Words by Erin Eddy
Out Now
It was only very recently that a friend of mine directed me toward Melbourne metalcore band Vatic and what I listened to at the time definitely piqued my interest. When the opportunity was presented to me to listen to and review their sophomore EP, Mercer 217, I was eager to dive deeper into Vatic’s world.
When the EP had hit my inbox, I tied the laces on my runners, fitted my headphones over my ears, and went running with Vatic.
Anyone who runs or works out regularly can attest to the fact that often times the difference between a good workout and a difficult one can be determined by the soundtrack you have in your ears. Heaven help the metalhead who rolls up to the gym without their headphones!
Vatic did not let me down as my feet rhythmically pounded the pavement. Each song held my attention and shielded my mind from remembering how stupid running is. Each song’s intention travelled through my earphones and into my psyche, fuelling my energy and pushing me on. There’s a lovely balance between the driving drums, chuggy riffs, nasty breakdowns and vocals that interchange between harsh and melodic that kept me pumped up but also had me feeling the emotive side of the music.
There are some really beautiful dips into ghostly and ominous sounding reprieves, before the band brings back their metalcore heaviness.
When I’m reviewing music, especially when it’s a band I’m not hugely familiar with, I like to listen to the record from start to finish before reading the accompanying press release so that I can aid myself in forming an opinion that is as much my own as possible. With my run finished, I sat down and perused over the information that had been included with Mercer 217.
I smiled as I found yet another reason to enjoy this band. It turns out Mercer 217 is a concept record, with the narrative rooted in the horror genre, and whattaya know, that just happens to be my favourite genre. So back I go for another listen so that I can immerse myself in the fictional tale of the record’s protagonist, Chance, and his life at East Mercer 217.
The character Chance is “haunted, tormented and manipulated into horrific acts of violence” states the band. Throughout the eight songs on the EP, the listener can experience the descent into the horrors that unfold at East Mercer 217, beginning with Chance having visual hallucinations involving his own murder, leading him to wrestle with paranoia that drives him to become a murderer himself.
When the body count begins to rise, spirits take up residence at 217. I won’t give the whole thing away, rather, I will give you the opportunity to become acquainted with Chance and to see where his story goes.
This form of songwriting is a really nice break from music with a message to drive home. Don’t get me wrong, I love songs that mean something and deliver messages, but I am inclined to feel that it is easier to write from a place of opinion or personal experience than it is to construct characters, worlds and situations that are purely fictional. Great story telling is an artform I admire very much, and music that is written from an entertainment standpoint is impressive to me.
Further investigation revealed to me that Vatic began the writing process for this release during the Covid lockdowns, and while we were all enthralled in the Tiger King, the boys in Vatic were watching horror films, which was a contributing factor to Mercer 217 becoming a horror story of its own.
“We had a lot of fun crafting lyrics around a character rather than opinions or current affairs, which opened us up to a whole world of creative options. The sound took on a darker and spookier vibe as
well, so we really just lent into it.”
You may be leaning towards writing this EP off if you’re the kind of person that doesn’t dig concept records or the horror genre is just not your jam, but I would encourage you not to do so. I do believe this record can be enjoyed at face value, without requiring you to deep dive into Chance’s grizzly world. After all, I huffed and puffed my way through a run, at the time ignorant to Chance’s chronicles, and I was already preparing myself to positively review this EP.
Vatic are a band to keep on your radar. I’d highly recommend giving Mercer 217 a spin and if you’re in Melbourne, tickets are on sale now for their EP launch at the Evelyn Hotel on November 18.
