Promise is something we at Depth love to see, and Melbourne based metalcore band Vatic are drowning in it. Having only played two shows so far, the heavy newcomers have impressed us immediately with their engaging live performances. Despite only seeing them perform at Takedown Fest, and Thornhill’s recent Wrangler headliner, they have done well to already make us huge fans of their technical instrumentation, their diverse soundscapes, and the atmosphere they create. Vatic are Matt Payne (vocals), Dylan Houston (drums), Zakery Luttrell (bass), Dinesh Senaratna (guitar), and Adam Bonnefin (guitar).
Influenced by acts like Northlane, The Devil Wears Prada, and Being As An Ocean, Vatic rip and shred with their vicious guitar riffs, as consistently wild drums and brutal screamed vocals keep me as a listener on the edge of my seat. Their erratic rhythms, djenty guitars, and quickfire changes through different song sections overwhelm with layer upon layer of instrumentation. Both of their released singles, “Elegy” and “Lament” are unrelenting with instilling this feeling . Whether I’m listening at home or at a show, this band has been able to grip me in a way that is commonly unheard of for such a young band.
On the forming of the band, drummer Dylan Houston said: “Dinesh, Zak and I had been writing heavy music together for a few years before getting Adam and Matt in on it. We all knew each other from around the studio and from previous projects, so it really helped working with familiar faces.” The sense of familiarity is what seemingly allows their music to flow so well, and adds a sense of maturity to their sound that gives off an impression of a band that has been writing together for much longer than they actually have.
Commenting on the flowing song-writing process that they have, Dylan tells us that typically Dinesh writes the barebones for most of their songs. “Sometimes it might even just be a riff or a groove that sounds cool. When he shows us, we’ll all make our own additions to help the song take its natural course.” This is the kind of process that allows everyone to shine, and is noticeable when listening to their music, as it is blatantly evident how talented everyone involved in the band is.
We have very high hopes for Vatic, and wait impatiently for new music that they’ve promised is on the way. As Dylan says, they are already over the moon with some of the bands they have got to play with. “The reception has been pretty incredible and we never pictured being thought of in the same breath as some of the musicians we’ve played with so far.” I’d comfortably predict that this is just the beginning for Vatic.
Check out Vatic’s released songs on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, or any other music streaming services, and if you spot them at any upcoming shows make sure to get yourself there. You won’t regret it!
https://www.facebook.com/Vatic.au/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC08k8sr1-THsH5HvAmDS9cA
[Photo courtesy of Ethan Zahorodnyj]
