Scott Weber
11/21/05, 05:46 PM
Vendetta Red – Sisters of the Red Death
Release Date: August 30, 2005
Record Label: Sony
Take everything you know about Vendetta Red and throw it out the window. Their previous full-length effort, Between the Never and Now, was a rehashed compilation of the band’s earlier indie releases. There were very few new songs, and to be honest, it wasn’t a very good record. In fact, I’d made up my mind on Vendetta Red. Obnoxious songs with very little potential. But then they had the nerve to write Sisters of the Red Death? Crap. I had Vendetta Red completely pegged. But I set aside my bias and sat down to listen to Sisters of the Red Death, and it’s safe to say I was blown away. I was greeted with 47 straight minutes of fist-pumping, anthemic, and ridiculously catchy songs. Vendetta Red’s sound can basically be described as a perfect balance of My Chemical Romance and Alkaline Trio. Literally every single song has an absolutely gigantic chorus that makes the songs take flight. While Vendetta Red’s verses were previously mundane, they now build towards epic choruses.
Sisters of the Red Death is a concept album of sorts, one that I could never fully comprehend. One thing is for sure – some of the lyrics on this album are pretty grotesque. With lyrical themes ranging from having sex with angels to priests raping girls, my jaw dropped more than a few times throughout the course of the album. Lines like “…he made love to your face with a box cutter” are prime examples of some of the things you’ll hear. The downside to this is that those who like to relate to lyrics in their music are going to have a rough time doing so. But, if you’re all about liking catchy music, Vendetta Red’s new record is a must own. It manages to stand apart from the crowd with excellent songwriting, a gift for writing hooks, and outstanding production by Howard Benson. “The Banshee Ballet” is the catchiest song on the record, with a driving verse complemented by steady drums leading into one of 12 unforgettable choruses. “Silhouette Serenade,” the single, is accompanied by a beautiful violin part with culminates in an epic reprise of the chorus. It’s moments like these where my heart skipped a beat. This record is full of so many moments that are an outpouring of emotion. It’s been a long time since I heard a record in which there were so many songs that stirred up something inside me.
As far as individual songs, there are very few weak spots. The album is strong all the way through, and even the few tracks that are slower don’t cause the album to lose any momentum. The ballads still have those trademark hooks that make this album so catchy. But, with any record that is instantly catchy comes the issue of lasting power. That’s where this record takes a major hit. I was in love with this record for 3 weeks, then it started to die. Fortunately, it hasn’t completely died on me, and I’m confident that I’ll still be listening to it at the end of the year. It didn’t go unnoticed though. While every song has its own catchy chorus, that’s only a part of the song, and the verses between songs have a tendency to blend together. Song distinction will be a problem on this record for a fair amount of listeners, especially in the 2nd half of the record. The good news is that there are 2 tracks later in the record which are noticeably unique, or at least memorable enough to stick apart from the others – “Gloria” and “Run.”
It can’t be stressed enough – forget what you know about Vendetta Red. It took me several days to admit to myself that I loved an album from a band I used to dislike. This record deserves more than just a chance, especially if you like My Chemical Romance. Vendetta Red has the potential to be huge, and they deserve to be after an album like this. Go pick up this record today.
Release Date: August 30, 2005
Record Label: Sony
Take everything you know about Vendetta Red and throw it out the window. Their previous full-length effort, Between the Never and Now, was a rehashed compilation of the band’s earlier indie releases. There were very few new songs, and to be honest, it wasn’t a very good record. In fact, I’d made up my mind on Vendetta Red. Obnoxious songs with very little potential. But then they had the nerve to write Sisters of the Red Death? Crap. I had Vendetta Red completely pegged. But I set aside my bias and sat down to listen to Sisters of the Red Death, and it’s safe to say I was blown away. I was greeted with 47 straight minutes of fist-pumping, anthemic, and ridiculously catchy songs. Vendetta Red’s sound can basically be described as a perfect balance of My Chemical Romance and Alkaline Trio. Literally every single song has an absolutely gigantic chorus that makes the songs take flight. While Vendetta Red’s verses were previously mundane, they now build towards epic choruses.
Sisters of the Red Death is a concept album of sorts, one that I could never fully comprehend. One thing is for sure – some of the lyrics on this album are pretty grotesque. With lyrical themes ranging from having sex with angels to priests raping girls, my jaw dropped more than a few times throughout the course of the album. Lines like “…he made love to your face with a box cutter” are prime examples of some of the things you’ll hear. The downside to this is that those who like to relate to lyrics in their music are going to have a rough time doing so. But, if you’re all about liking catchy music, Vendetta Red’s new record is a must own. It manages to stand apart from the crowd with excellent songwriting, a gift for writing hooks, and outstanding production by Howard Benson. “The Banshee Ballet” is the catchiest song on the record, with a driving verse complemented by steady drums leading into one of 12 unforgettable choruses. “Silhouette Serenade,” the single, is accompanied by a beautiful violin part with culminates in an epic reprise of the chorus. It’s moments like these where my heart skipped a beat. This record is full of so many moments that are an outpouring of emotion. It’s been a long time since I heard a record in which there were so many songs that stirred up something inside me.
As far as individual songs, there are very few weak spots. The album is strong all the way through, and even the few tracks that are slower don’t cause the album to lose any momentum. The ballads still have those trademark hooks that make this album so catchy. But, with any record that is instantly catchy comes the issue of lasting power. That’s where this record takes a major hit. I was in love with this record for 3 weeks, then it started to die. Fortunately, it hasn’t completely died on me, and I’m confident that I’ll still be listening to it at the end of the year. It didn’t go unnoticed though. While every song has its own catchy chorus, that’s only a part of the song, and the verses between songs have a tendency to blend together. Song distinction will be a problem on this record for a fair amount of listeners, especially in the 2nd half of the record. The good news is that there are 2 tracks later in the record which are noticeably unique, or at least memorable enough to stick apart from the others – “Gloria” and “Run.”
It can’t be stressed enough – forget what you know about Vendetta Red. It took me several days to admit to myself that I loved an album from a band I used to dislike. This record deserves more than just a chance, especially if you like My Chemical Romance. Vendetta Red has the potential to be huge, and they deserve to be after an album like this. Go pick up this record today.