Frantic Vibe – Frantic Vibe (2021)
Are you looking for a band that hits you over the head with aggressive yet melodic rock? Frantic Vibe is just what you need and their self-titled debut album brings their euphoric sound to your ears. Through the tracks, they get your blood boiling and your body vibrating as you are inundated with their heavy rock and melodic metal sound.
The album has been years in the making since the idea for the band came to Howard Herrick. With the assistance of some of the greatest session musicians, he is bringing his life long love of hard rock and metal to life. With compositions that are aggressive, dynamic and melodic, he combines rock with industrial tones and metal power.
‘Electric Flowers’ is the first track of the album to hit you with the band’s sound. The band really hits the ground running with this track as the guitar shreds through you and the beats make your brain vibrate. Herrick’s vocals are all old school hard rock as he creates a melodic layer against the tidal wave of instrumentation. If you are a fan of hard rock, this song will hook you from the first second to the very last moment. As you feel the urge to play some air drums while listening, you also need to shout out with his vocals.
‘Taming the Thought’ has a gentler opening that allows the vocals to call out in balladic fashion. The piano lines are hauntingly beautiful while the higher tones add a glint of twinkling light to the music. From the lower levels, you can hear some metal tones creeping and just waiting to burst through the peaceful vibes. This comes through on the chorus for a rather epic propulsion of sound that takes your brain on a rock ballad trip. Bringing the best of rock ballads to your ears, the band fills you with the emotions of the lyrics while Herrick’s vocals squeeze your heart.
The pace increases again for ‘Mutant Groove’ which thrums to life with a heavy guitar line. The drop of the music for a more electronic approach when the vocals hits add a futuristic feeling to the music. There is a darkness to the lyrics and vocals that make you think of shadowy corners and underhanded dealings. The chorus has a really anthemic vibe to it as you want to shout out with it. There is a wonderful melodic movement to the music that builds up the energy through the verses only to have it burst on the chorus.
‘Windfall’ has a more alternative metal vibe to the opening than the hard rock that has come before it. Herrick’s vocals have a delightful growl to them when he enters against the guitar line. His shouts out into the soundscape are epic and throw your brain back to the heydays of hard rock. There is a retro vibe to this track that hits a little harder than the other songs on the album. Regardless, this is an infectious song that makes you want to get down to its vibes and just lose yourself in the music.
There is a marching arrangement to the opening of ‘Automatic Vigilante’ that is woven around a triumphant feeling. This gives way to those awesome rock guitars that thrum through your brain while the vocals call out a warning. It is an interesting movement that works perfectly highlighting the musicality of the band. Later in the track, the music takes another swing with popping electronic tones as the vocals dip for a more melodic flow.
The next track is ‘Cripple Wild’ which uses a rather infectious and fun guitar line to pull you in. The crashing drums that bombard you later in the opening just put a smile on your face. Herrick’s vocals are a smooth line that cuts through the instrumentation drawing your attention to the lyrics. The interplay between the music and vocals is amazing as you get an aggressive burst from the melody only to have this soothed by the vocals.
‘Spastic Glitter’ has your head moving before you know it with the thundering guitar opening. The drums make your feet stomp with them before your senses are sent flying by the vocals. There is a sultry vibe in the lower levels of the track that you might miss as the more rock aspects of the song dig their hooks into your brain. Weaving through the track is a warning against falling into the trap of a crafty person. All of this has been bundled into an enjoyable package that you want to play at top volume.
The blended opening of ‘Persuade Your Reflection’ brings something completely new to the album. There are these jangling tones that make you want to sway to them before a powerful guitar shivers through your brain. The melody has this punchy feeling that pounds against your ear while the vocals have a hazy electronic edge to them. This does give way later in the track but is an interesting addition to the overall vibes of the album. While the music keeps hitting you, the vocals and lyrics are softer at times as they reach out a helping hand.
‘Lost Glimpse’ brings a layered melody with thumping beats and soaring guitars. There is a lot going on in the melody that gets you moving to the rhythm. The vocals form an additional layer that moves from smooth melodics to hard rock calls that are wonderful to hear. Herrick packs a lot of emotion into his performance on this track as you fall into a spiral of wanting to escape. The rolling guitar that comes in later gets your heart pumping before you are thrown back into the emotional rollercoaster of the lyrics.
The album comes to a close with ‘Crimson Sphere’ which carries the hard rock vibes of the rest with the addition of some wonderful guitar arrangements. There are these ebbs and flows to the guitars that are amazing to listen to and just showcase the abilities of the musicians. When the vocals hit, they carry a darkness to them that creeps along your shoulders. While there is a darkness, Herrick also brings a sense of hope and camaraderie before slipping into fears.
Frantic Vibe is bringing back the sounds of hard rock with their self-titled album. Each track is packed with all the good bits of hard rock and melodic metal allowing you to get lost in the onslaught of guitars, drums and vocals. While drawing on past glories, the album also brings a new edge to the music that is wonderful to hear.
Find out more about Frantic Vibe on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
