The Vitals (MB)

Anesthetics [EP] (2022)

mikebored

The Vitals latest release 'Anesthetics'

brings forth a new sound from the band that reflects it's album cover

in a pretty distinct and accurate way. Whether it's sound and message

is a testament to the times we're currently experiencing, well, that

may just be a matter of opinion when you take the time to really look

into it.

Hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

– hometown of punk rock legends Propagandhi, these guys prove no

matter how cold it is or how far you're from, Winnipeg continues to

deserve a spot on the map that punk rockers can appreciate and

recognize for it's contribution to the genre.

Albeit drifting

away from the more punk sound of their last self-titled release from

late 2016 (not counting the single Drop Dead from 2019), this E.P.

isn't necessarily something that's to be missed. The band seems to

have matured their sound and really found their identity as this

release has a pretty consistent sound that really experiments with

some post-punk/post-rock vibes to it in addition to punk rock. I

guess a six year difference will do that for most people, both in a

manner of personal and musical matters.

You can't necessarily blame them

either for the change, as from start to finish the E.P. sucks you in

to an experience nothing like quite before. The guitars give off a

Bloc Party feel which combined with the vocals and drums you almost

get a U2 vibe in some ways. Now I know we're at Punknews here and

mentioning U2 may be a little blasphemic but when you honestly listen

to Deathcake you can't deny that it all really meshes well to a

Joshua Tree era of the group in a lot of ways, with a dark twist of

course.

Moving forward from what may dissuade

listeners, the next three tracks Fennestella, Hill of Frogs and No

Soul offer what seems to be as mentioned prior a good homage to Bloc

Party, somewhat of a similar tune to Bloc Party's track Banquet. No

Soul shines particularly with a danceable, radio-friendly tune with some sweet

guitar licks that compliment the vocals and doesn't try to fight it for

the spotlight the entire time - shame that it's also the release's

shortest track at a little over two and a half minutes.

The release's eponymous track has a

post-apocalyptic vibe to it during it's entire run. Nothing short of

a dreary feel of hopelessness, really amplified with it's high-tone

guitar licks complimented with it's reverb-esque touch. Without much

other information, you may as well have thought this to be part of

some Jean-Michel Jarre record, with the absent vocals and production

value but nonetheless it's a fitting track for the release.

Overall,

the E.P. is a pretty solid release from this 4-piece outfit and the

band chose a path most others would typically shy away from to stick

with a familiar and safer sound. Taking inspiration from 70's punk

and 80's goth influences went a long way with The Vitals for this

release and it's a curious thought to see where it might take them

yet when they do decide to follow up with another release in the

future if that's in the books for them.