Source: Album Artwork
Are you ready to take a trip back to the late 90s, when grunge ruled the waves? If so, then you will be more than ready for The Vigil’s debut album Save Our Souls. To say this debut album has been highly-anticipated is an understatement. 20-years in the making, the Bristol rockers are well-versed, and Save Our Souls shows that they know exactly what they are doing.
The first thing you need to know about Save Our Souls is that if you’re a fan of Puddle of Mudd or Nirvana, you’re going to love it. It has a very nostalgic feel to it, and The Vigil don’t attempt to disguise their influences. It’s going to sound familiar, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. The band do make the songs their own, and they add their own style to their eclectic blend of grunge, psych and good-old-fashioned rock and roll.
Save Our Souls sounds as good today as it will in 20 years. The timelessness of post-grunge has been proven over and over again, and there are as many fans of the genre now as there were at the height of its popularity in the late 90s. The album kicks off as it means to carry on with ‘All You’ve Done’, with its dark riffs and pulsing bassline. The bassline compliments the vocals perfectly, and there’s no doubt this will one day be a rock arena anthem. ‘Hell To Pay’ is brooding, with just the right balance of self-loathing and unsettling rhythms. Although there isn’t a song on Save Our Souls which wouldn’t be suitable for radio-play, it’s easy to see that this is exactly what ‘Do You Feel Alive’ is meant for. Its edgy, underground style and raw power is exactly the kind of thing we would love to hear more of on mainstream radio.
The Vigil do fall into the trap of repetitiveness a little. It could be argued that this isn’t the fault of the band; rather than of a genre which doesn’t have a lot of scope for change. The only ballad on the album ‘Turn The Tide’ offers a welcome change of pace, and shows that the band are capable of something else. This is very encouraging, and the vocals take a less aggressive tone, which works well. Still gritty, and still with some killer riffs and solos, but still just as listenable as anything else on the album.
The Vigil are the kind of band we can’t wait to see in a dark, sweaty room. They aren’t your everyday alt rock band. Impressive solos, teamed with sleazy riffs, mighty hooks, and some of the roughest vocals we’ve heard from years, make The Vigil a band to be reckoned with, and Save Our Souls an album any rock fan should listen to.
