New York’s own VRSTY released their debut full length album Welcome Home through Spinefarm Records on January 21st . With their unique blend of R&B and pop infused metalcore, the band is sure to make quite an impact. This review is coming your way a little late but with good reason. I had the unique experience of seeing the band live aboard the Carnival Breeze for Shiprocked, a mere 4 days after the release of the album.
Myself, along with hundreds of fellow Shiprockers, were treated to an intimate performance on the Ocean Plaza stage. The band kicked off their explosive performance with the opening track from Welcome Home, “Finesse.” This was the perfect song to set the tone and immediately win over the crowd. The album version of this track features members of the band Notions and is one of the heaviest offerings on the album. Not to worry, however, as there was no lack of aggression when this banger of a song was performed live. Bass player, Javy Dorrejo’s brutal growls perfectly accompanied vocalist, Joey Varela, as he belted out hooks reminiscent of the King of Pop himself. By the time the band finished playing this first song, they had the crowd eating from the palm of their hands.
While the band mixed in a healthy dose of their older music, it was the newer songs that really stole the show. The fifth song in their set was “Closer,” which appears as the third track on the Welcome Home. This song has arguably the biggest hook on the album. Listeners are sure to be singing along with the chorus before they’ve even completed their initial listen. This was certainly the case when they performed it live. Joey Varela’s infectious energy quickly caught on. The crowd began singing along and dancing as they hung on Joey’s every word.
From here, the band went into another of their new tracks, “Soul.” The song starts out with a beat that will make you feel like you’re traveling by wagon in the old west. Don’t let it fool you though. We don’t make it even a minute into the song before the band’s explosive energy kicks in. The heavy guitar riffs are still present. We are even treated to a breakdown towards the end of the song. When the band breaks out this song, you won’t be sure if you want to mosh, dance, or passionately kiss the person next to you.
After this song, the band treated us to a cover of Lil Nas X’s “Montero.” While not featured on the album, this song definitely put the band’s versatility on display. The way that they are able to seamlessly transition from heavy metal to R&B and hip hop is unlike any band to do it before them. Case in point, the band went right back into heavy mode with their track “Lovesick.” This song definitely brings the heavy. When this one’s played, even the guy in the back with his arms folded is sure to bang his head. In fact, at one point in the show, Varela made his way to the bar without missing a single note, and bought a shot for a man in the crowd that he had been joking with throughout the show. By the end of the show, nearly every member in the band had made their way into the crowd, including guitarist Paul Gregory, who ended up guitar walking across the bar.
Overall, the band have put together a collection of songs on Welcome Home that are sure to appeal to listeners of a variety different musical backgrounds. Additionally, their energy and passion during their live performances are sure to endear them to fans both old and new. VRSTY is bringing a very fresh sound to a scene that can sometimes become a bit stagnant. I for one, cannot wait to see where they go from here.
I’m Music Magazine Contributing Writer Jason Jarvis
Download/stream Welcome Home: https://vrsty.lnk.to/WelcomeHomeFA
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