:: Vanna - Curses

Vanna

Having never heard anything from Boston based metalcore outfit Vanna prior to the release of their Epitaph debut ‘The Search Party Never Came’, it was a little hard to make a comparison or accurately hear just how much the band had progressed from their inception in late 2004. Needless to say, it didn’t really matter, as ‘The Search Party Never Came’ didn’t really strike me as anything original, with the band’s emo-rock influences peppered amongst their overall generic metalcore sound lacking anything long lasting or memorable beyond review purposes. A year has since passed, and while I wasn’t expecting much from the recently expanded five-piece act, their debut full length effort ‘Curses’ is definitely an improvement on their previous EP. The most immediate stand out feature on Vanna’s new album is the production. Producer Matt Bayles has given the band a much thicker and clearer sound this time around, and combined with the tougher direction the band opt for with the opening cut ‘The Alarm’, Vanna prove there’s more merit in their music than reproducing the same tired and generic sound.

The chaotic ‘The Vanishing Orchestra’ pushes the aggressive aspect of their sound into something a little more complex and attention grabbing, while ‘Surgical Tools’ and ‘Trophy Wives’ combine the aggressive/technical aspect of the latter track, while incorporating the melodic aspect of the former with reasonable success. Exploring harmonies and melodic hooks beyond their poor efforts of the past works well on ‘The Things He Carried’ and ‘We Ate The Horse You Rode In On’, but unfortunately the same technique doesn’t quite hold up for the rather weak sounding ‘This Map Is Old News’. To make up the numbers, Vanna has delved into their past to give tracks such as ‘Magnetic Knives’, ‘Country Boys… Goddamn’ and ‘Heavens To Betsy’ a modern makeover, which don’t sound any bit out of place alongside the remaining savage efforts such as ‘You Were Never Lovelier’ and ‘Weapon Is Dead’, which is listed as an Australian bonus track. I wasn’t all that convinced with ‘The Search Party Never Came’, but with ‘Curses’, Vanna really have come up with something that’s a little different to some, even if it does have some inconsistent moments. If the likes of Norma Jean and Every Time I Die get you all hot and excited, then don’t be afraid to give Vanna a second chance.