After the release of From Now to Now in 2017, Vert:X took a brief hiatus only to return in 2018 with a new line-up. Mainstay Neil Whitehead teamed up with Mat Handley of Pulselovers on electronics and Dave Millsop of XOND on guitar, thus ushering in a return to the noisier sound that Neil had originally envisaged for the band from the off. A session for Dandelion Radio followed plus a limited run CD version of this LP sold out. With that in mind, The Weird Beard picked up the album and decided to release on a limited run of red with black splodge vinyl.
Drawing on early space rock greats such as Hawkwind and Chrome and the unmistakable motorik beats of Neu! as influences, the band’s high adrenaline, visceral sonic attacks have drawn praise from every corned of the known musicverse.
Opening with ‘Clus’, a throbbing, pulsating monster of a number that has more twists and turns than the jungle’s finest sidewinder. The motorik beats steer the track’s journey whilst the fuzzy guitars and almost manic electronics compete for attention over the top. Buried at its heart is a haunting three note synth melody that shimmers to the surface every often to captivate. The next four tracks, cleverly named ‘Fix 1-4’ take the listener on a journey of aural discovery, leaving no stone unturned in their traversing, with hints of the likes of Can strongly reminiscent in parts and Pink Floyd in others. More modern influences can be heard in places, especially with the electronic frequency which draw parallel with the likes of Moon Duo. Concluding ‘Ofn yn Canu (Fear Sings)’ is a noisier entity from its predecessors and after the slower pace of the previous four tracks, it really kicks things up a notch.
This is raw kraut rock blended with space rock elements to create something new and interesting, whilst not betraying anything that is true to either genre.
Order the vinyl: https://theweirdbeard.bigcartel.com/product/vert-x-death-to-false-motorik
