Review CRIMSON VEIL “Hex”

“Hex” is an album that needs some time to unfold its creative essence. It is a bit overwhelming to listen to the first time, yet it has the potential to take you on an atmospheric journey through the world of sounds. But let’s start at the beginning.

“Hex” is the debut album of a project called Crimson Veil. The band evolved from Birdeatsbabies, a band I honestly never heard of before.

Crimson Veil is the brainchild of vocalist Mishkin Fitzgerald and guitarist/bassist Garry Mitchell. Both were studying music at the University of Brighton when they found a common musical foundation anchored in dark rock/metal with a progressive touch. With Hana Piranha and Anna Mylee joining the duo, everything was in place to start recording the debut album.

“Hex” contains nine songs and it is a fusion of different influences that you will experience after hitting the ‘play’-button. It is the title track that kicks off this longplayer. It is a very present electro sample, reminding of swirling fog, which is the base of the song that also brings into focus the clean and party fragile vocals of Fitzgerald. The band establishes a more ceremonial mood that gains some heaviness along the way. Sprinkled with some growling moments and a heavier guitar riff, the song is the perfect indicator of what to expect from “Hex”.

Photo: Scott Chalmers

The four-piece from the UK adds a lot of ingredients to their music – from esoteric sounds to heavy passages with growls and real sonic outbursts. There is the heavy pounding riff monster “Flinch”, one of the heaviest moments on the album, which combines a fragile world of sounds with black-hearted blasts.

Next is “Shift” and it is a shift as the band sticks to their basic musical pattern but introduces a progressive approach to it. “Shift” is a multi-layered song that reflects the same basic spirit of the album and yet opens a door to a slightly different musical expression.

Crimson Evil keeps the tempo very moderate or even a bit slower, like during the mesmerizing “Opulence”. Due to the heavy elements in their music, the album provides a good flow and as there is always something new to explore, the listeners don’t lose their attention.

Crimson Veil deliver a very interesting debut album that tries to bring together several influences. With the musicians having all the tools at their disposal, the four-piece manage to turn their musical vision into reality and there is certainly a target audience for this kind of music.