New Year’s Day in the Boston metal scene arrived a day early at the start of 2021.
Way back on December 31, Vaulted delivered an announcement as heavy as their music, publicly declaring an enhanced lineup elevated to nuclear proportions by adding Alex Fewell on drums (Black Mass, Scaphism) and Nicholas Wolf on bass (Severed Boy, Leopard Print Taser, lunglust, Phantom Glue, etc.). Dan Leahy and Christian Henderson joined forces for a dual guitar assault, and the new assembly surrounded vocalist Cody Rico with perhaps the most celebrated local lineup since the ’07 Red Sox.
The year was then spent in anticipation of this new Vaulted album, recorded a lifetime ago in early 2020 just before the pandemic hit, with teases of what was to come slowly bubbling up on social media. In September the band dropped a relentless single in “Forged In Darkness,” a face-ripper of a track that gives the listener roughly 1.3 seconds to either prepare or defend.
And finally, today (November 19) finds Vaulted unleashing their long-awaited sophomore album, an 11-track, 36-minute destroyer of an LP titled Left in Despair, released on Wolf’s own War Fever Recordings.
“Left In Despair is the culmination of almost three years of anticipation,” Henderson tells Vanyaland. “In this time we feel we have reached a higher level of maturity in our playing and a better understanding of our writing style together. As usual, we want to thank our friend, producer, and manger Shane Frisby at The Brick HitHouse for making this record sound massive, we always work well together!”
Heavy times call for heavy music. And depending on the mindset, Vaulted are here to either comfort, or make things more chaotic. Or perhaps both.
“We feel like this album will be a staple for us and set the standard for albums to come,” Henderson adds. “Briefly after we recorded this album, the world fell apart. As the world begins to heal, we are more excited than ever to share it with you.“
Vaulted take their branded dagger of aggressive melody into an unsuspecting O’Brien’s Pub in Allston for the local record release party on December 3. It’ll feel like the start of a New Year all over again.
Fire up Left in Despair and warm up the oncoming winter.
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