Vex

Despite only being active for a few years in the mid-1980s, Vex left a huge legacy in underground circles for their affecting brand of anarcho-punk. Until now, it was almost impossible to find an original copy of their essential Sanctuary 12-inch on Fight Back Records, let alone their scant other recordings. Sanctuary: The Complete Discography collects all of the Vex material that was ever put to tape on one limited-edition LP for the first time ever. Drop the needle for a lean half hour by what CVLT Nation calls “a very well balanced band that combined the angst of punk with the ethereal vibe of positive punk.”

The lead singer of Vex, who went by the charming moniker of Scrote, had this to say of the reissue: “We were an anarcho-punk band in the truest sense of the word, even though our musical sound may nowadays be classed as something different. We lived, ate and breathed the punk ethic, D.I.Y. culture. We toured with the likes of Conflict and played gigs all over England. The 12-inch Sanctuary was our only solid release apart from various songs on compilation albums. These songs must have stood the test of time as they’re now being rereleased, amazes me really!”

Scrote’s amazement is understandable, but it undersells the quality of his band’s songs. Sanctuary: The Complete Discography is a wholly necessary reissue of a crucial band in punk’s evolution who never got their fair share of the limelight, and Sacred Bones is extremely proud to present their music to a new generation of listeners.