Katarzyna NINa Górnisiewicz | Detailed or mini-review submissions: song, EP/album | Suggest an artist

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VIA - Closets (song review) |self-released, Acid EP, 2013|

Fresh and highly motivated, here comes VIA - a band from Minnesota founded in 2013, who released their debut EP Acid soon after. The founder, Jason Tuthill (lead vocal, rhythm guitar) met his present band members through social networks and various other online locations. The final line-up includes Jason with Erik 'Evo' Vobejda (lead guitar), Ben Leff (drums) and Justin Von Rueden (bass). All of them had gained musical experience in other bands before VIA.
The EP features "Closets", kept in a grunge vibe since the band is inspired by music of Alice in Chains, Nirvana and QOTSA, amongst others. However, if you listen more attentively to the individual instrumental track, you may hear the song mixes three genres with a hard rock bass, grunge guitars and punk drums.

"Closets" has loads of dynamics and energy, so it must sound entertaining during live shows. The song doesn't carry any aggression, depth or any specific heaviness. The entire composition sounds solid and very guitar-driven with leading 'dirty' motifs. The drum parts are as fundamental as you'd expect from a punk or alternative rock track - pure dynamics rather than showing off. Arrangements aren't complicated or experimental either, thus rock music purists should enjoy them best. Jason's vocals match genres and the arrangements mentioned above really well. What's most important, choruses are very catchy thanks to the melody. Since the track is short and lively enough, it should be accepted by most of rock and college radio stations.

Regardless the song's garage-like flavour, it still may need better production, as the instruments sound a bit flat. Individual short guitar passages (aside from rhythm guitars) could have been underlined better as they splash fresh accents onto the background.

The musicians are currently working on a full album to be out by the summer of 2014 and planning a national tour. Whether VIA plays to enjoy the moment or evolves into an established group - you will know only if you follow the newest updates on their official website and social outlets.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, April 16th, 2014. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)

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