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By GREG MAKI
The first thing I noticed about Children of Our Mistakes, the debut from the Arizona quartet Vayden, was the album cover. It looks simple; after all, it’s just the band’s logo with a swirling design and the album title above and below it. But flip it upside down and you see exactly the same thing. It has nothing to do with the music, but it’s pretty cool to see and it speaks to the band’s creativity.
The disc slams the listener at the start, then pulls back in jarring fashion with the dynamic hard/soft pattern of the title track. It brings to mind a heavier 30 Seconds to Mars. The next song, “Uniforms,” gives off a Killers vibe in the verses. Largely through the unusual vocal cadence he uses on songs like “Karma Is a Professional Wrestler,” frontman Curtis Casey adds a touch of a New Wave quality. I also hear a hint of Chevelle in a few of the songs; the rhythm of “Karma …” is reminiscent of “Comfortable Liar.” Big-time melodic choruses punctuate all 12 songs, and solos by guitarist Rob Robbins serve as exclamation points on songs like “Nothing to Say” and “Anthem of the Used.”
You can make comparisons to other bands at certain points during Children of Our Mistakes, as I have done. But add it all up and Vayden has a relatively distinct sound in today’s hard rock landscape. I look forward to hearing more.
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