Vaultry - ​Coven

​Vaultry

​Coven
self-released; 2015

3.5 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Vaultry is a band from Canada comprised of Leith Hynds (vocals/programming), Bradford Davis (guitar/vocals), Chasen Fraser (guitar), Josh Christensen (bass) and Skye Mclean (drums). The post-hardcore band say they are influenced by horror, art-film, witchcraft and spoken word. All of which makes a lot of sense when you start listening to their recent release Coven.

Their concept of Coven is more specific than their influences. In their words “Coven is inspired aesthetically by the horror film cycle of the 1960s (Hammer Films, Roger Corman, 1960s B-Gothic Horror) as well as the modern day resurgence of the Wiccan/Pagan movement.”

Coven is that type of EP that I can surmise most people will have to be in a certain mood to listen to. If you happen to appreciate hardcore/metal then you will probably be a lot more in the mood than people who merely dabble in the genre. 

The band is at their best when they sound closer to bands like Deafheaven and Blood Brothers rather than hyper-metal acts that seem to float on the surface of more popular metal. There were moments I felt I was reminded of Linkin Park and even Evanescence, which wasn’t as flattering for the band. 

Some songs show an ungodly amount of potential but then they showcase a bit of predictably. Take for instance “Said The Owl To The Vulture” which starts off incredibly strong. The verse that pops in around the thirty-five-second-mark is sick. There is no doubt the band is very talented and the drummer in particular was jaw dropping. I also thought the blood curdling vocals worked. The bridge is also an exceptional transition. Some vocal parts didn’t seem to work such as when he sings, “You promised we’d go our separate ways So I could face myself for one more day” which is well sung but seemed like to familiar of a part you have heard from successful metal bands. Overall, the song is damn good with some minor mishaps.

Other songs like “Walls” have a completely different feel. The singing is more aligned with spoken word and the music has more in common with post-rock. I enjoyed the juxtaposition that was happening but at the same time would have enjoyed hearing at least one hook. “Misanthropic” is a very heavy song and this is where the band excels. The double bass drums with constant battering are where it is at. “Ligeia ft. James Sadek” is another solid song that has some inspired moments but also follows some tropes. 

Vaultry is off to a good start with Coven but hopefully it just hints at their potential. If they could avoid some of the more predictable transitions and dig deeper into the intense dark and heavy moments they sometimes pull off you should be hearing a lot more of them.

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