By Zackary Kozak
No season is more sensible to change than autumn, and there is nothing more satisfyingly protean than progressive rock music. As we make the chill transition from vibrant fall foliage and sunny days to the snowy blizzards and long nights of winter, I find it only apt to discuss the blazing artists who will guide me (and now hopefully you) into the cold by providing the warmth uniquely found in their music.
Alternative hard rock band Vagrant Son hails from South Florida. The group is composed of Javier Amador (songwriter, vocals, guitar), Scotty Rutan (drums), Gerald Lyn (guitar), and Peter Koromvokis (bass). Their discography currently features several singles and three EPs, including 2018’s Down Wind, 2022’s Visceral and single “Made for This,” as well as 2023’s innovative Rolling Stones cover “Play With Fire.” Each new project refines Vagrant Son’s musical personality and brings exciting flair to the rock scene. However, their music is not bound to static genre trends; instead, Vagrant Son continues to unleash a completely modern sound built from diverse influences and compositional virtuosity. With their latest EP Bleed Me, I believe the band proves to be a true vagrant in contemporary music, masterful in their manifold sensibilities.
The first track off of Bleed Me, “Every Now & Then,” opens with a characteristic crash from the driving force of a lead guitar melody into a wave of harsh vocals and djent-like rhythms. The tsunami of sound is quickly harnessed by a clean vocal melody and a return to the motif introduced at the very beginning. However, the song is anything but formulaic. About halfway through, the track breaks from the verse-chorus structure and softens to a harmonious bridge with a swift yet light drumbeat and spacey instrumentals from the guitar and bass. A powerful scream near the end of the track leads into one of my favorite harsh vocal deliveries of all time, with a doubled melody that makes this an addictively replayable track.
Vagrant Son showcases an unbelievable sense of control and a myriad of musical techniques in the EP’s second track, “Poison.” The track opens with an echoed vocal line; it feels as if we are in a tunnel, slowly approaching a wall of sound, which when broken introduces an intricate riff that launches the only kind of punch to the face that I welcome with a smile. We soon hear an exposed bass line, the backbone beneath a vocal melody often complimented by the pleasant surprise of echoed harmonies. The tactile guitar parts contribute a necessary texture when tapping above or chugging along with the drums. In the last minute of the song, a controlled collision creates a heavy breakdown that I think will have even the most timid metal fans scrunching their faces and headbanging.
Track number three, “Catastrophe (The Frenzy Blues),” is appropriately named for its unexpected fusion of blues, pop-punk, and metal. A funky rhythm section supports snappy guitar riffs and an upbeat vocal melody. This leads into another genre bending bridge that will take you from an easy blues jam into a chaotic roar that settles into that ever so groovy main lick. The following track, “Stay,” moves from the brute force of the opening riff into pulsing verses which rise to a grandiose chorus. The chorus carries the strength of the song by commanding attention to a new melody and letting the carefully crafted instrumentals support the space behind the vocals. The track’s solo will definitely convince you to “Stay” and keep coming back.
The EP’s final two tracks feel cinematic. “Tiny Imperfections,” my favorite song of the EP, weaves a tonal tapestry that traverses a galaxy of highs and lows. The subtle taps of the guitar spawn celestial images in my mind and evoke the sense of discovery associated with the stars. Harsh vocals and progressive metal riffs are asteroids, challenging the beauty they pass over in stride. The title track, “Bleed Me,” takes me to a distant planet. Its idiosyncrasy aligns exactly with Vagrant Son’s distinctive ability to meld competing sounds with one another. It makes me feel like a lone wanderer in a desert, a vagrant caught in the emotional heat of the sun. “Bleed Me” epitomizes the duality prevalent in the band’s music. Vagrant Son toes the line between abstract and relatable, complex yet accessible; I challenge you to listen to these two tracks without imagining a world that, despite its originality, somehow still feels so nostalgic.
As you can tell, I love Vagrant Son’s music. Unlike many artists of today, they do not sacrifice skill for commerciality or vice versa; they supplant the standard by reimagining it. I think that their ability to compose and perform music that is not only incredibly intelligent but also a simple joy to listen to is unmatched at the moment. For those who extol ingenuity, I urge you to listen to anything from Vagrant Son’s catalog and to watch their creative music videos to elevate your appreciation. And as the band says themselves, “Let the Wind carry you, and the Earth guide you.”