RVNT
Vulnerable
(We Are Triumphant Records)
If you’re familiar with the likes of The Plot In You and Like Moths To Flames, then you can pretty much imagine the entirety of Vulnerable, the label debut from Virginia’s RVNT. Where those bands got the formula right, and exceptionally excelled with it, RVNT seems unable to quite take it to such necessary heights.
“Vain”, the first track to follow the lead-in, does a proper job in introducing the band, but does little more than show potential. “Disconnected”, however, picks up the slack with a somewhat catchy pre-chorus of Disrespect/Disconnect!, fueled by vicious and spit-like execution. “Leech” and “Circles” then tie in the department of clean vocals, both featuring the best choruses of the album; and “More Than Words” and “Buried Alive” come out with the strongest balances, and most comfortable levels the group has to offer this time around.
As a collection, Vulnerable falls short in many ways. Though RVNT do the metalcore formula right, they don’t expand upon it or further infuse it with other styles to create something worth noting as special. And as a result, their debut EP sounds like it would have done better things back in 2010, alongside the early days of Miss May I and Blessthefall. There are just too many places within Vulnerable where things could have been amplified, but weren’t. (Nathaniel Lay)
