Album Review: Hex Engine – Other People (Self Released)

Philly based 4-piece stoner rock/hard rock band; Hex Engine will release their debut album ‘Other People’ on June 9th, 2023. The album is a meditation on the bubbling paranoia and repressed anger underpinning everyday interactions.

With the shout of “are you ready?” Hex Engine get their debut off to a strong start with the body-mover that is Monster. The blend of stoner groove and rocking rhythms is immediately appealing, but it’s just one aspect of Hex Engine’s sound. Variety is a major part of what this band, and this album, offers. It just so happens that whatever they do, it always results in something infectious.

A notable thing in the opener, and present going forward, is the touch of rawness that comes from the production. It almost gives the music a ‘live’ feel and works brilliantly with Hex Engine’s overall sound. The foot will be tapping, the fingers will be drumming, the hips will be swaying, and the head will be banging along to the likes of Parasite and Rat Fink.

…and then along comes Excuses, Excuses. A track that passes the nine-minute mark and sees Hex Engine really flexing their musical muscles. From the ominous and atmospheric intro, to the punchy rhythm, the momentous groove, and the elaborate haunting outro. It’s a special track.

Though the fun is far from over and Hex Engine have a lot more wonders in the tank. Starting with the more laidback and stripped back Meet Your Maker. A track that has a stunner of a guitar solo. Before Omens ups the hard rock energy to get everyone moving again, and Something’s Burning combines moody tones, psychedelic twists, and big stoner-style riffs.

It’s a short penultimate offering with Deja Sku, Hex Engine digging into their atmospheric bag of tricks again, but for good reason as the finale of Fear the Future is damn massive. A track that passes the 13-minute mark and, unsurprisingly, proves to be the most extravagant example of this band’s incredible stoner and hard rock capabilities. It takes a while to get going, minutes of psych-infused and dramatic melodies, but all that does is make you hungrier for the heavier stuff. Which Hex Engine certainly do deliver on.

In fact, they deliver on all expectations throughout the album, and then some. By showing depth to their sound and by showing that they weren’t going to be boxed in by genre-constraints, they’ve made something that stands out from the pack. A very strong debut release.

Hex Engine – Other People Track Listing:

1. Monster
2. Parasites
3. Rat Fink
4. Excuses, Excuses
5. Meet Your Maker
6. Omens
7. Something’s Burning
8. Deja Sku
9. Fear The Future

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