Shining a light on a new generation of metalcore with "White Noise" by Vitals US
Things are getting pretty serious with up-and-coming band, Vitals US from Charlotte, NC. After making an announcement earlier this year stating that they were “taking it a little more seriously now”, the band has finalized their name, their lineup, and released their first official single “White Noise”.
Listen to “White Noise” here
Composed of Ayden Augustine (vocals and guitar), Davin Glover (bass), and Massimo Buontempo (Shaheed-Al-Shahbazz) (drums and vocals) , Vitals US is shaping up to be something huge. Despite this being their first formal release fans have been getting plenty of glimpses into their skills as they post playthroughs and pop culture inspired snippets. The trio is giving us a look into the future of metalcore and it's looking pretty bright.
“White Noise” taps into the glitchy modern metalcore sound. The vocals lean toward a deeper range which makes the entire song sound that much more haunting. The slightly computerized screams are unsettling in a way that sends a chill down your spine. The rhythm section combines to give a weighty, stomping, sensation throughout. The guitar is scratchy and jarring when it takes center stage but delightfully smooth when fading into the background. The effects overlaid in the song give it a crisp, icy, feeling. With each listen there's a new sound to get lost in making it a repeat hit.
The music video was where Vitals US really captured my attention. As a certified drummer stan it was really cool seeing take a more visually central role was fantastic. At the core things are pretty simple. The band plays in an empty room with blue lighting, the camera blurs and refocuses seemingly at random, there's a lot of movement from both the band and the camera that provide the dynamic energy.
Watch the video for “White Noise” below;
What truly makes the music video work is how well it couples with the song lyrics. With “White Noise” focusing so much on feeling disjointed and lost, having visuals that never seem to hold still really brings you into that feeling. The blur effect being that overly bright white is essential. When the line "Drown out my shadow in light” comes up and the entire frame is illuminated you get to see how much thought is behind the simplicity.
For a first release by a band so early into their career the song is wildly impressive. As a metalcore song in general “White Noise” is heart pumping and exciting. No matter how you look at it, Vitals US has the potential to go extremely far. For a long time fan of the genre it's nice seeing that things are in good hands. The band is genuine in their approach toward music, actively making efforts to avoid being just another generic band in your playlist.
At the moment we're basking in this excitement. Streams for “White Noise” are rapidly climbing, and word about the band is spreading. We can't wait to hear how they'll be lighting up stages sometime soon.