Black Vendetta is the one-man ship led by 22-year-old songwriter/guitarist Nathan Virica. Having spent three years of his young life in various bands, he left the small northern UK city of Harrogate and migrated to London.
Now master of his own domain, Virica has succeeded in attracting a troupe of talented female vocalists to serenade his compositions. Among these compositions is “No Chance” — a track that begins with a slightly dissonant guitar chord progression that makes for a strange, potentially endearing sound.
Black Vendetta – “No Chance”:
http://k003.kiwi6.com/hotlink/6eaisa67p6/no_chance_best_mp3.mp3
Initially it seems that this song intends to follow the path of guitar-driven alt rock. 21 seconds in, however, there is a startling change in pitch, as the guitars vanish and vocals take over.
Such lyrics as “you’ve got no chance” and “stare at the world from your window” suggest futility and alienation. With the subsequent line, “Life starts to circle around within your mind,” one wonders if someone here might be headed for a nervous collapse.
On paper, these look like troubled lyrics. However, the odd thing is, these lyrics are sung in an almost celebratory way.
Emotional reinforcement arrives with the lyrics: “You’ll never be the teenage dream / but I love you for it / yes, I adore you for this.”
http://soundcloud.com/black-vendetta
Musically, there are a few diving guitar slides that mix in nicely in the background. One was almost expecting a howling guitar solo to ensue. But ultimately this did not occur.
The track “Breakaway” features a groovy distorted guitar intro that evolves into a rather uplifting melody. Also uplifting are the lyrics: “I wanna break free / and be somebody / Whatever country / pack up my bags and don’t look back….and forget the freedoms that I lacked.”
Gone are the days of the previous song’s staring out the window. The mood here is one of energy and self-determination: “I wanna stand out / I wanna break away…climb my way off the beaten track.”
As for musical construction, “Breakaway” has excellent chemistry between the background guitars and vocalist.
For “No Chance,” “Breakaway” and other Black Vendetta tracks, listeners are encouraged to check out: http://www.reverbnation.com/blackvendettababy, where one can also find especially impassioned vocals on “Death of an Angel” and an engaging piano solo topping off the slow, bittersweet symphony of track “Go Ahead and Make My Day.”
Ray Cavanaugh – owleyesgatsby@yahoo.com
