Coming in like Bleach-era Nirvana rides the new single from LA’s Vantablak. When you know that Vantablak was formally known as That Infernal Machine, that gives a little insight to what’s on offer here – that Nirvana Bleach or Sliver sound, a dash of Superfuzz Bigmuff-ish Mudhoney, with lashings of Layne Staley and Chris Cornell thrown into the vocals for good measure. ‘Anxiety Now!!!’ is unashamedly hard and heavy, all angry fuzzed-up guitars and Grohl-style drum stabs, rumbling bass and reverb-soaked, alternately growled and screamed vocals.
It’s unapologetic, unreserved, and unrefined in an entirely good way, all millennial angst and snotty anger over a very well put-together track, polished in a Jack Endino/Steve Albini kind of way, and all the better for it. Vantablak are comfortable to wear their influences on their sleeves, and that’s no bad thing; alongside the obvious Sub Pop grunge references, there’s a definite Alice In Chains or Stone Temple Pilots vibe at times, alongside a mash of Zeppelin, Velvet Revolver, Royal Blood, and some fairly forthright early Foo Fighters. It’s a track which is flagrantly greater than the sum of its parts and makes you want to reach for the oversized hole-riddled sweater, offset-bodied guitar, and as many fuzz pedals as you can get your hands on.
Listen to ‘Anxiety Now!!!’ on Spotify, and check out Vantablak on Facebook or Instagram now.
Review by Alex Holmes
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