Jex Thoth

Jex Thoth is a pivotal figure in the modern 'occult rock' and 'psychedelic doom' revival, emerging in 2007 from Madison, Wisconsin. Originally performing as Totem, the project evolved around the distinct creative vision of Jessica Bowen (Jex Thoth) and her collaboration with experimental psych-folk veteran James Jackson Toth (Wooden Wand).

This pedigree is essential to understanding their sound, which bridges the gap between the heavy, riff-centric tradition of Black Sabbath and the avant-garde, krautrock-influenced experimentalism of Amon Düül II. Their 2008 self-titled debut established them as leaders in the traditional doom space, but it was 2013's Blood Moon Rise, produced by Randall Dunn (known for his work with Sunn O))) and Earth), that cemented their reputation for high-concept, atmospheric art-metal. The band's cultural position is defined by a rejection of modern metal tropes in favor of a 'retro-experimentalist' approach, utilizing vintage instrumentation like the Hammond organ and analog recording techniques. Critically, they are lauded for Bowen's vocal performance, which is often cited as the gold standard for the 'female-fronted occult rock' subgenre, influencing peers like Blood Ceremony and The Devil's Blood.