Vanna

Rising out of New England's surging post-hardcore scene, Vanna have emerged with intense brutality to stake their claim at the forefront of the genre. With relentless touring, an inexorable passion for music and an army of dedicated fans by their side, the band has clawed their way out from the underground to debut their first full-length album, Curses - a sonically ferocious album that features the group's unique blend of blistering metal and cathartic melody.

Vanna's inception dates back to 2004 when founding members Nick Lambert (guitar/vocals), Evan Pharmakis (guitar/vocals) and Shawn Marquis (bass) met and began playing music on the campus of Massachusetts College of Art. In early 2005 the group recruited Brandon Davis (drums), who at the time was playing guitar for the local hardcore act Therefore I Am.

Drawing from their musical influences of metalcore acts like Norma Jean and Everytime I Die and screamo acts Neil Perry and The Now, the group forged the post-hardcore outfit Vanna. In need of a full-time vocalist, Lambert reached out to Austin, Texas based singer, Chris Preece, who joined the band later that year.

By May of 2005, Vanna was already playing shows around New England with Lambert and Pharmakis handling vocal duties until Preece's arrival. After establishing a local fanbase the group recorded a demo which spread like wildfire on the internet. With the help of the solid demo and amazing live performances Vanna eventually caught the eye and ear of Epitaph's Brett Gurewitz.

After signing a record deal with the indie label the quintet recorded their first EP,
The Search Party Never Came. Produced by Fred Archambault (Avenged Sevenfold, Death By Stereo), the hard-hitting album pays h...

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Rising out of New England's surging post-hardcore scene, Vanna have emerged with intense brutality to stake their claim at the forefront of the genre. With relentless touring, an inexorable passion for music and an army of dedicated fans by their side, the band has clawed their way out from the underground to debut their first full-length album, Curses - a sonically ferocious album that features the group's unique blend of blistering metal and cathartic melody.

Vanna's inception dates back to 2004 when founding members Nick Lambert (guitar/vocals), Evan Pharmakis (guitar/vocals) and Shawn Marquis (bass) met and began playing music on the campus of Massachusetts College of Art. In early 2005 the group recruited Brandon Davis (drums), who at the time was playing guitar for the local hardcore act Therefore I Am.

Drawing from their musical influences of metalcore acts like Norma Jean and Everytime I Die and screamo acts Neil Perry and The Now, the group forged the post-hardcore outfit Vanna. In need of a full-time vocalist, Lambert reached out to Austin, Texas based singer, Chris Preece, who joined the band later that year.

By May of 2005, Vanna was already playing shows around New England with Lambert and Pharmakis handling vocal duties until Preece's arrival. After establishing a local fanbase the group recorded a demo which spread like wildfire on the internet. With the help of the solid demo and amazing live performances Vanna eventually caught the eye and ear of Epitaph's Brett Gurewitz.

After signing a record deal with the indie label the quintet recorded their first EP,
The Search Party Never Came. Produced by Fred Archambault (Avenged Sevenfold, Death By Stereo), the hard-hitting album pays homage to their hardcore roots with an aural assault of discordant guitars entwined with melody and dissonance.

Following the release of their EP, Vanna launched an extensive tour that included the Warped Tour as well as a national tour with label-mates Escape the Fate. Their highly energetic stage performance resulted in a trail of blood, sweat and new fans all across the country.

In October of 2006, Vanna headed to Seattle to record their first full-length album, Curses, with esteemed producer Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Norma Jean) at Robert Lange Studio. With high expectations of the album, Bayles served as a guide throughout the recording process, offering advice and making sure they stayed on course.

"Working with Matt was a blast. We all connected with him, and it was like having an older brother to help steer us in the right direction," said Lambert. "He's an amazingly talented guy, and I think we all agree that Matt definitely played an important role in shaping this album into what it is."

Set to debut in April, Curses pulls all stops by violating the senses with the harsh dissonance of its brutal breakdowns and death screams in songs such as
"Country Boy...Goddamn" and methodically soothes with its fusion of metal and melody in "The Things He Carried."

"We wanted to really hit people hard with the full length. All of the hooks from the EP are still there, they've just been completely stepped up along with all of the music," said Lambert. "There's a lot more heavy material on Curses, and I think we're all really excited since it's a much better representation of the band we want to be."

With what promises to be the band's breakout album and one of the year's best post-hardcore releases, Vanna are ready to get back to doing what they do best - touring. Expect Vanna's brutal assault on the senses to hit your city soon!

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