Letlive. & Vanna Call It Quits, House vs. Hurricane Announce New Album

While Letlive & both Vanna bow out, House vs. Hurricane (pictured) plans their full return with their upcoming comeback album, 'Filth'. 

First off, on April 28th, Boston's Vanna is sadly closing up shop, simply sharing this statement across their socials - "All good things must come to an end."

Vanna went from trendy post-hardcore band to a better, more darker, more aggressive metalcore band over their solid 13-year career. First, they signed to Epitaph Records for their first two LP's - 2007's 'Curses' and 2009's 'A New Hope', which weren't... that bad. Then came 2011's forgettable 'And They Came Baring Bones', which was followed up by 2013's career highlight 'The Few and the Far Between' via Artery Recordings, before their final two albums arrived that helped to cement Vanna as a damn fine act - 'VOID' and last year's mighty fine 'All Hell' through on Pure Noise Records. (Man, this band went through some big labels, aye?). While their last two records were some of their best, the band had seemingly stagnated in terms of popularity growth and what they could do sonically, so maybe this split was always on the cards. And... I'm now suddenly realising that I never actually saw Vanna live and that I won't see them live as their final tour will only be in the U.S.

Goddamnit!

On that very same day, Letlive. also announced their own breakup, issuing this lengthy yet well-thought statement about the reasoning behind what is this band's most important career move, saying:

"In the summer of 2002 this thing we call "letlive." began in a garage in a small suburb of Los Angeles with one goal in mind. Above all else, letlive. was meant to be an idea not an outfit. This idea took its roots in honesty, humility, and finding an ironic strength in vulnerability. This is how it all began and it must end in the same fashion.

We have been granted opportunities and experiences beyond anything we could have ever imagined and we are well aware that none of the aforementioned would be possible without you. Your support, investments, and genuine belief have been nothing short of inspiring which is what allowed us to create these works while enduring the unsettling ebb and flow of career musicianship. With this in mind we would like to take this time to exhibit said transparency and explain that over time a divergence in views and aims has developed within the camp- and, for the moment, the impact that has on letlive. as a group is that there will be no further activity for the foreseeable future. We want to thank every single person that we were privileged enough to make a connection with through this vessel. We will no longer write the soundtrack, but the most important element, the idea, will continue as long as you allow it to. You are and always will be letlive.

Now, whereas those two international acts are throwing in the towel, a local Aussie favourite restarts the engines.

Featuring their 'Crooked Teeth'-era lineup House vs. Hurricane will release their first record since 2012 on June 2nd, titled 'Filth'. Despite having the finest of intentions in starting a new band once HVH folded in 2013, guitarist Chris Shaw continued writing new music right after the outfit's disbandment. Yet as the years passed by and fruitless auditions for a new frontman went by, Shaw brought the once disbanded members back together to return to the studio throughout 2016 to finish what would actually become HVH's third album - 'Filth'. Which will apparently be “Crooked Teeth on crack” as Shaw himself puts it in a recent press release sent out by UNFD.

Well, going off of the sound of their latest single 'Give It Up' - whose recently released music video was filmed at their comeback set at this year's Unify - this new record looks to be a continuation of their energetic, charismatic 'Crooked Teeth' record. So it seems that Shaw was more or less right, and I'm more than okay with that!

You can pre-order 'Fifth' right here, and if you're wondering about that title, it's actually a tribute to a departed friend of the band, sound engineer Westley Higgins, whose favourite compliment was “that’s filth!”. Rest in peace.