Back in the summer, Tasmanian trio Verticoli landed on our radar with sophisticated alt-rock single ‘See You Around’ and now the band are back for round two with newest release ‘Milk & Honey’. Once again, they’re stripping a distinctive rock sound back to its essential parts of roaring guitar riffs, pounding drums and a thick bassline. With a healthy amount of grit, the tight production keeps a profound sense of immediacy where every vocal snarl and cymbal hit lands with precision.
Some of you might be familiar with the concept of “the land of milk and honey”, a distant imagined paradise where everything you want and need flows easily. For some this is a city they’ve always dreamed of or a tropical island far from urbanisation, but for Verticoli it was the Golden State of California. It’s a place that promises money, fame and freedom, but this song shows a disappointing side of capitalist paradise. What begins as subtle despair gradually unravels into righteous anger where cathartic shouts rally against a system that creates ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor. It’s a powerful, unflinching approach honed from sharing stages with the likes of Cog, Kingswood and DZ Deathrays.
‘Milk & Honey’ is a true post-punk anthem with unapologetic rage, political awareness and grandiose riffs. Arguably, it’s a bleak outlook, but it’s an undeniably honest one and for that you’ve got to respect Verticoli‘s tenacity. It’s also another thrilling insight into the band’s forthcoming third album, Silverlinings, set to make an appearance on 6th November.
You can also listen to ‘Milk & Honey’ in our Outsiders Club playlist.
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