Vega's 'Grit Your Teeth' - Album Review

While Vega are not the most successful of the modern AOR acts that are currently out there treading the boards, they are certainly one of the most consistent. Since releasing their debut album Kiss of Life ten years ago, the band; which is formed around a songwriting trio of frontman Nick Workman, bassist Tom Martin, and keyboardist James Martin; have put out album after album of very enjoyable melodic rock. I think it is fair to say that Vega, on the whole, have more of a modern sound than many of their peers however. While the band's style is certainly rooted in the big AOR and melodic rock scenes of the 1980s, Vega's sound also owes quite a lot to modern pop and rock tropes. James Martin's keyboards are much more atmospheric and cinematic than is usual for the genre, with the band largely forgoing a pompous, keyboard-driven sound, while the razor-sharp riffing of lead guitarist Marcus Thurston often dominates and really drives everything forward. It is Thurston's riffing that, perhaps more than ever, really defines Grit Your Teeth - the band's sixth album which was released last month. Grit Your Teeth follows relatively hot on the heels of 2018's Only Human (which I reviewed here), an album that, probably more than any of the band's releases before it, really summed up the Vega sound to that point. 2016's Who We Are (which I also reviewed here) pushed the more modern elements of the band's sound to the fore in a much more obvious way than previously, but Only Human seemed to bring everything together - which perhaps led to it being the best sounding Vega album to date, if not the best in terms of overall songwriting quality. It was also the band's first effort with their current expanded six-piece line-up, with guitarist Mykey Kew and drummer Martin Hutchison having joined the ranks in 2017, so in some ways Only Human needed to be a bit of a statement to solidify the beginning of this new era. I wondered where Vega would go from Only Human. I had assumed that they would go for 'more of the same' on their eventual follow-up to it, which is essentially what they have done, but Grit Your Teeth certainly stands out somewhat in the context of the band's catalogue. The band's sixth album sees them purposefully 'rocking' things up, and Grit Your Teeth is easily the heaviest album that the band have released yet. While not a metal album, Grit Your Teeth has more bite than the band's previous albums - with Vega making good use of having two full-time guitarists and the soaring power of Workman's voice. It was produced by Sam and Joe Graves who I remember being part of a metalcore band called With One Last Breath back in the day when I was actively following bands like Glamour of the Kill and Heaven's Basement - and the Graves brothers have brought their metal mindset to this album, dirtying up Vega's sound in the process and giving the six-piece a newfound heft.

While the whole band shine on Grit Your Teeth, as mentioned earlier it is perhaps Thurston and his riffs that really stands out the most throughout the album's eleven songs. It is fitting then that the album kicks off with the weighty Blind, which is the first song in the Vega catalogue that he has co-written. The song steams along at a steady, chugging pace; while Thurston's main riff buzzes throughout with its 1980s melodic metal-esque vibe and Hutchison's punchy drumming adds to the overall weight. Vega have rarely sounded this vital and energised previously; but the band's core sound is still present thanks to Workman's excellent vocals - particularly during the melodic chorus. James Martin's keyboards take on more of an organic sound during the heavier moments, with a rumbling rock organ part particularly standing out during the strong chorus, but the AOR melodies are still present and correct. Thurston's solo is a shredded feast to perfectly fit in with the heavier vibes, and the song overall is Vega, but dialled up to eleven. Lead single (I Don't Need) Perfection is a bit more typical of the band's core sound, but there is still a little more weight than usual. Thurston and Kew team up for a simple, driving opening riff, while Tom Martin's bass is left to hold the verses together with a potent rumble. While Blind was still very melodic despite the added heft, (I Don't Need) Perfection channels Vega singles of the past in a bigger way - while still maintaining the album's grittier sound. The combination of sounds works well, and Workman still manages to show why he is one of the best modern AOR singers during an anthemic, stadium-ready chorus that features some tight harmonies and some sing along moments that are made to be played live. The album's title track is similar, and is a great representation of the album's overall sound - mixing gritter sounds with the band's trademark AOR hallmarks. In my opinion it is one of the album's catchiest songs, both in terms of vocal melodies and arrangement. The verses have a great Def Leppard-esque stop-start rhythm, as the guitars sometimes drop out to leave Workman singing against a backdrop of Hutchison's potent drumming, while the chorus has enough poppy melodies to make it stand out against the tougher backdrop - while James Martin's organic keyboards add a certain depth. I like the fact that the keyboard sounds used throughout this album are often more old-school sounding than usual. There are lot of organs and retro synths used throughout, which is different from the poppy choices that the band often go for, and this choice helps the album to stand out from the band's earlier works. Man on a Mission is somewhat similar to Blind, and really showcases the grittier sound of the album perfectly. Vega have rarely been called a 'blues-based band' in the past, but Man on a Mission is certainly worthy of that tag. The riffing throughout from Thurston and Kew is full of weight and traditional bluesy touches, and the moments where an effects-heavy Workman sings to a dirty solo guitar backing sound more like Black Stone Cherry than anything Vega have done in the past. A foot-stomping chorus and a shredding solo ensure that the song still sounds like Vega however, but the deviation into this slightly heavier territory is a welcome one.

Don't Fool Yourself is more typical of the band's usual sound however, as the song is a modern sounding AOR track with a chorus that hits hard from the off and a somewhat more cinematic approach is taken. James Martin's keyboards are still more organic than usual to fit in with the album's overall sound, but the song sounds more like the band's trademark style thanks to the overall arrangement. The riffing is less in your face this time around, and a big focus is placed on vocal melodies throughout. This is a song that is based around a big chorus, and everything really feeds into promoting those big melodies. It is another song that is sure to go down a storm when played live, as the hooks are so big and Workman's vocal performance is as larger than life as ever. While Vega are certainly an AOR band at heart, I have never really been the biggest fan of their ballads. On this album however the band have really upped their ballad game, and Grit Your Teeth contains their best ballads yet in my opinion. Consequence of Having a Heart is the first example of this huge step up in my opinion, and the song's chorus is one of the many on this album that really stick with me long after it has stopped playing. The grittier production used throughout the album certainly gives the ballads a bit of a kick up the rear, but they also seem to be a bit more emotional this time around. James Martin uses more typical keyboard sounds here, but when mixed in with the weightier guitars everything just seems to come together. Thurston's solo echoes the emotional tug of the song perfectly, but the standout moment for me is the chorus - where Workman once again turns in a stellar vocal performance. This One's For You feels like a bit of a throwback to the band's older albums. While the heft from the production remains, it feels a lot smoother than the rest of the album and almost feels like it was recorded during a previous album session and then 'roughed up' a little to appear here. After reverting to his more cinematic synths for the previous song, James Martin's keyboards are much more prominent here - with lots of warm synth leads helping the song the stand out from the crowd, while the guitars take something of a backseat to provide chugging rhythms. Occasional bursts of ringing piano add additional depth, while the overall grander sound that the song goes for provides a bit of a mid-album change of pace. Another excellent ballad comes in the form of Battles Ain't a War, which opens up with a pulsing Tom Martin bassline and some aching Thurston guitar leads. While I think I prefer Consequence of Having a Heart overall, the chorus of Battles Ain't a War is one of the album's catchiest moments and it really showcases Workman's knack for a killer vocal melody. He is a singer that I warm to more and more over time, and I think that some of his best performances yet are found on this album. The chorus here is a great example of his power and emotion, and again Thurston manages to also channel this through his guitar solo.

Save Me From Myself is another track that feels like a bit of throwback to the band's older albums, and even the production feels a little cleaner and smoother this time around. While it does not hit as hard as many of the album's other songs, it is a great example of the poppier end of the band's sound and the smooth AOR vibe throughout is great. The low key verses with Tom Martin's bass taking the centre stage are a great throwback to the 1980s, before the band all pile on for the soaring chorus which takes on more of a harder rock vibe with Workman's excellent vocals and a solid guitar presence. I think that this song would have had more of an impact on one of the band's previous albums but, due to the overall tougher feel that Grit Your Teeth goes for, it does feel a little out of place here. I still enjoy the song a lot, and it is great reminder of what Vega have been about in the past, but it does fall prey to maybe being the right song at the wrong time within the context of this heavier, tougher album. The same fate should probably also befall How We Live, but for some reason this song just seems to fit within the context of the album more comfortably than Save Me From Myself. I think that is probably down to the bigger guitar presence that is used throughout the song, with even the fairly smooth verses featuring strong chugging guitar rhythms. It is also just such an irresistible song, so much so that even though it does not quite fit in with the album's overall sound I just love hearing it. The chorus is one of the album's best, which says a lot considering that pretty much every song here soars, and I really hope that it becomes a live favourite going forward. I can really see the band going for it in a big way when playing the song live, and it was chosen as one of the album's singles hopefully with this in mind. Done With Me is the album's closing statement, and it is a fairly short song that, while certainly not the best thing here, packs a bit of a punch and helps to round the album out in style. It is a high energy piece that ensures that the album ends on a bang, and is a song that benefits from the album's heavier sound. Hutchison's drums throughout just pound out of the speakers, and Thurston's screaming guitar leads that close the song out perfectly capture the grittier and tougher nature of this album - while also demonstrating his skills as a guitarist. Vega are a band more about melodies than virtuosity, but he occasionally likes to remind us all how great he is. Overall however, Grit Your Teeth is another excellent album from Vega that shakes up their trademark formula somewhat while still retaining enough of their core tropes to ensure that their existing fans will still easily be able to latch onto the songs. This heavier Vega is a very enjoyable one, and the songs on this album have certainly been written with being played live in mind. It will be interesting to see if this tougher approach is retained on their next album, or whether we can expect a return to their more poppier approach in the future.

The album was released on 12th June 2020 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for (I Don't Need) Perfection.