jex Thoth (formerly Jessica Toth) and bassist James Jackson Toth (leader of the experimental outfit Wooden Wand, and credited here as Grim Jim) form the core of the group, which originally took shape under the name Totem. After issuing an EP with that moniker, the group rechristened itself Jex Thoth and set to work on a full-length album, with guitarist Silas Paine and drummer Johnny Dee joining the lineup during the process. Keyboardist Zodiac completed the lineup, and Jex Thoth debuted in 2008 with a self-titled album of thudding, psychedelic acid rock.

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Jex Thoth - Jex Thoth (2008) (+ 2CDS - Totem/Witness)

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First observation is that this EP is much darker than the previous Jex Thoth/Totem releases. Over the 20 minutes, or so, of the running time, the mood and tone of the music shifts further and further from a rhythmic, pounding doom metal into an oozing mass of bass and eerie organ. This effect can be simulated by leaning over a pan of very hot water and putting a towel over your head and the pan… bring on the doom sweats. But listening to this record is by no means hard, or straining, or sweaty. Just because the tone is heavy and the tracks are swimming in strange and avant-garde instrument work, doesn’t mean that you’ll come out at the other end tired, or bored and reach for some Axxis. Jex’s vocals are still as intrusive as ever and are this EP’s gem. There’s no denying her vocal power as every syllable is harmoniously driven home in true style; yet- so subtly- the wonderful sound guides you by the hand through the ominous turbulence of the latter tracks.

There is something missing though; all this darkness came at a price. For all the guitar and bass wonders, there is a lack of base ingenuity and the tracks seem to strangely repeat themselves. The acrobatic sound from the album has been eroded away by the search for a more tar-like feel and the end product is 3 tracks that sound like they started off exactly the same but evolved on different continents. To wrap it up: it’s a good release. If you enjoyed anything these guys did previously, you won’t be too disappointed by this new offering. It’s a generous helping of Jex Thoth and it leaves you wanting seconds, but a bit of salt and pepper might’ve been nice.

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Jex Thoth - Jex Thoth (2008) (+ 2CDS - Totem/Witness)

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What was known as Totem became Jex Thoth, and is now offering the retroistic world of doom and gloom with a very open-minded and an atmospheric release. The eerie opening passages of the record lead us down the path to the revered and plentiful creative stream of the seventies.

Progressive and bluesy tendencies of such acts as Blue Cheer, Curved Air are brought to one's mind. There are even spatial but acidic reminders of King Crimson, at best very modest, though. Jex Thoth belongs roughly to the pack formed by Witchcraft, Burning Saviours, sharing the same retroistic approach and reverence towards the decade of Sabbath. In the modern scheme, the soundscapes this debut album utilizes, resemble those of Witchcult Today of the mighty Electric Wizard.

This is not music of ultimate, crushing heaviness. I would argue if it were a metal record in the purest sense at all. For a doomster expecting old school in the vein of Pentagram and Sabbath, stoner-vibed fuzz of EW, it should be a contrary experience. Unlike Witchcraft or Burning Saviours, Jex Thoth are not as creatively void and don't borrow as outrageously from their forefathers. It is music heavily laden with emotion, with an atmosphere that is gloomy for sure. Yet there is a more light-weight, hopeful even, feeling brought about not the least due to Jex's powerful and very emotional vocals. Instrumentation of the band, guitar and bass most prominently maintains a laid-back, folkish approach throughout the slab and rarely embark on a riff mayhem that could come close to being outright metal.

Album's opener, Nothing Left To Die, is very eerie and powerful in setting the mood for the ride. Even for heavier and more depressing numbers, such as The Banishment and the closer, Stone Evil (which was featured also on the split with Pagan Altar), Jex Thoth remains very much afloat, and don't dirge at all. The band as a whole peaks in performance on the shorter numbers, Obsidian Night and Seperated At Birth. The vocals are up the ante, and the guitar is delivering very Electric Wizard-esque fuzz here for us. What is to be said of drumming and rhythm section, is that it is the stable yet flexible foundation where Jex's vocals and Paine's and Jim's guitars are well set. The band has a very warm sound and an emotive stance on their performance.

If the retro-drenched approach to things is not your piece of the pie, don't be let down. This is the Witchcult Today approach to things. Traditional, relevant and mind-blowing. This goes straight to top notch of 2008 releases so far, and is one of the best debut efforts.

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Jex Thoth - Jex Thoth (2008) (+ 2CDS - Totem/Witness)

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Of all the bands that have been introduced to me over the last 2 years of album reviewing very few come close to having impressing me as much as Jex Thoth, the psychedelic-influenced proto-doom band from California that is the outlet for one Jessica Thoth and her wondrous set of pipes. 2008's self-titled album is sublime and her recent work on the bizarre Sabbath Assembly album is no less divine, so I waited with baited breath to see what the "Witness" EP would do for me.

At 3 songs and 15 minutes there is little time to grasp their current sound, which has taken on a greater psychedelic influence since my last visit to Thoth-ian shores with a increased prominence given to an organ sound which personally takes me back to Amorphis' classic "Tales from the Thousand Lakes". A different league maybe, but Jex Thoth are worthy of being talked about amongst great artists. The rawer sound in "Raven Nor The Spirit" and "Slow Rewind" belies a more relaxed atmosphere, with Jex's voice gaining extra resonance against the the dramatic and moribund music beneath in ways most female metal vocalists can only dream of. Never overtly soft nor 'fluffy' and with a gritty feel at it's core, her performance stands out in a sea of preening beauties unable to comprehend metal's need for balls, whatever the gender of singer.

The EP closes with a cover of Slapp Happy's "Mr Rainbow", which when listened to in it's original form does not immediately suggest a metal version could be extracted out of it. That Jex Thoth have, and done it with such brilliance to make it the EP's highlight is testament to an understanding of their unique sound, Thoth's passionate voice and the understated artistry of her backing musicians. A fine release it was always likely to be and another reason nailed for why all should be investigating this band on the path to greatness.