The Vital Might

Let’s be clear that we here at the Dig are completely down with high-concept mind-fuckery. Totes into it. All pro-prog up in here. Or pro-g, we suppose. Especially when we’re talking prog of the King Crimson-meets-Isis caliber, which is exactly what The Vital Might are packin’ at Great Scott tonight. Heavy riffs, heady lyrics and trippy stretches of psychedelic good craziness. That … that is the kinda prog we’re talking about. The kind of shit that goes through your head when you’re sketching an alien landscape. The good stuff. - The Weekly Dig

I don’t even want another local act to break big and become pasteurized gunk like Godsmack did. But chances are very good that Vital Might will get the chance. This band is literally inventing (or QC-ing, if you think Mars Volta is, like, good) modern prog, pitting latter-day Don Caballero against emo, Radiohead, Live and Extreme to – finally – produce something Generation Zzz can be proud of and call its own. The hooks are tremendous, the arrangements are genius. For your next mix burn, download “Mist of Crystals” and “North of Bloody,” or someday you’ll be having another “Godsmack’s from around here?” moment. A - Eric W. Saeger

While all four bands sported different takes on alternative rock, the opener, Vital Might, seemed to have a dozen different takes on the genre. Their sound often straddled multiple genres within every song, which was refreshing and disorienting all at once. Metal, pop punk, emo, prog-rock — it was all there in a surprisingly cohesive concoction. The band was rock solid, and the Upstairs’ acoustics suited their sound well: chugging distorted chords, swirling bass melodies and colossal-sounding drums engulfed the room. Drummer Evan Kraker stole the show, though, with his Danny Carey-influenced approach to progressive metal drumming, including remarkable one-handed choked crashes and inventive ride patterns. Vocalist Andy Milk delivered an impassioned performance, and was sweating profusely from the beginning to the end of the show — always a good sign that a singer’s giving 110%. - Adam Arrigo

A heady sophomore CD from Boston's THE VITAL MIGHT, a dramatic rock throwdown that blows away expectations - smart, heavy, and imaginative. - Tristram Lozaw

Grunge, metal, and psychedelic instrumentals are fused together with Andy Milk's darkly mysterious voice in The Vital Might's newly-released second album, Red Planet....The CD begins in an explosion of aching lyrics and heavy guitar riffs, reminiscent of Rage Against the Machine's Evil Empire, followed pleasantly and strategically by more wistful moments that lend themselves to the experimental, psychedelic sound of Sigur Ros. Hungry moshers start your engines: These boys live to play shows. - Heather Simon

Their debut album certainly houses its fair share of musical precision...
Those classic prog elements are all here, but they’re also juxtaposed with a sense of more mainstream rock. After all, it’s rare to find lines like “Her palm to my pocket / She slips paper into denim folds / Nine digits now I own” in a prog-rock song. Apparently these guys aren’t afraid to inject some boobs and beer into a genre more well known for classical ed than sex ed... - Brett Cromwell

The Vital Might has created a quality progressive- alternative rock album with their release Red Planet. The album has all the characteristic rock elements, including strong electric guitar providing a loud foundation to their sound, but the band’s inventiveness within their genre proves to make their album and their sound more multifaceted than their peers’. The band takes cues from Radiohead to stray, albeit not that far, from previously developed rock standards. They deconstruct the verse-chorus-verse- chorus-bridge pattern and have their vocal parts border on sporadic. The band also has the ability to create interesting guitar compositions that set them apart from bands with a similar sound, such as A Perfect Circle.

Their variety also sets them apart from the alternative prog rock scene. The Vital Might have managed to add enough dimensionality to their album that it’s hard to expect what will happen as the album progresses; the opening track “Phantom Spaceman,” for example, tells a story of fighting a spaceman to get to a captured woman. Following are two unexpected instrumental tracks, and, toward the end of the album, the lead singer begins to sing an octave higher.

“Superstitious Wish” is a perfect example of the band’s ability to take inspiration from various sounds within their genre. They draw from Red Hot Chili Peppers in their fast-paced drums and quick tempo changes and then Evanescence by recruiting an Amy Lee-sounding singer to do backing vocals. The Vital Might’s Red Planet takes alternative progressive rock one step further than their peers’ attempts by making their album a must- listen for those who appreciate intense and loud instrumentation. (self-released)

-Kelley Allenspach
www.thevitalmight.wordpress.com - Kelly Allenspach

Andy Milk’s chameleon voice takes you on a journey that evokes Pink Floyd, Buckcherry, Tool and the Red Hot Chili Peppers...Now the Vital Might has a debut album, “Obsidian,” that shows surprising emotional range. The single “Bird of Black Fire” is roller-coaster intense, but “Mist of Crystals” echoes Pink Floyd’s psychedelic melancholy. - Kerry Purcell

Sabbath and Sunny Day Real Estate would be proud. The Vital Might channel both bands and go beyond into original territory on Obsidian, a release that reinforces its own urgency and import over 13 strongly crafted and performed songs…Singer/guitarist Andy Milk, bassist/singer Ben Didsbury and drummer Evan Kraker form a tight unit, able to pull off myriad stylistic considerations without collapsing into pretension. The songcraft is evident: while the band can veer from sustained wall-of-sound bridges to gentle clean chords and rim shot choruses on a dime, all transitions are logical, orderly and perfectly placed. No throwing in a two-measure 7/4 break for the sake of it here. The lyrics are intelligent, evoking themes of internal questions and coming to terms. And the playing? Well yeah, these lads have some chops…These are songs that demand your attention. One would do well to make time for The Vital Might, however. Obsidian is the work of a tight band playing strong material very well. And that’s about as good as music gets. - Brian Westbye

Red Planet
Magma Music
10 song CD

The Vital Might is a modern rock amalgam, showcasing all that is good and worthy in the current state of progressive modern rock. Their approach is dynamic, moments of easiness surrounded by sheer loudness, a towering haze of condensed sound layers that shift throughout. Think The Mars Volta meets the Doves, with a dash of early Radiohead thrown in for good measure.

The album begins with Phantom Spaceman, a track that stops and stutters around a staccato guitar riff. From there we find a more classic indie/alternative pop sound in The Truth, which gives way to the unusually-observant-yet-gripping City, a song that repeatedly asks "Why is this city here?" Trouble rips along like a Rush tune played at double time, borrowing a bit of early 90s grunginess to make its final point understood.

The band is adventurous and quick to avoid the pigeonhole, eagerly supplying the listener eclectic musical visions with each new track. While the blueprint is somewhat scattered in theory, it never fails to deliver results.

MISH MASH Mandate: Red Rover - Mish Mash Music Reviews

"Alt-drama rock" and "THE VITAL MIGHT are proving they are a band to be reckoned with." - Shred