Initial Thoughts. A review of One Year Down by Viasava.
Viasava is a new band from Atlanta, Georgia. It’s a band that I’ve know about for a couple months, and have been patiently awaiting the release of their debut album, One Year Down. The band features Dustin Lowery (Brother of Corey of Eye Empire, and Clint of Sevendust, and Call Me No One) on vocals, and former members of Dear Enemy. They are a band that has quite the buzz about them, and I’m excited to review this album. As usual, I’ll hit what I feel are the highlights. Then, it’s up to you to discover the rest of this awesome debut.
New Frontier opens the album, and sets out to show you exactly who Viasava is. It’s also the first single off the album. The song itself is a driving rock song, with a fantastic feel. Bassist John Ballard sets a nice groove as the song settles into the verse. Big drums from drummer Alex Dorminy fill the pre-chorus, and then guitarist Gogi Randhawa is finally unleashed. The riffs seem to be coming from all angles, and it’s a full on assault to your ears. But trust me, that’s a good thing. Dustin Lowery brings his emotional, vibrato, soaring vocals to this song like no one else could and the band delivers an opening track that will keep you focused on the rest of the album.
Misbehave features some great screams, and guitar work from Gogi Randhawa. I think this is the track that he shines most on the album. It’s an awesome followup to New Frontier and keeps the energy going. This will surely be a crowd favorite.
Terrified is a song that is hard to describe, but that’s a compliment. The song has a nice running guitar in the verses, then the chorus really opens up and brings in a ton of different influences. This is the first song on the album, that the backing vocals, or also in this case, screams, play a large part in the chorus. The song, to me, is a great example of who Viasava is musically. It combines all the talents in the band, and delivers one of my favorite tracks on the record.
Undivided is one of the shorter songs on the album. I’m going to go ahead say that’s by design. Coming in at roughly 3:20, it’s a perfect length to satisfy radio. You see, radio’s motto is, don’t bore us, get to the chorus, so you gotta have a few songs that will be “tolerated” by the industry. Having said all that, this track is phenomonal. The chorus flows beautifully, and Dustin delivers what may be the most memorable, singable chorus on the record.
Different Man is what could be considered a ballad. At least for this band. It’s by no means a soft song, but the acoustics involved lend to the softer side of the band. I could easily hear this song on the radio. It’s not nearly as adventurous of a tune, as say Terrified, but it’s a solid track that has mass appeal written all over it.
Facedown is one of the more emotional songs on the album, and is absolutely beautiful. I’ll be honest, this song needs to do all the talking, so I’ll just shut up and say give it a spin. You’ll be happy you did.
Break Away is my favorite track on the album. I just love the energy, the drums, the screams, the buildup, the execution. This song has the energy it takes to get a crowd moving, and it’s one I hope to see live soon.
Chasing Footprints is the song that closes out the album. It does exactly what you want in a closer, it leaves you wanting more. This acoustic track, really brings the focus to Dustin’s vocals, and he delivers a soft, beautiful performance that serves as a showcase of not only his potential, but the bands as well.
Overall, this is a very solid debut from a band on the rise. If you love guitars, great vocals, big drums, and great musicianship, this band is just what the doctor ordered. If you live in the Atlanta area, and want to be part of something special, I suggest catching the band soon. They won’t be locals long.
★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8 out of 10 stars.
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Check out the lyric video to New Frontier by Viasava below:
