Boston’s Vanna really pushes the brutal-melodic dynamic on its new album Curses. Main screamer Chris Preece bellows such a barrage of sounds (we’re assuming they’re words, but we can’t say for certain) that guitarist Nick Lambert’s tuneful choruses act as sort of a salve to all of the aural scars. Vanna’s post-hardcore formula doesn’t scour any fertile ground for inspiration. Rather, the band bulldozes over it, satisfied with its ability to make it all seamlessly blend. Curses comes out in a couple weeks, but you can hear many of the new songs when
Wed., April 11, 7 p.m.

This article appears in Apr 11-17, 2007.