VICE KILLER Release Brilliant New Track "Heroine"

Words: ROBIN MUMFORD

You should never judge a book by its cover, or so they say anyways. But when the cover of something is steeped in grandeur, like that of Vice Killer’s latest release, how could you not? 

Let us not get things twisted, I don’t really understand the cover art, but it gives off vibes of the roaring 20’s, perhaps something you would see hung up in an old school American casino or painted in the background of a Peaky Blinders scene. Nevertheless, it was enough to entice me into untangling the inner core of the song.

And let me tell you for fact, the song didn’t fail to disappoint either. In their press kit, the band, who perform as a four-piece from County Durham, in England, stated with confidence that their influences range from Arctic Monkeys to New Order and Joy Division. Throughout the meticulous song, you can hear tinges of all three, paving the way for a brilliant track.

‘Heroine’ is the third single by Vice Killer, and it follows perfectly in the trail that their previous releases ‘Commonplace’ and ‘Alone in This World’ created. The song was recorded in Blast Studios Newcastle and produced by Alex McArthur. Written in 2020, during the global pandemic, it tells the story of a girl who attempts to reason and break down the people of power. It also questions the uncertainty of 2020, trying to escape and break free from the madness. 

In earnest, ‘heroine’ wouldn’t look out of place if it was released in the same frame of work as some of Alex Turner’s most prestigious pieces. It shares that same raw energy and passion that could only be likened to the Sheffield band, accompanying with it that addictive, mercurial attitude that filters through the vocal artillery.

Made up of Thomas Gilling, James Langan, Jack Langan and Lewis Muir, Vice Killers are certainly not a rock band that deserve to fly under the radar - put them on your “ones to watch” list for 2022.