Tassie expats now based in Melbourne, hard rockers Verticoli's newest single, titled 'August', wouldn't feel out of place on a Smashing Pumpkins or Soundgarden album. Get a cup of cement in ya if you disagree!
A chugging, grinding opening of hypnotic, groove-laced rhythms makes way for Sam Hunn's pleading, alluring vocals that channel a sustained energy matching the pace of the song.An epic breakdown three-quarters of the way through jolts the listener into a psych-flavoured sludgey grunge hinting at Middle Eastern influences for just a moment before returning to the hard rocking, moshing of the song's core.
'August' was inspired by Baron Trump – the poor little fella – and is lifted from Verticoli's forthcoming EP. It features the mixing talents of Forrester Savell (Karnivool, The Mark Of Cain) who has made it sound BIG.
"This song was inspired by watching Baron Trump get onto Air Force 1 with Donald Trump and feeling profoundly sorry for the kid," Sam says. "It's all about inheriting ideas and values from your parents, for better or for worse."
Ahead of the song's release tomorrow, scenestr is raising its horns to premiere 'August' today.
Verticoli have previously released two EPs as well as a debut album; they've toured with DZ Deathrays as well as playing Falls Festival and Party in the Paddock, the latter as triple j Unearthed winners.
With all three members – Sam is joined by Will Colvin (drums) and Jeremy Hughes (bass) – living in Victoria during lockdown, the band began work on what would become their, as yet unreleased, 'Heavy' EP.
"The forthcoming EP was one of the few blessings that came out of lockdown," adds Sam. "It forced us to spend an uncomfortably long amount of time sitting with our ideas, not being able to impulsively jump in the studio and purge them from our system.
"It was an arduous process, writing and demoing music over the Internet due to lockdown constraints. It turned out to be an oddly stimulating process, and probably gave us our best work yet. 'August' is our favourite track off the EP."
