There are very *few* local bands from Seattle that "wow" me these days. Let's just say... with favoritism aside... Hexxus is one of those bands that just impresses me with their unique sound. These guys have all come from different bands around the area creating a sound that could literally shake a mountain. It's like one giant swirl of Dressed to Kill, A Chance Without, Moneta, Valors Minion, and Gift of Prophecy. Sounds like a headache, but there is some genius to this madness. Their debut self-titled album brought so much hype to this overactive zealous Seattle band, and let me tell you, they cannot disappoint.

These guys waste not time kicking your face into the floor. Kyle Bishop (formally of Dressed to Kill and Saturn Skyline) creates cleaver piano riffs, that alone could suffice your satisfaction for GREAT music. But, no, Hexxus continues to wow you. Chris Curry and Mike Corrado bring these slick guitars while still remaining dirty and distinctive, and Matt Willoughby (drums) and Clint Devlin (bass) round-house kick you to the curb. These guys are no joke, especially with the imfamous Chris "B." Bicknell leading the symphony of genius design. The first song, "Leaving You Speechless" honestly could leave someone speechless.

Maybe I'm just partial towards piano grooves, but the first two tracks impress me with the keys, not to mention how B.A. the guitars sound in unison. "Grizzly Adams Says 'No'" follows... though the song is a bit circling (but, is that really a bad thing?). These guys know what they're doing when they're writing their music. The composition impresses even the hard to please critic like myself. "Preaching To the Choir" has a great concept inside the lyrics, accompanied by a tight sound.

There are more killer tracks, but similiar to the ones before it. "A Snail's Pace" and "Phoenix Down" could be the same song, but it's not a bad thing. I enjoy them. "What It Was" starts pretty different from the rest of the songs. I can't even tell you what it reminds me of because it's THAT different. The melodic lines remind me of something from System of a Down, but way more chill. It's a confusing crafty way they wrote these songs.

"No More Words" clearly is influenced by Bishop as it has a fun little intro of some ambient sound crashing in with Chris B's vocals. Finally, the album closes with "Bring the Reign" (pun intended, folks) with a kick-ass BANG (no pun intended there...).

Clearly, this band is something new and unique, influenced by some pretty great local bands, but they're still on the track of learning their hook. If they stay true to themselves, sounds like this will take them further than just a Seattle Rock-N-Roll band. It's refreshing to hear some good ol' rock without all the flash, bang, pow stuff. We want more Hexxus. At an 8 song, 35 minute escape from the auto-tune'd out world, I want more. So, what is next for these guys? You will just have to wait and see.