A Lot on My Crate

This metalcore outfit from Berlin, Germany is made up of brothers and a vocalist that caught my attention since I was combing the metalcore world for sick riffs. What I found in Hit It! was not just the mean riffs and unhinged screaming I was looking for, but unconventional methods used to deliver their metalcore identity forward without losing intensity. Hailing the Arising Empire label’s flag, they blend pop elements, have weird guitar effects, church choir vocals, proggy bars, and synth loops. And disco. Yes! Disco is a bold choice in a metalcore record, but I respect that. What we have here, are guys throwing everything and the kitchen sink to the wall with a good amount of it sticking into the bloody canvas. So, I sit down by the fire and tell the tale of Hit It! with the band’s armory still stuck to my bleeding person.

Things go off the wall with “Squier Talk” as its opener. Distant drums, a squeaky vocal sample that is cut off really short, and autotune reel us in. It’s not as captivating yet, but then hits us with the riffs and the screams that metalcore fans would headbang at the rails. The autotunes and the “yeah” might appeal to the younger listeners, but hopefully it might bring in the demographic that vianova is known for. Más Rápido bring us down in the dirt. The subject of this song is the weight that sinks on anyone’s mental health due to adulthood, fiscal responsibilities, and stress. Anyone who faces hardships can relate and are able to vent here. The sharp contrast as if we started in a music box and then these guitar pedals just drags us into hell around the mid point feels so damn good. It’s one of the reasons why this album appeals to me is how dynamic and different segments their songs can be. It doesn’t get boring. Because it’s like I’m being shoved into church with “Wheel of Fortune” with this choir in the background and then the down and dirty riffs become so jarring when they bust through the door. The sound is so triumphant, however the theme of the song is depressing being how one is always playing the game being an uphill battle and the odds are stacked against you. Might as well go out and bust with a bang. And it feels I’m listening to a different record, or a different decade. Like it starts out Bee Gees and then goes metalcore as it makes me grimace with each blend this album concocts. “Marimba” is going back to basics with being a solid rager, while “Melanchronic” is a night drive with this synth wave direction that has strong John Carpenter influences. Anyone that are fans of moody and industrial hip hop might be into this aggressive rebellious “Whatever Alright”. Usually these kinds of mixes of rap and metal are very awkward, but vianova executes this very well. “Future Nostalgia” takes us into highs, while “Uh Yaya” jump scares us with disco again. And then comes the aggressive overtones with the self persecuting lyrics. This song is probably a good taste tester if anyone would be into this album. And then we come into “Obsolete” as our closer. They go theatrical under the spotlight, but it was not captivating as it can be as a closer of a metalcore album. It doesn’t stick and kind of drags on while their different genres didn’t grab a hold of me.

The first half of the LP is much stronger than the second half. With the closer being kind of a letdown for me and “Uh Yaya” being the only thing I was looking forward to in the second half. “Future Nostalgia” is valiant in trying to brighten the mood, but it kind of lost its edge while trying to be a little too emotional. Some songs work with their experimental magic, while some just fizzled out or seemed to be an afterthought.

Even though, there are some songs that just didn’t hit right for me and the ending being a drag, this album was so much fun. It’s so interesting in the band being so bold and experimental, that these moves need to be commended. There are no songs I hated and despite being diverse, this album was so tight and cohesive. This beast can be so upbeat and moody at the same time. The different emotions it can evoke has been a plus. I came out with my face blown off and survived with my jaw intact to say this is comes in with a recommendation from me!

FAVORITE TRACKS: MÁS RÁPIDO, WHEEL OF FORTUNE, OH NO (BELIEVER), MARIMBA, WHATEVER ALRIGHT, UH YAYA

LEAST FAVORITE: OBSOLETE

Their discography is available for streaming.