Exclusive Interview: Vexed on Tech-Fest and all the rest!
We had the pleasure of of not only witnessing the onslaught of a set from Deathcore quartet Vexed at the Fireball Whiskey stage at UK Tech-Fest but also of meeting frontwoman Megan Targett afterwards. Having released just a pair of singles in “Dominate” and “Elite” prior to the 2019 incarnation of the event, they were one of the more intriguing prospects…
How was your UK Tech-Fest experience? What was it like as such a young band to get the opportunity?
There isn’t another festival that compares to Tech Fest, it’s like one massive family. The minute we arrived we were welcomed with open arms and made to feel so special. When we were asked to play we were so excited and proud, we knew we’d have to pull something out of the bag.
Did you manage to check out any of the other bands? What were your thoughts on the weekend as a whole?
We watched loads of bands across the weekend. Some who really stood out to us would have to be Godeater, AbhorrentDecimation and Harbinger. They were so unbelievably tight and just plain and simply put on a sick show. The weekend as a whole was just awesome and like a family gathering, we didn’t want it to end!
It was abundantly clear with your set that you are sat an albums worth of material. You must be excited to see its release?
So excited! We haven’t announced any details yet but there will be an album coming this year! It’s something we have been working so hard on and have put every ounce of energy into so we really can’t wait to share it with everyone!
Part of the Vexed look seems to be a sportsware thing. Is that some sort of hardcore vibe or the desire not to be linked with other bands?
To be totally honest there’s nothing behind it other than it’s just the way we usually dress. We used to try and dress ‘metal like’ in black ripped skinny jeans, doc martens or checkered shirts but it just felt really fake and uncomfortable. We finally decided not to care anymore and to just wear what we want. It sounds like a silly minor thing and I guess it is but it really does make us feel so much more at ease and confident just being ourselves.
How did you manage to persuade CJ McMahon from Thy Art Is Murder to appear on your debut single “Elite”?
There honestly wasn’t any persuading involved as he offered to be a part of it. Megan DM’d him on Instagram one day in a ‘oh f**k it’ moment and he apologetically declined as he’s such a busy guy, but then we woke up the next morning to a DM back from him saying he’d checked out our music, really digged it and wanted to make it happen. We still can’t believe it to be honest. He’s an absolute legend and a true gentleman.
You’ve got a run of shows in October with In Depths. You must be stoked for those? What does the future hold for Vexed?
Yeah we’re really excited. Being on the road and meeting new faces is where we all feel most at home so it’s gonna be a really fun week. As for the future, we’re just not going to stop. We’ve finally made something as a band and a group of best mates that we’re so unbelievably proud of and we just want as many people as possible to hear it!
