Forget what the naysayers are preaching, the spirit of Rock is very much alive and Anbelin are here to prove it. Filled with gripping atmosphere, Vital is a a real showcase of excellent musicianship and song crafting.
But its not all soaring vocals and guitars, tracks like ‘Someone Anyone’ delivers a meaty riff and the vocals deliver a sing along chorus that stays with you.
Vital rises and falls, changing tempos and sounds as all good albums should. I must admit it’s not a predictable album, just when you feel you’re anticipating whats coming next, Anberlin surprises you with a change in style. I respect a band who’re not affraid to mix it up but in all honesty I’m not a great fan of the 80’s synth sound. If thats your thing then you’ll love ‘Intentions’, but its not for me.
Overall the album deliverds solid tracks, rock music played well. It might not shake you to the core and might be a bit poppy in places but god damn, it a hell of a lot better than most of whats out there right now.
If anything I’m excited, Vital is a release by Universal, a major record label. Maybe its a sign of a change in the tide, maybe I’m clutching at straws. Either way, buy this album, for all of the above reasons.
Gillan Williams
