Three things instantly come to mind while listening to the newest track release “Ivory” by Hexed: wavy, grunge, & roaring.
The psychedelic-punk rock group from Pomona, CA from the past few years has been rising within the DIY backyard-punk scene in the Inland Empire as they continuously play shows throughout Southern California. Every year they host a festival known as ‘Ugly Fest,’ which in turn massively helped the scene as a whole to expand the knowledge of other talent within the Inland Empire. The festival has cultivated a substantial fan bass for Hexed and other bands on the stacked line up.
Hexed has grabbed rapid attention recently due to the newest track release “Ivory,” which dropped within the past month. The track starts off with a forceful push from the guitar as it repeats around with a simple yet calculated loop. It seamlessly flows into a drum pedal that feels as if it’s pounding into the ground with a blasted beat.
Another wistful touch comes in from the lead vocals, starting off with a strong roar as he belts “Can someone check my pulse? I think I might be dead.” The forcefulness continues as the song takes you into a punk-rock trance as the psychedelic guitar loops pick up where those belting lyrics left off, carrying melodic ideas forward.
The track then comes to a halt with a fast but somber finish as the vocalist screams out “Because I think I’m going mad, and the underlying sentiment is that were all going down,”—taking the last lyric to a quiet and more droopy finish.
This abrupt lyric change shows the structure of how this track is really meant to appear—a song about the daily struggle and drudgery one might feel while merely trying to stay afloat in this crazy affair we call ‘life,’ but the music feels meditative, despite all the frantic motion surrounding it. Hexed seamlessly creates music in all its chaos and brings forth a track that leaves you hanging for more, yet satisfied with all its frustration throughout the track.
Hexed now has “Ivory” streaming on all music platforms. You can also catch them at their next show on December 12th in Riverside, CA.
Follow them on Instagram and check out their new single here:
