Vaura Envisions the "Vista of Deviant Anatomies" (Full Album Stream)
Transformation is a good thing, but the best transformers, as evidenced by the ever-popular franchise, change from within. Chameleons Vaura have been on quite the sonic adventure over the past decade, starting with an unholy mixture of black metal and gothic rock on 2011’s Selenelion, moving through prog’s realm on The Missing, and finally settling on an ambiance-forward gothic rock sound on 2019’s Sables, which followed a six-year inactivity period. On the surface, this evolution is extreme–Vaura going from blast beats to Sylvian-esque soundscapes over the span of less than a decade doesn’t really compute, but let’s take a look at the finer details. Vaura’s penchant for the billowy and gothic has never been a secret–Selenelion moved like a 4AD record just as it did like a popular experimental metal record of its time (plus, being released on Bloodyminded member Pieter Schoolwerth’s Wierd Records imprint is definitely a sign of goth quality). Down the line, Vaura pronounced these gothic influences–be it a morose chorus, a textured atmosphere, or vocalist Joshua Strachan’s buttery smooth voice–but did so iteratively. With each new album, the band became lacier and darker, pushing this idea of “Vaura is a goth band” forward even further.
Three years following Sables‘ release, Vaura returns once again with the forward-and-backward-thinking Vista Of Deviant Anatomies. Now, what does it mean to look in both human time directions simultaneously? Well, for one, Vaura has obvious influences, namely selections from the early 4AD catalog and David Sylvian’s post-Dead Bees on a Cake output, and they wear them on their sleeves. As such, Vista Of Deviant Anatomies is dramatic and atmospheric, a dark affair as obscured as the gothic influences which fuel their music. Being “goth” means understanding this certain period of time–an aesthetic, a sound, a vibe–and making it your own, and Vaura are undeniably “goth” in this sense. Looking forward, though, is where this album really begins to shine. Members and avant-garde metal champions Kevin Hufnagel (Gorguts, Dysrhythmia et al) and Toby Driver (Kayo Dot, ex-maudlin of the Well et al) leave their marks all over this album, be it Driver’s unique production–at times hollow and terrifying and at others welcoming and warm–or Hufnagel’s odd guitar sounds, this ex-metal trio shows that their evolution was always deliberate, a removal of superficial layers which slowly reveals a glowing core. Vaura was meant to make this album. Listen to Vista Of Deviant Anatomies in full below.
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