On the cover of hard rock group Vanna’s EP “The Search Party Never Came,” I noticed a sticker inviting fans of Norma Jean, Underoath, Everytime I Die and Chariot to pick up a copy. Since I’d never heard of any of those groups, I was a little uncertain about whether I’d be a fan of Vanna. And, the grim skeleton illustration on the cover didn’t help simplify matters.
Because Vanna hails from Boston, MA, my home of towns, I quickly put my initial shallow observations aside, and decided to have a listen. I was initially taken aback by the raucous vocals that sounded like they were being emitted by someone in a great deal of pain. Someone I didn’t really want to help. But as I pressed on, I liked how softer vocals were woven into some songs, and oddly complimented the headless horseman’s endless shrieks. The dichotomy is appealing, and suggests a depth to the band, a depth that I was lacking when I first judged them – based solely on their eerie cd cover.
On the morbidly penned, “A Dead Language for a Dying Lady,” the haunting chorus of “and her heart beats on” cuts through all the anarchy most effectively. I was not as taken with “I Am the Wind, You Are the Feather,” which was more one-dimensional in its asthmatic wailing.
To that point, I can’t say that I was moved, as a whole, by this EP. There is only one song that I would probably listen to repeatedly. That being said, I was terribly impressed by the passion behind the music, and the talented musicianship of the band members. Each of the band’s core musicians play with ferocity. Their sound is bolstering and intense. If they had the right tracks, they would be outstanding.
The zest cannot be denied, and I am confident that bigger fans of this genre will be taken by that – and allow it to compensate for the mediocrity of the songs themselves.
Vanna clearly has a firm understanding of the music they want to make, and deliver it accordingly. The drum solos are particularly aggressive, and fast as Hades. The five member group come across as viciously passionate, something often attributed to less deserving hard core bands, simply due to the level of noise they make.
With Vanna, it’s not noise -- it is indeed music that they are rallying behind. Granted, the music is really, really loud, but not so deafening that it disguises the undeniable fervor that this band has for its craft, and that the right fan will appreciate. |