Vortis – The Miasmic Years

Always wondered if they watch Dr Who in Chicago? 

The Miasmic Years is an interesting title for this release from Vortis, does it come in scratch and sniff vinyl or do they really want to simply put across how ridiculously pungent the last few years have been, full of bad news politics, self harming humanity and a time of mourning for such loss, either way they have hit the proverbial nail on the head with this release.

Vortis are a band that sit slap bang in the middle of old school and new era, their music can not be sliced and diced then slotted into holes it won’t go, in parts of this album it definitely has you harking back to Wire, but then you come across a song like ‘Hyperbole’ which kicks the album off in an almost Killing Joke sense of being,  but then dark heavy bass lines are lifted high by futuristic synth wailings.

Even the simplest sounding of tracks have added zest, ‘Bastard’ sets out as a thrash punk banger, but is knocked into shape by some wonderfully placed beats and raps.

This could have so easily have been another lock down blues album, although recorded during the pandemic the songs themselves mostly predate this event, but then how name album’s released around this time are going to have something covid wormed into them (you write about life, this happens), ‘Covid Blues’ even though a reinterpretation of of an old song, it strikes at the heart of how viruses don’t discriminate, both rich and poor are not given any preference, musically this has to be my favourite style of the album, it just bangs along and fits the lyric like a glove. The is a sound that reverbs through the album, songs like ‘Accretion’,  ‘Black Void’ and ‘Philosohy’ give you a fix of toned back Black Flag, but then you also are totally given the full indie punk treatment in all the odd corners of this album.  ‘Distanza Sociale’ for myself is a double edged sword, it outwardly is covid distancing orientated, but what it also does, is the on the whole idea if social distancing and how it affects the well being of the mind for good or bad.

Throughout Miasmic Years your always thrown from pillar to post I’m a musical sense, this being a good thing by the way, but what it also does it touch on the big wide world of social injustice, political corruption and complacency of humanity. This being a light reading review site, all I will say is this album goes so much deeper than I’d like to go here, just go listen and enjoy the brain food it gives you, as well as the pure punk mentality in the music.

Punk that challenges the mind is always greeted with open arms, not all punks just wanna head bang or pogo you know. Add to this, raw music that’s stuffed full of treats, and hey presto Miasmic Years

For all things musically related to Vortis including this album go check out BANDCAMP

And there is always the other worldly place to find them HERE