Review: Roses Unread- Vultures EP

It always helps a band when they’re signed to a label but you don’t always have to be signed to be successful. And you certainly don’t have to be signed to be considered a good band, either- and Roses Unread have proven this with each record release. Their latest EP release- Vultures continues to show the band’s progression, evolution and strength. The record starts soft with “If It Wasn’t For Me,” which, though peaceful, rips into one of the strongest tracks with heard from the band and leads into “After All,” which also starts soft with a hypnotizing intro but blasts into a very heavy and aggressive rock track. The band is right on point throughout the album and it shows with “I’ll Follow You,” which is one of their most emotionally-charged tracks yet. This one shows singer Allison Purifoy pleading for hope from the person she’s singing to and for them to not give up on her. This is the climax of the album- the tip of the iceberg. It’s a very epic and dynamic song that almost has different chapters within it. It’s definitely one of the most complex tracks the band has written. They keep the momentum going with the title track- “Vultures,” which is one of the most melodic heavy tracks on the album, leading right into the comedown with “Never Back Down.” That doesn’t mean it’s a soft one, though- far from it. “Never Back Down” ends things on a high note and is even heavier than rest of the record. The band is firing on all cylinders here and they’re stronger than ever. Vultures is the band’s coming out party. They’ve added some very prominent electronics to their work- the always featured it but it’s very strong on this record- mainly in the intros. The record gets better as it goes and each song stands strong on its own. Things pick up with “I’ll Follow You” and don’t slow down until the very end. Rating: 9/10 -Reggie Edwards