Holier No Temple…HEXVESSEL
Review

Text by Astrid Tonella

Label: Svart Records

Hexvessel – No Holier Temple

In 2011, Hexvessel released its debut album Downbearer, a little jewel that has rocked my soul for quite a while and has become very intimate to me. For those who are not familiar with the band, Hexvessel is a psychedelic rock folk octet hailing from Finland, founded by Mat “Kvohst” McNerney vocalist for Dødheimsgard and Code.

After a first album highly acclaimed by the critics, there was no wonder Hexvessel’s second opus No Holier Temple was highly awaited. But with no surprise, the band offers us another very unique masterpiece. This is a very daring album, powerful and extremely varied as much in the choice of instruments as in the difference ambiances and emotions it provides. The sound of Holier No Temple sounds like it could have been recorded in the early 70’s, which enhances the vibe researched and adds coherence to the whole album. Its atmosphere and identity is so strong that you’ll feel teleported somewhere in a Finnish forest while listening to it. What is interesting about this record is that you can get it right from the first listen. Full of subtleties, you’ll pick something new each time you listen to it, which shows how rich this album is.

The opus opens with “Heaven On Earth Magic,” which is a prelude to the journey Hexvessel is about to embark on with you. An acoustic ballad that resounds like a hypnotic enchantment, as if the spoken lines were meant to take up your mind and set you in phase with Mother Nature.

The ceremony continues with the bewitching “Woods to Conjure,” a very dramatic yet soft piece. With this track, the band sets the tone for the rest of the album and shows that they control perfectly the blend of genres and the incorporation of new sounds. The guitars, McNervey’s gifted voice and choir intoxicate you right from the start. The hypnotic trumpets, completely unattended, add drama, make you shiver and contribute to build one of the strongest pieces of the album.

“Wilderness Is” is an instrumental short work, allowing the listener to take a break and serves as an introduction to the next track, “A letter in Birch Bark,” providing a very magical and heartwarming atmosphere with the beautiful mix of accordion, mandolin and vintage guitars.

“Elegy to Goyahkla” is another short piece in the album, like a bridge enabling the transition towards the very powerful “His Portal Tomb.” Once again, this track is the pure demonstration of the diversity of this album, but also how the band is at one. The construction of this 10 minute track is impressive, melting strength and softness. The song starts strong with very catchy doomy riffs and driving percussions, before melting with flutes and memorable vocals, culminating in a complete delirious drone of guitars and great vocals.

The calm comes back with the entract “Are You Coniferous,” a song that conveys a very dark carnival atmosphere. “Sacred Marriage” definitely evolves into the more folk roots of the band, still looked out by their psychedelic touch. The sad violin and acoustic guitars rock the listener, slowly evolving toward a very intoxicating atmosphere. Everything flows together so perfectly, making this song like a dream.

The following track, “Dues to the Holmen,” sounds more like an evocation with spoken words, accompanied by an hypnotic clarinet and acoustic guitars, later followed by humming riffs, slowly leading toward “Unforseen Sun.” This is the longest part of the album, a monumental, outstanding and complex piece built with mind-blowing droning riffs. The ambiance there is growing crescendos with the addition of guitars, keyboard and choir, before attacking towards a more rock/folkish part. A real showcase not only of their musicianship, but also of their magical abilities to combine different styles while still remaining coherent.

The octet buckle the belt with “Your Head is Reeling,” which is actually a cover from Ultimate Spinach. It’s a song that they completely appropriated, making it much more powerful and psychedelic than the original version. Absolutely Genious.

With No Holier Temple, Hexvessel proved that they didn’t intend to draw on their knowledge, but upgraded their sound to a whole new level of sophistication. There is so much to appreciate in this work of art: its grace, its subtleties, the imagery but also its harmony. Like stated earlier, there are a variety of instruments you can perceive in the album. A calculated move, not for the sake of being original, but because each instrument has its purpose, its place and contributes in building this specific atmosphere. The vocal parts are amazing and incredibly varied, a range that didn’t feature in Dawnbearer and that once again adds richness to this opus.

Haunting, their songs resonate in you like something familiar that always has been in a corner of your head, and soon you’ll find yourself singing along after a couple of listens. Holier Temple is, without a doubt part of my top 5 album of the year.