EP REIVEW: Cloud City – VRSTY

There’s a multi-faceted road that heavy music can take to re-enter the consciousness of mainstream popularity. One of the quickest and most direct avenues is both recognition by mainstream pop stars and a subsequent focus on a melody first mentality. New York’s pop-metal act VRSTY takes that next step and adds another: make the vocals appeal to the highest degree of pop sensibility and ideal. Their new EP, Cloud City, combines the bouncing stutter found in today’s biggest metalcore bands and combines it with vocals that go beyond poppy, in a move that is certainly a positive step forward.

Bands like ISSUES and even the various projects of Jonny Craig have dabbled with this formula, but it is within the dream pop synth textures, thumping dance bass and the incredible vocal pipes of front man Joey Varela that VRSTY truly feels like the next step down that winding road back to mainstream fame.

The EP opens with Massive, a track aptly titled as its production, along with the rest of the EP, sounds huge. The riffs are massive off the bat, and every instrument stands out in the mix. The hooks here are not quite as strong as later on in the record, but there is an immediate sense with the vocals: this is what it would sound like if THE WEEKND collaborated with a metal band, which is honestly a dream come true so in that sense, it’s hook, line, and sinker.
From here, the catchiness only increases.

Dig has a sharp guitar tone and a straightforward sensibility that streamlines the song, and Shameless pops right into gear after some deep dance floor bass transitions into ultra smooth vocals and a marching drum snare cadence. The super poppy chorus sounds deliciously sweet next to the stuttering chug of the guitars. However, it does become apparent that there is a bit of an over-reliance on the stop-start guitar cadences that fill a lot of modern metalcore riffs. It’s not enough to detract a lot, but something to note nonetheless.

Pathos is the best song on the EP. It has a full on pop opening and a more subtle changeover to the heavy riffs, however, this track has the catchiest vocals on the EP. Varela’s voice is soulful and passionate. His vocal talent really stands out on this track, and more than the others, it’s the perfect blend of pop and metal. Cloud City goes full pop with a swoony, chill hip hop opening while the bouncing guitars seamlessly slide into dreamy synths that certainly feel apt for the song title. This track also has a great chorus. It’s exciting to listen to, as it feels like the next step for the melding of heavy music.

However, the EP ends on a bit of a weaker note, as Wilt and its subsequent remix which makes up the next two tracks, feel a bit more all over the place. While the remix features really nice guest vocals from Gina Fritz, its pure pop and it would have been nice to hear them on the un-remixed heavier version. There is some nice instrumentation on display, but it lacks the strength of the previous tracks.

Listening to Cloud City brings feelings of excitement with a small grain of holdup. The ultra poppy and melody first thinking from VRSTY feel like all the right moves from a young band looking to make waves, and the heavy elements sound great mixed with the vocals. But an over-reliance on the same guitar sounds and rhythms hold the band back, and not every song is as strong as its potential. But there’s no doubt that the band feels like a new potential guide for heavy music to reach ears yet untapped.

Rating: 7/10

Cloud City is set for release on December 4th via Spinefarm Records.

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