Vortex Town’s album debut V is a wild ride through grunge-inspired alt rock that doesn’t follow any predictable path. From the first seconds, it’s clear this band likes to play with atmosphere, tension and surprise.
The album opens with “Intro”, a short soundscape that immediately sets a mood for me. I couldn’t quite tell what the main sound was at first, maybe a melody box? Either way, it instantly made me think of an old horror movie soundtrack. A slightly eerie way to start but definitely effective.
Then “Vigour of Vultures” kicks in and things really take shape. The vocals feel like a conversation, switching between a natural tone and a more distant, processed effect. It gives the song an interesting dynamic, almost like two different voices interacting. Really cool track overall and weirdly, it reminded me of the French band Superbus that I grew up loving.
“Alligator” hits hard right from the start, but what makes it stand out is how it plays with silence. The music stops and restarts again, keeping you on edge the whole time. You never quite know if it’s going to pause again. Toward the end, the bass really shines and gives the track an extra punch.
Later, “Spit” brings back that feeling of background noise building into something bigger, similar to the intro vibe. When the song fully kicks in, it works great. The chorus harmonies are a highlight. “Pale Noise” is cool, but it didn’t really jump out at me. Solid, just not a standout compared to what came before.
“Menticide”, on the other hand, grabbed my attention instantly. I was moving my head from the first seconds. There’s a real sense of urgency here and again the processed vocals give it a unique flavor. It almost sounds like a different singer, even though it isn’t.
The “Interlude” arrives right in the middle of the album and honestly confused me a bit. Less than 30 seconds long, it sounds like music you’d hear at a fair or a circus. Strange placement, but it adds to the album’s unpredictable personality. “Sugar” is another track that’s perfectly fine, just not one that left a big impression on me.
“On My Skin” has a really interesting intro. I spent the first part of the song trying to figure out what that opening sound was. Some special instrument? A clever use of bass? I’m guessing it’s the latter, but either way, it pulled me in.
“Dancer in the Dark” fell into the same category as a couple of others: enjoyable, but not a major highlight. Then comes “Miasma”, which is where the album lost me a little. At almost eight minutes long, it just felt way too stretched out for what it delivers.
Then, “I Am the Silence” feels like a necessary breather near the end of the record. With acoustic guitar and piano, it strips things back and lets the singer really take center stage. A nice change of pace and a reminder of the band’s range.
“Angel Meat” is a curious little track, both in name and in vibe. It gave me strong old-time, 1930s fairground music energy. At less than two minutes, it feels more like an interlude than a full song, which made me wonder why it wasn’t developed further.
The bonus tracks are where things pick up again. “Deeper” does not disappoint at all. It is pure alt rock energy, powerful and confidence. And I have to say, it’s always refreshing to hear a strong female rock singer front and center.
“Digital Fumes”, the final bonus track, starts quietly with just guitar before exploding into full grunge mode. Very cool track but once again, I was left wondering why it needed to be over seven minutes long.
Overall, not every track hit equally for me, and some songs could have benefited from tighter runtimes, but Vortex Town clearly knows how to create a mood and keep things interesting.
ENJOY? READ MORE REVIEWS FROM RGM HERE