Born in May 2022, while falling in love with the British mod aesthetics, although not conveyed in the band’s searing Post-Rock forays, streaked with Shoegaze reverberations, Dream Pop introspections, and Post-punk moodiness, Filipino unit Vicegrip, made up of Rayark Aguila and Gian Quiroz, strives to make life less heavy for others using empathetic sounds and themes.
Check out their latest video directed by Jonathan Modino for the soul-stirring new tune, “Gates”, featuring the mesmerizing vocalizations of Fei, the first single since Vicegrip’s debut EP “Uncertain Joy” earlier this year.
“Gates” is our interpretation of our struggle in a society that sometimes outcast you as an individual for having mental struggles and your unique way of coping with everyday life. There’s always that feeling of being alone and the fear of being left out by a group of norms. We say that wherever you are in your life right now, it is okay. It is normal, you are normal.
Bittersweet blissful yet alienated moods enshroud steady stumbling drum beats, weighted winding bass lines, sad icy bright synth melodies, and vibrant fuzzy, distorted riffs, laced with radiant wistful echoes along soaring, excruciating and dazzling guitar strains, whilst beautiful, fragile yet piercing vocals fall into a heady catharsis of angsty, intimate confessions.
Psychological visuals by Jonathan Modino depict the transformative, psychedelic realm between sleep and awake to sync seamlessly with the introspective vibes of the soundtrack. A hectic, surreal urban sprawl sets a thought-provoking backdrop for the immersive instrumentation, whilst on-point acting and poignant, relatable lyrics guide the viewer through an unseen world of inner turmoil where insecurity, fear, and loneliness take hold of an ailing soul, even if only while dreaming.
Keep up with Vicegrip:
