I Hate Records is cram packed with bands so heavy they should come with a health warning; Doom of the slowest and bleakest kind has become the labels bread and butter and what we’ve come to expect. So it is surprising, no astonishing that Pysch / Doomers Jex Thoth (so named after the lead singer) should find a home with one of Europe’s premiere Doom Metal record labels, rubbing shoulders with Gates Of Slumber, Wall Of Sleep and Evoken. With more Pysch than Doom on display the inclusion of Jex Thoth to I Hate’s roster does seem somewhat of a bolt from the blue.

None the less signed to I Hate they are and what a prolific Jex Thoth beast is. In their short live the bands first full length release is their third offering in just over a year, already having produced a MCD and split 7” with Pagan Altar, so resting on their laurels they are not. Made up from the ranks of the likes of Wooden Wand and Zodiacs the member’s affection with Psych / Prog explains the overall tone and vibe of this self titled release. With Circulus and Witchcraft peddling their respective retro 70’s wares for the past couple of years Jex Thoth are by no means walking a new path.

Production is very thin on the ground, again you feel for the benefit of achieving that 1970’s quality rather than an inept production engineer, and to this end it works. Jex Thoth do have the ability to write a good song and produce a crushing riff none the less and the union with Zodiac’s Hammond organ produces a tonal experience that gives Jex Thoth that hint of differentiation to hordes of 70’s groover merchants out there at the moment. Album opener ‘Nothing Left To Die’ and ‘Stone Evil’ are perhaps the pick of the tracks on offer however ‘Jex Thoth’ as a whole is an enjoyable romp and originality aside worth checking out if 1970’s retro rock is your bag baby.