Hexx - Morbid Reality (1991)^{Release ID: 18722}

Morbid Reality by US thrash metallers Hexx is the first release I have ever heard by the band. As usual with me, the artwork caught my eye at first and I soon found myself listening to their 1991 offering as part of my weekly rotation. I understand these guys have a penchant for changing direction/styles having started out as a NWOBHM act in their first iteration. By the time they got to album number three they appeared to have adopted some death metal elements, most notably with the vocals now being handled by guitarist Clint Bower who deployed a very harsh screeching yet gruff style for Morbid Reality.

Alongside these death metal influences the band show some technical aspects to their playing, changing pace deftly and avoiding the obvious progressions of a traditional thrash metal album. As such, I would pitch Morbid Reality as somewhere between Sadus with the strong bass presence and Metal Church with the over-the-top vocals supported by a strong riff artillery. Long term guitarist Dan Watson in no small part adds dimension to Hexx’s sound here; ably supported by Bower the guitars map an interesting if not overtly complicated ecosystem across Morbid Reality. The lead work has the rabid energy of a player with unpredictability balanced with the genuine talent required to carry such spontaneity off. Yes, there are times when the band do get a bit muddled with all the moving parts (Blood Hunter) but overall, they manage the frantic pace and almost schizophrenic structures well enough.

Frustratingly for an album with some technical prowess it does suffer in some regards with sounding a bit similar in places. Whilst my enjoyment stays solid throughout the eight tracks it is tested sometimes by the track lengths and the abominable stupidity of the instrumental wankery (Spider Jam) to close the album really does grate.

However, this is clearly an album made by an established band with all the chops you would expect from such a no-nonsense approach to thrash metal. It is more than capable without ever being exceptional, interesting without ever straying over to being innovative, challenging without ever being avant-garde.