VEXED - Interview at Takedown festival
- JOSE CRESPO
- Apr 28
- 4 min read
Brutal, relentless… and built the hard way.
Some bands play heavy. Others are HEAVY. Vexed fall firmly into the latter.
At Takedown Festival 2026, they didn’t just deliver one of the most punishing sets of the weekend — they raised the bar entirely. Fronted by Megan Targett, the band stepped on stage with that unmistakable don’t give a fuck attitude and backed it up with sheer force.
Jose Crespo caught up with Megan and Meyrick De La Fuente (bass & production) shortly after they came off stage — still carrying that post-set adrenaline, still buzzing from the impact they had just left behind.
AFTER THE STORM
Fresh off stage, there’s no overthinking — just instinct.
“It was really good… We had a great time,” says Megan Targett, almost casually — as if what just happened wasn’t absolute carnage.
Because from the outside, it felt anything but casual. It felt overwhelming.
And loud? Loud is an understatement.
“Our sound engineer always tries to push it as much as he can,” Megan laughs, while Meyrick De La Fuente adds, “We think he’s deaf… in a good way.”
It’s said jokingly — but it perfectly sums up the Vexed experience: push everything to the edge, then push it a little further.
Festival sets are a different game. No guaranteed crowd, no built-in connection — just a room full of strangers waiting to be convinced.
“With a festival crowd, you’ve gotta win them over,” explains Meyrick. “A headline show is your audience… this is different.”
And that’s exactly where Vexed thrive.
“For every one person that knows you, there’s twenty that don’t,” Megan tells us. “And you’ve gotta win them all over. There’s something really fun about that.”
Fun — in the Vexed sense of the word. Chaotic, confrontational, and completely alive.
“You wind them up a bit… call them out… it’s fun,” Megan adds with a grin.
And judging by the packed room they left behind, it worked.
BUILT THE HARD WAY
While many bands wait for the right opportunity, Vexed have been creating their own — the hard way. Touring across Europe without a label, funding it themselves, building everything from the ground up.
“It is really hard,” Megan admits. “But it’s a real test of whether you actually want to do this.”
And that test? They’ve already passed.
“We came home very broke… but very happy,” she continues. “We made new fans, made lifelong friends. That’s what matters.”
Meyrick puts it more bluntly: “If you want to do it, you just have to go and make it happen.”
No shortcuts. No safety nets. Just commitment.
That commitment comes at a cost.
Long tours, minimal rest, and the kind of conditions that separate the committed from the comfortable.
“25 shows in like a month… with four days off” Merrick recalls.“In a small van,” Megan adds, laughing. “It was brutal.”
Brutal — but worth it. Because for Vexed, this isn’t just a career path. It’s something much more personal.
THE NEXT STEP
With two albums already behind them, the focus now shifts to what could be their defining moment — the third record.
“We’ve nearly got it ready,” says Meyrick. “It’s mostly written — we’re just finishing the process now.”
And this time, they’re keeping everything in-house.
“I’m producing the album as well,” Meyrick explains. “So we can just get on with it.”
That control is already shaping the sound of what’s coming next.“It’s everything we’ve done… just more. More refined.”
Megan nods, pushing the idea further:
“It’s definitely leveled up. We’re staying metal — but we’re bringing more elements in, not taking anything away.”
Heavier, sharper, more expansive — without losing the core of what makes them Vexed.
After years of doing everything independently, the conversation around labels is now on the table — but on their terms.“We’re talking to some labels at the moment,” Merrick tells us. “But we can afford to be picky.”
Because this isn’t just another release.
“It’s our baby,” Megan says. “We’re not just handing it to anyone.”
What they’re looking for is simple — not control, but elevation.
“They need to help us do the things we can’t do ourselves,” Meyrick explains. Nothing less.
Wondering when new music will be released? Timing is still flexible — but the intention is clear.
“Next year is probably the safest,” Megan says. “But it could be sooner… we just want to get it right.”
And in the meantime?
More shows. More festivals. More opportunities to do what they clearly live for.
“Live music is the best thing about this,” Megan says without hesitation.
If their set at Takedown proved anything, it’s this:
Vexed are not just another heavy band on the rise — they are a band that means it.
Every scream, every breakdown, every mile on the road… earned.
No shortcuts. No compromises. Just pure, unfiltered intent — delivered at full volume.
We have no doubt: if this next album hits as hard as everything else they’ve built so far…they’re not just going to stand out. They’re going to hit like a hammer.
Jose Crespo for The Riff Collective
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