Vertex - The Purest Light

 Labels: Le Cri du Charbon

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Release Date: 17 Jan 2025

Tracklist:

1. All My Hatred

2. War Is Peace

3. The Purest Light

4. Leviathan

5. Two

6. Next Age

7. Social Unborn

8. Following Arrows

9. Scalable

10. Tar

Even at this early stage in the year I've realised that I'm becoming a bit OCD-like when it comes to promos and promo e-mails. From promos about 2025 releases (not this one) that were actually released a year+ prior but also promos (again not for this release) that don't mention anything about the formats that they're being released on. PR peeps and those that write EPKs should include these kind of details in my humble opinion. This is why I chose to write about this album instead, thanks to Clement Duboscq from Vous Connaissez? PR who sent it my way!

The Purest Light by French mathcore/progressive metal band Vertex is really a 2025 release and I couldn't be more excited to hear it. Over the last couple of years I've been leaning further towards screamo and mathcore thanks to friends who are connected to labels I keep an eye, and that I also buy from regularly. Getting the chance the hear some fresh mathcore that's infused with metal and progressive influence is absolutely what I'm here for.

After a slightly confusing moment with the MP3 files included with this promo, I switched to the WAVs and everything (including my OCD) returned to normal. Album opener ‘All My Hatred’ is the perfect mix of panic-inducing guitar-lead highs, bass-laden/percussive progression and harsh vocals that sit atop of the instrumentation perfectly. It brings to mind the first time I heard both Weston Super-Maim and The Sawtooth Grin, amongst others. Absolutely brilliant.

‘War Is Peace’ is way more metal than it is math with an insatiable pace, where mid-way through it becomes an amalgamation of everything that’s great about metal and grind. There’s really no placing Vertex in reality, despite my best attempts this early on. Honestly, this album is absolutely incredible so far! The promo e-mail that accompanied this record mentioned that it would appeal to fans of Meshuggah and I cannot agree more with that. Title-track ‘The Purest Light’ shows exactly why, with it’s prog-metal approach and varying time-signatures. The instrumentation is absolutely out of this world. I can’t fault this record at all so far.

‘Leviathan’ is served up at a slower tempo, or so it seems, with a swagger akin to the sludge of Crowbar and progression of the aforementioned Meshuggah. Off-kilter riffs and wild percussion/bass are joined by vocals that seem deeper to match the tones of the song. Launching into ’Two’, Vertex pretty much carry on where they left off with ‘Leviathan’. Fusing progressive metal with mathcore and an indescribable amount of European groove (if there’s such a thing?!). 

’Two’ fades away to be replaced by the atmospheric yet technical ’Next Age’, which brings to mind Soilwork at their peak. It’s an epic song though it strays further away from Vertex’s mathcore leanings at times, thanks to some brutal (almost beatdown) riffs later on. The chaotic beginning of ‘Social Unborn’ doesn’t let up one bit as the album’s shortest song rips you a new one. Again, it’s off-kilter in all the right places while also employing the right amount of slam for anybody who’s a modern death metal junkie. It’s actually pretty bloody good!

You’re dragged back into groove-laden territory thanks to ‘Following Arrows’ and it’s syncopated/rhythmic guitar work, and mesmeric drumming. Both elements seem to override the vocals, which seems almost impossible at times. Vertex use vocal effects later on when the instrumentation retreats a little and while it doesn’t effect their momentum, it does seem slightly at odds with their creativity.

Vertex - https://www.facebook.com/vertex.metal.france/

Le Cri du Charbon - https://www.facebook.com/LeCriDuCharbon