Vanna: The Search Party Never Came

Emocore needs an act like Thrice, a creative band capable of crossing over from the adolescent crowd to mainstream rock. What emocore doesn’t need is an act like Vanna, yet another group of post-pubescent cookie cutter post-hardcore doofuses bent on winning over the kiddies with smarmy gang vocals, the ubiquitous good cop/bad cop vocal gimmick, and extremely tacky lyrics and song titles that seem copped from David Brent’s collected lyrics (“I am the Wind, You are the Feather”? Oh, shut the hell up). Actually, Vanna’s biggest problem is a serious lack of an identity, as this debut EP can’t decide which direction to head in. You get horribly sappy, limp-wristed pop rock like “A Dead Language for a Dying Body” that panders to the Thursday crowd with its hand-wringing singing. Then there’s “She’s a Real Battleaxe” a very weak As I Lay Dying imitation that lacks the guitar prowess of the metalcore band. The most promise is shown on “That Champagne Feeling”, as the foursome goes all hardcore on us, unleashing some rather compelling, circular riffs reminiscent of Every Time I Die. Stick to the aggressive stuff, boys, and you might be on to something. One Underoath is enough, thanks.