Saving Vice is Set To Drop Hello There and We Couldn't Be More Excited!
Saving Vice is set to release their debut album Hello There on February 21, 2020. When it was first announced, I knew I was going to do everything I could to get my hands on it. Turns out, all I had to do was ask. I’ve interviewed them a couple times and played their music on my shows so it’s not like I was a stranger. But let the record show, I’d have done some sketchy shit to get my hands on new Saving Vice tracks before release. I have been sitting on this for a couple weeks, playing it again and again, absorbing everything. I really wanted to be fully immersed in it before writing the review, rather than writing a knee jerk reaction piece. For those who know me, Saving Vice is one of my favorite bands. I was looking for music for my show from last season and I stumbled on their page shortly after the release of “Endgame”. I was instantly in love. In my review of the band back in August, I stated that they were quickly climbing the ranks of my favorite newly discovered bands. Turns out, they weren’t going anywhere. Following “Endgame” I was face to face with my favorite quote from Perks of Being a Wallflower as their next new track started to play. If I wasn’t hooked before, “Never Knows Best” saw to that. When "Hollow Bastion" was announced I lurked impatiently for the video to come out on Ghost Killer Entertainment. That’s not to say I didn’t jump on Spotify as soon as I got up on release day to sneak a peek at the song. After that I figured they had to be working on something and that we would hear about it soon. Sammy had mentioned an album in the works when I interviewed him so I had fingers crossed hoping I would see something on that soon. Low and behold there it was. Sitting on my timeline was a post that confirmed my thoughts and made a shitty week bearable. It didn’t take long for me to reach out and try to get ahold of the album. I would love to say it was so you guys could have some first hand insight on what to expect, but if I’m honest, I just really wanted to hear it. Hello There was exactly what I expected from these talented men.
The album opens up with the dreamy orchestral intro for “Before I Go” and that builds to a break as a girl whispers “Hello there.”. From that point things really get started. Everything picks up as Sammy gives up an insanely powerful sounding drumbeat accompanied by the orchestral tones and then everything starts to come together as he is joined by Tyler, Robbie, Kenjamin, and Chase all giving their all. Organizationally, it is the perfect song to start the album off on. It shows that they are getting heavier and heavier, but not ignoring the dulcet tones that balance everything out. I thought they were dynamic before, but they continue to impress me. From there the album progresses to “Never Knows Best” And “Endgame”. Two songs I have come to know very well.
The next track is my favorite on the album.
“Nerve Damage” is heavy and calm in the best way possible. The instrumentals are beautiful, and the vocals are varied and show that they play off one another really well. There are a few standout moments in the track but I think I’m going to let you discover them yourself. Just know, it’s awesome! As soon as I got over what I had just heard I queued up the next track.
“Eyes Up” features Kalie Wolfe of California rock band, RIVALS. I have actually seen her perform and had a general idea of how she would sound on the track, so I was ready to jump in. The feature added an even more diverse sound to this mellow track. This must be what Sammy was talking about when he said some of the songs would be softer. Anytime bands do things this way I get nervous. It can be hard to make a song as powerful as the heavier tracks people are used to, but they did it and did it well. There is not a lot of screaming on the track, but there is enough to keep it in sync with the rest of the album. It never felt out of place. Kalie knocked it out of the park. She didn’t have an overpowering amount of playtime on the track, just enough to add that element that made it so enticing. Sometimes features can feel more like a takeover where you are left wondering where the vocalist ran off to. This was not the case here.
“Echoes from the Gutter” was a song I really looked forward to. I expected this one to be lighter, but I was wrong. Easily one of the heaviest on the debut album. And that was just fine by me. I loved every second of it. They have a great range and utilize it by showing just how hard they can go. This was followed by a song I already know.
“Hollow Bastion” was the song I waited for and got up early to try to hear it sooner. It is such a visceral song to me. Certain lines stand out and create strong mental images. There is a bit of the heavy heart pounding instrumentals and screaming blended flawlessly with the softer more melodic tone and cleans. If you haven’t listened to it yet, what are you waiting for. That song is already available.
“Broken Window” is next on the track list, and I wasn’t sure If I was going to say much about it at all since you can hear it now if you pre-order the album. Turns out I can’t stop writing about this insane band. This song is so emotional. There is a wonderful melody laid under the heavier instrumentals and screaming that stands out to me. It makes everything so much more intense. It eventually blends in to the background and seems to disappear entirely, or maybe it’s still there, just under the surface. Musically it’s really cool, but when you think about things hiding under the surface, building and maintaining, it gets a lot more surreal. It’s an experience for sure, and one you don’t want to miss out on.
This is followed by “So Safe”. It’s such an intense song. There is desire and longing there that is unmistakable. It’s hard to tell if the subject is missing his partner or if she’s gone for
carry on safely. It’s such a clean message and so different that the whiny or hateful love songs I’ve become so used to. It expresses instability, but without degradation and I think that’s pretty awesome.
Hello There comes to a close with “The Black Briar” It is such a visual song. With so much tangible thought put into it, the song easily held my attention. It was like a dream and story and I loved that. Perhaps this is what chase was talking about when he said they wanted to address the issues in the world. There is a line in the song that says, “My lips are silent, sutured shut like I was taught to do”. This line really speaks to me. We live in a world where we aren’t supposed to speak up about certain things and to me that just doesn’t work. I’ve been known to hold my tongue and pick my battles for sure, but if something is truly upsetting to me I have a tendency to dive in to a lecture or pull up statistics and facts to support arguments, or come to the aid of a person who clearly needs it. The song is really powerful, and I absolutely love the lyrics to this one.
I went into this not wanting to break down every track but there is so much to love here it’s hard to pick out specific songs. It took me a long time to decide t write it, because I knew I needed to dedicate a lot of time to it and really get my thoughts out there. I can’t wait to hear what the reaction from their fans, lifelong supporters and brand new listers alike, is going to be. I’ve heard a lot of talk about Lorna Shore having the AOTY already, but I can’t get behind that. Its too soon and hard to say what we are going to discover this year. That said, Hello There may very be my AOTY it is certainly my AOTYthus far. Pre-order the album and get a first look at “Broken Window” You will thank my impatient self for pointing you to them.
Saving Vice Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savingvice/
Website: SavingVice.com
Pre-order and Merch: https://www.savingvice.com/merch