VANTA - Feel Alive (Track Premiere)

While music appreciation--and, by extension, music reviewing--are an entirely subjective affair, I'm paradoxically of the mind that some bands are deserving of a big break from a purely objective standpoint. Budapest's Vanta are such a band. 

A couple years back we wrote about their massive track "True Enemy," stating that "like a mossy sasquatch stomping around whilst strapped into mechanical armor, Vanta is seemingly bent on wanton destruction. Your eardrums (and spinal column, no doubt) stand little chance against this churning distortion and brobdingnagian swagger...these guys rip, tear, and obliterate their way through the doom/sludge umbrella, leaving little behind but shreds and twisted metal." And that, all in reference to a single track and a single almighty riff. Imagine our excitement by the prospect of a whole damn album of this stuff. Time, methinks, for a big break.

Needless to say, we’re pleased and honored to present Feel Alive, the lead single from Vanta’s forthcoming album Kelvin Zero. Give it a listen below! Crank it up, and, as always, we’ll catch ye on the other side.

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"Feel Alive" demonstrates Vanta operating at their best--it's a potent amalgamation of sludge and stoner doom seemingly constructed around a desire to obliterate, albeit discerningly. I get some High On Fire vibes, but that doesn't even begin to cover the territory Vanta have staked for themselves. While less singularly riff-centric than their earlier work, this track embraces a balance of tasteful aggression with a lil' more psychedelic exploration. For such a gravel-crunchingly heavy track, its certainly got an open-ended expansiveness that encourages the type of mind-wandering that one typically craves from stoner-adjacent tunes. The vocals are gritty and harsh, but, at times, delightfully overexposed. Notably, the drums are quite present--an active character in the overall drama. And if those elements are too hot to handle, a fun solo in the back half really puts a cap on the whole affair, and keeps the track rolling without slipping into the dreaded doldrums that all-too-oft frequent the genre.

I mean, shit. Sometimes a track just kinda speaks for itself, and for any fan of sludge, doom, and anything that falls between 'em, this track enunciates pretty damn well. If you haven't heard of Vanta, this is a prime introduction to their craft. If you are familiar, you'll undoubtedly enjoy this latest offering as well. In any case, keep your eyes 'n' ears peeled for Zero Kelvin, which drops on July 2nd. Its a banger, and hopefully garners some well-deserved attention. Help it along it's way by pre-ordering it here.

Vanta - Zero Kelvin will be released July 2nd.

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