Vianova: A New Road, With A LOT of Whiplash

With such a strange concept for music, one might question the if the sound could possibly be as good live. Turns out it's possible. The first time I saw the band, I remember somebody leaning over and telling me that Vianova was going to be "the best band of the night." He was completely right. The first song had the mosh pit going the hardest it went all night and the performance only got better. At two completely different points, the entire pit became a ballroom, people swaying and swinging each other around. Then an abrupt but welcome transition back to the fury of distortion pedals and screams. Absolute insanity. If you (for some inexplicable reason) still doubt that Vianova is incredible, go and listen to the EP and check out the live video for "No Sol in Solitude". I suggest you listen alone or blast it through a speaker, because you will begin moshing uncontrollably.

The phrase "via nova" is Latin for "a new road" or "a new way", which is an incredibly appropriate label for this band. One of the most innovative groups in Berlin's current metal scene, their EP "A Place I Want to Live in but I Don't Want to Die For" is relentless. To the delight of metal fans, the production quality is fantastic while maintaining an absolutely devastating tone. To the delight of talented guitarists, I'm pretty sure every single string on every single guitar is used on every single song, which doesn't always happen in the ever growing realm of metalcore. To the delight of every single music lover on the planet, the band is constantly experimenting with new sounds, hence the name Vianova. Every song is an individual work of art with a twist never seen coming, and I really mean that you won't see it coming. A Latin style dance section, a part shouted in Polish, and a violin solo that speeds up until it transforms into something that sounds like black metal.

Vianova's next performance will be at Metal Live Zone on November 23rd and I can't wait to see them in concert again. If you're booked that night or can't make it to Berlin, I suggest you buy their merch and imagine yourself in the mosh pit while you listen.

BUY THEIR SHIT! FOLLOW THEM!
https://www.facebook.com/vianovaBerlin/
https://vianova-berlin.bandcamp.com/

Actor|Observer: Heartfelt Hardcore from Boston

I went to see local bands Downhaul and House & Home at Space Litter Records, a small Richmond venue I plan to cover later, and the headliner of the night was Actor|Observer, a post-hardcore band from Boston, touring for their new album "Pareidolia". Downhaul is very much a not in-your-face band and House & Home is pop punk, so Actor|Observer's extremely loud and intense sound set them apart. Not in a bad way of course. Space Litter Records is an extremely small and intimate venue, so the four people (myself included) who really got into the performance were able to effectively turn the room into a mosh pit! The show was memorable to say the least.
Although Actor|Observer was just signed by No Sleep Records and is relatively unknown outside of Boston, they have been around at leaast since their 2011 debut EP, "The Carbon Date" and Google says active since 2009 (I couldn't find an Actor|Observer page that actually said that though). Their self-released EPs, the second called "Circular Mill", are a bit hard to find, and I consider myself lucky to have copies of both. They have always been a force to be reckoned with. The finale on "Circular Mill", "Golden Torch", speaks for itself with powerful lyrics and a steadfast determination to make it through to the end of a gut-wrenching song about loss and consolation.
Since seeing them in the Summer of 2019, I've listened to their latest album several times over, loving it more and more with every experience. Yes, I said experience. Because listening to and seeing Actor|Observer isn't just listening, it's 100% an experience. According to their Facebook page (I love this quote so goddamn much), "[Our performance and music] is not just some TV show; there is no fourth wall. You’re a part of this too." I talked to the vocalist, Greg, after the show and found out just how personal the music is to the band. It comes from a place of pain and despair, but also from a path that leads to hope, healing, and health. The final song they played that night was the title track for "Pareidolia" and Greg begins the number by coming out to the middle of the audience and exploding into the first verse, almost as if he explains this story and consequential train of thought to the audience.
I would go in depth about my personal connection to the music and how it's affected me personally, but I want you to understand it for yourself. Stream their new album, "Pareidolia" now! Or better yet, buy the CD and/or vinyl! (I have both)

BUY THEIR SHIT! FOLLOW THEM!
https://www.facebook.com/actorobserver/
https://actorobserver.bandcamp.com/
https://nosleeprecords.com/collections/actor-observer