VANITY RIOTS – AMBULANCE

                       Self-release 2013

 

Sydney's Vanity Riots have made a few waves in the local music scene since first forming back in 2010. Playing an interesting blend of heavy music that falls somewhere between late 80's glam rock, metalcore and alternative rock, the band already have one self-released EP and a wealth of live experience under their belts. Now, a year and a half after their initial EP's release, the band are set to unleash 5 new tracks in the form of the “Ambulance” EP later this month.

 

After reading of the band's combination of styles, I wasn't sure what to expect, given I'm not a -core fan in the slightest. And while the music contained within this EP certainly shows a heavy helping of -core influence, fortunately none of that influence carries over to the vocals, with vocalist Monica Strut's performance remaining predominantly in a clean mid-range, with occasional shifts to a higher range. There's not a ton of variety to them, but the vocals are strongly performed and on point. The tracks themselves remain of a consistent standard throughout, although stylistically the selections are a bit all over the place. “Bloodsucker” carries the strongest flashes of the bands' glam rock influences, with probably the catchiest guitar work on display and some strong hooks. “Ambulance” and “I Love You Almost As Much As I Love Me” are more in line with melodic metalcore, though Ambulance having a pretty rocking solo to it. On the other hand, “You're A Poison” and “Revival” both carry a strong alt-rock vibe. No real stand out tracks here to me, but at the same time I wouldn't say there are any shockers either, so overall a solid set of tunes that are sure to catch the attention of alt metal fans.

 

The production job on the EP seems to fit the general sound of the band well. The guitars have an adequate amount of grit to them without going to overboard with the distortion, leading to a tone that remains both heavy yet accessible to a good effect. The addition of a second guitarist to the band's line up since the recordings of the first EP really helps to give the EP a fuller sound. Drums have a noticeably processed sound to them, and are a little on the dull side tone wise for my taste, yet this sound fits well enough within the parameters of the music here, with the drums having plenty of punch. The bass sits well in the mix tonally and serves it's purpose here. The vocals do sit heavily at the front of the mix, which means the other instruments can at times get buried in the mix somewhat. Overall, nitpicking aside, this is a good sounding EP, though I can't help but feel a little bit of extra polish to the production would do wonders for this band in future.

 

While I couldn't say I loved this EP, I'll also be the first to admit my listening habits would leave me far removed from the target audience of a recording like this. For what it is, “Ambulance” proves a solid listen and a fun enough way to spend 20 minutes of your time. The tracks on this EP certainly sound like they were recorded with radio play in mind, and it should expose these guys (and gal) to a wider audience. The potential for this band is definitely there, but with a more polished sound and a breakout song there could be much bigger things in line for Vanity Riots.

-- Matt