album review
splits
vice versa
Self Released
January 8, 2021
This year is kicking off with headbangs and heartaches. Chicago quartet splits delivers a standout release with their sophomore EP, vice versa. The project opens with “An Homage”, a pop punk overture that greets you with cascading guitars and powerful builds that prove to be a signature of their sound. The short instrumental sets the stage for “Concrete Feet” to unveil powerhouse vocalist Taylor Ericson, a voice that instantly grabs you and refuses to let go. It’s an addictive sound, a raw energy that goes hand and hand with her honest and vulnerable lyricism. The track is a lively ride that displays the band’s undeniable tightness as well as their maturity as musicians.
📷: Kaitlyn Johnston
“Vanishing” is dubbed the single of the project, an honest reflection of life post-trauma weaved between hopeful melodies and crashing guitars. The song captivates you emotionally, exactly the kind of angsty heart swelling moments that pop-punk is known for:“I’m running out of shoulders, 3 A.M. companion gone/ Extracting my seeds, so prematurely/ To see if they’ve really grown or not/ I’m the person that I say I hate/ I blame all my behavior on the way that I was raised”.
The intensity turns up with “Racine”, a dark but high octane track with a particularly crispy drum effort by Ethan Urborg. Again, the band displays a great range in their musicality; bouncing between high energy shredding and somber, reflective melodies. The project slows down for its closer with “JCH”, an acoustic tune that waves goodbye with soft tones and delicate harmonies that features Jeff Mills of Violet Crime. With 5 tracks of high energy and high emotions, vice versa is a well curated effort from the Chicago Heartcore alt-rockers, and is available now on all streaming services and for purchase on bandcamp.