Review | Vlad In Tears – Relapse

Metalville Records

“This album is dedicated to all those who are still fighting, who haven’t won yet and who want to be heard. It is a collection of stories from people all over the world voicing their experiences”, states the info sheet for the new `Relapse’ album by dark rockers Vlad in Tears. With the band reigniting their engines with `Porpora’ (2022) following the pandemic, they delve deeper than ever before.

THE THREE VLAD BROTHERS

`Relapse’ immediately makes clear Vlad in Tears means business. Their dark, gothic-tinged, alternative rock and metal blend is firing fierce and ravishing. The heavy low end is dominant and the guitars rock with ravishing buzz and distortion. Amidst this powerful heavy brooding thrust the three Vlad brothers have cooked up intricate melodies and memorable themes that take point to make the songs well with melodic wonder. Hit potential little, but nesting abilities tremendous, Vlad in Tears carves their own cavern for fans and followers. Synthesizers not used, frees them to unload powerfully.

Voicing the despair and agony of the past, on ,,Break Away” the band pulls melancholy close for its listeners. There’s despair sifting through the stride of the song, and it pitches up towards the 80s toned banger ,,Broken Bones”, while returning more melody-dominated on ,,Day by Day” and the jagged ,,Hallo”. Heavier firing are songs like the guitar-driven ,,Fight another Day” and uplifting ,,Live Again” with their great vocal interaction and throbbing bass, bring spirited tread to the fold. The power packs of ,,Hear Me Out” are embedded in the (danceable) grooved song structure without lacking wonderful melodies and hooks, while ,,Me Myself and I” fires on all engines. 

THE MUSICAL GROWTH OF VLAD IN TEARS

The combustion is tremendous and Dario’s growlingly low bass and stagnating proggie drum pace makes it a wonderful track shooting into orbit with Kris’ melodic and heavy gutted vocal delivery. Lex’ guitars are tuned low and buzz through the track like a sawblade through melodic butter. The harmonies add to the song’s melodic appeal. Blending styles of the above, ,,Dig Deep” displays their musical growth with tons of variety enrolled. Crisp and brisk guitars amidst the throbbing low end of distortion. Equally impressive is ,,Not Good Enough” with its impressive melody and bass at the front. Gravely building its tension the song unloads a memorable hooks and chorus, immediately nesting, blending H.I.M and eighties wave with metal.

Scaling back on the guitars the keyboard driven and spooky ,,Goodbye” brings a different tone and pace, breaking the `Relapse’ pace. The song’s withering emotion is perfectly proportioned by Kris’ heartfelt vocals at the centre of the song. 

FAN BOX SET

9 of the previous 11 songs have also received an ‘acoustic’ make-over and are featured on the expanded edition ‘fan box set’. These recordings display the band’s capabilities as creators emphasizing their creative play with themes and melody. The songs hold up firmly in this scaled back atmosphere, actually gaining momentum in timid setting. It adds to their musical heritage for sure and reveals their vocal interaction and harmonies rooted deep in the song’s melodic structures. It is a calling card for musical aficionados to check out the origin and seeding of their songs. Fans definitely need this!

VLAD IN TEARS – THE CONCLUSION

`Relapse’ reveals darker and more melancholic sides to Vlad in Tears, as well as it attaches their basic and elemental creativity with the output of the songs. Hearing the acoustic recordings, you catch onto their musical turnings as the songs land deeper and reveal their subtle grace. These tracks as starting point for my review made the actual studio tracks gain momentum and land deeper, as the sonic discharge is heavier and more frontal. The melodies intact, the Vlad brothers display musical intensity and growth.

Release date: 8 March 2024