2017 Ones To Watch #7 – VANT

With 2016 over, we look ahead to what musical talent 2017 can offer, and with the masses of acts out there in the industry there is plenty for us to get excited about. Throughout January, ICM will be highlighting one new band each day and showing just why they should be on your music radar. Our 7th band is VANT.

VANT are part of the new wave politically influenced alt-rock movement shining a light onto important matters through the means of musical instruments. Although this way of addressing key world issues has been done before, VANT are putting their twist on it, the twist being passion. With every live performance, interview or social media post, you don’t just get a band with VANT, you get a personality too.

Musically throughout 2016 VANT released a plethora of tracks and still continue to. Tracks such as ‘Fly By Alien’ however managed to claim the prestigious place of ICM’s Song Of The Week. 

In typical garage rock style VANT takes inspiration from the likes of The Clash and Rage Against the Machine. Fuelled by a passionate hate for this round piece of s**t we call planet Earth; VANT is hell-bent on sticking their middle finger to every form of establishment imaginable.

‘Peace And Love’ one of the first lead singles from their upcoming 2017 LP release, ‘Dumb Blood’, also was released in 2016.

The track as a whole is classic VANT style, however, it holds a much more relaxed and less apocalyptic atmosphere in regards to their previous releases which allows for the necessary emotional focus to shine through. The lads took to social media to explain the story behind the song; ‘We finished writing ‘Peace & Love’ in the wake of the Paris attacks. Atrocities like these are taking place worldwide on a daily basis, but it’s only when something happens so close to home that it truly grabs the full attention of our society.

Recently VANT were nominees in ICM’s Track Of The Year shortlist for 2016 with track, ‘Karma Seeker’.

‘KARMA SEEKER’, VANT’s most philosophical track to date provoking deep thought and self-evaluation. ‘KARMA SEEKER’ incorporates hard-hitting drums and impeccable guitar along side Mattie’s raw vocals to produce a typical VANT single. ‘KARMA SEEKER’ lyrics query the meaning of life and promote the idea of living in the moment but the four-piece band are more interested in what listeners take from the single.

We also managed to speak with lead vocalist, Mattie Vant, ahead of their Bushstock Festival appearance. When asked about the ultimate dream in his music career he responded, “World peace, the impossible dream. I like to live in the present and enjoy each step of the journey, too many people are concerned with the long game when it is entirely possible that we could die tomorrow.”

We will be announcing a new band every day throughout the entirety of January and the ICM long list will be announced on February 1^st.

Read why Glass Caves and Pretty Vicious are Ones To Watch too.