Vex Red

British outfit Vex Red fuse abrasive guitar-driven riffs with pulsating electronic textures to shape their singular take on alternative rock. The group coalesced into its definitive lineup in 1999 once vocalist-guitarist Terry Abbott joined forces with musicians already active in the Aldershot, Hampshire circuit. Under Abbott’s direction, Keith Lambert on bass and programming, Ant Forbes handling guitar and keyboards, Nick Goulding covering guitar and bass, and Ben Calvert on drums began fully realizing their sonic ambitions. Recognition arrived the following year when the quintet prevailed in a demo-tape contest organized by Kerrang! magazine and producer Ross Robinson, whose prior work with At the Drive-In, Slipknot, and Korn had drawn industry attention. Mid-2000 saw their submission, Can’t Smile, selected as the winner, opening doors to a broader listenership. After another period of intensive rehearsal, the band tracked its debut album, Start With a Strong and Persistent Desire, which reached U.K. stores in March 2002.