Vanishing Life

People Running/Vanishing Life [7-inch] (2014)

HeavyPettingDrew

It's hard to make much of a statement with a two-song 7-inch, but the self-titled release by Vanishing Life serves as an introduction to a supergroup of sorts. Comprised of the great Walter Schreifels (Quicksand, Gorilla Biscuits), Zach Blair (Rise Against), Jamie Miller and Autry Fulbright (both of …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead), the band sounds like a slightly harder version of Schreifels' Rival Schools (although Schriefels himself reportedly didn't write either of these two songs).

"People Running" is a straight-forward rocker, heavy on the floor tom and power chords. The second song, the eponymous "Vanishing Life," starts off by sounding like someone put Black Flag's "Nervous Breakdown" on the turntable and the record is skipping before kicking into a stripped-down punk jam featuring Schreifels' trademark impassioned vocals.

The band recorded both songs in two days and had never practiced together before getting in the studio. Most musicians wouldn't be able to pull off something like this, but even with the pedigree of each member, the project sounds a bit rushed. Schreifels' voice is so unique but unfortunately sounds overpowered by the guitars in the mix. There's also not much room to showcase Blair's guitar skills; it would be nice to hear a lick or two that stands out and reminds us that this guitarist has played in Rise Against, Only Crime, Gwar and Hagfish.

While these two tracks don't quite live up to the band's potential, they at least whet the appetite for better things to come. Vanishing Life is working on their debut album, which is expected to be released in early 2015.