Pop-punkers Vallory Falls are delivering a debut album true to their heart-on-the-sleeve ethos, To Save You.
The Vermont band combines different flavors of punk and alternative rock into a collection of songs focused on introspection, escapism and social uneasiness.
Kicking off the album with a bang, “Never Bailed” opens the floodgates with a mosh-worthy pace and hardcore-inspired chugs. It’s one of a few moments on the album that teeters on the edge of chaos before getting reined back in by the band.
Vallory Falls’ journey as a group is as much a story on the album as the lyrical themes. From the band’s formation three years ago and a few lineup changes later, the group’s confidence and cohesion is clear throughout To Save You.
Tristan Gilliss (vocals & guitar) credited the band’s camaraderie with allowing an environment where they could experiment and create without judgment.
“There’s a lot of cool shit you can do making records,” he said. “We have some gang vocals going on some tracks that we even got help from our friends. We had them come over to the studio and scream a bunch and recorded some takes of them yelling in the opposite direction of the mic or right at the wall. Once you stop trying to record a song and instead make something exciting to listen to, all sorts of interesting things can happen.“
Inner monologues and intimate moments color the album’s 10 tracks. “Art School (Time To Leave)” reassures listeners, “It’s okay to feel like shit.” On the other hand, “Clown” boils over during its potent bridge where layered screams rise and yell, “Is that the joke?” Palm-muted guitar strums and percussion stop-starts confirm the band’s songwriting chops.
“Whatever Man” holds a fiery frustration undoubtedly inspired by 90’s & 2000’s pop punk staples like Sum 41 & blink-182. Singles “Rosie” and “Want Me Dead” draw on influential favorites like Modern Baseball & My Chemical Romance.
Armed with punk essentials and emotional resonance, Vallory Falls is proving they deserve a spot among alt-rock and emo’s up-and-comers.
View the band’s upcoming Northeast dates below.
