Vital

Anberlin | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 16, 2012)
• Original Release Date: 2012
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Universal Republic
• ASIN: B0094GW5TK
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (99 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,371 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Softpack,prints on uncoated side of board, Blind Embossing

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you. October 16, 2012

By Jenn

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've been listening to Anberlin since the ripe old age of 13 after hearing "Paperthin Hymn". I fell in love immediately with the rest of Never Take Friendship Personal and when Cities came out a few years later, oh, it was love at first listen. Of course, nothing could've ever lived up to Cities, but I did find a few songs I thoroughly enjoyed on New Surrender. With Dark is the Way, Light is a Place, not a single song stood out to me. "Down" earned a spot in my playlist rotation for a few months and was eventually deleted. Musically an improvement over its predecessors, it felt lacking in the incredibly deep and poetic lyrics that drew me to Anberlin. For any other band, it would've been a fine album. I would've been impressed. THIS is Anberlin, though. I was disappointed because I knew that they could do better- they already HAD done better! It was the most disappointing sort of regression from a band I consider one of my favorites, despite not really even listening to the sort of music they make anymore.

This all being said, I expected to be disappointed by any new releases, believing the band to be on a downward spiral. I had no clue that Vital was coming out before going to iTunes to check out another new release. I couldn't really just scroll down without checking it out so I did... And I was not disappointed. Actually, I was the opposite of disappointed- I was thrilled.

If you're believing this to be Cities 2.0, you're wrong. Cities was a breathtaking album that I still consider to be in my top 5 of all-time, but this is something completely different- and breathtaking in it's own right. Vital seems to take the best elements from each of Anberlin's last releases (some of the guitarwork from Blueprints, the lyrical genius from NTFP, the darkness of Cities, the positivity of New Surrender and the musicality of Dark is the Way) and throw those things into an album that's really not at all like anything they've ever done.

Did I say career high? This, coming from such a passionate fan of Cities? Yes. Whether it will replace Cities as a personal favorite is still TBD, but in terms of the output, it is fantastic. I have no qualms with Vital- not one.

Oh wait, I take that back- one qualm. "Unstable" not technically on the album? IT'S A CRIME- I would go as far as to say this is probably one of the best tracks Anberlin has ever done. If you buy the album on here, make sure to hurry on over to iTunes and purchase the bonus track "Unstable" ASAP.

However, I'm not going to hold that against Anberlin. Not with a record that is this outstanding (but really, make sure to get that track).

Stand-out tracks: While you can argue that really all of these are quite excellent (especially compared to the last album), "Self-Starter" was a fantastic way to start off the album, much in the same way that "Godspeed" and "Disappear" drew you into "Cities" and "New Surrender" respectively. "Someone Anyone" is ridiculously catchy and makes good use of the electronic elements so prominent in this album while simultaneously being an excellent rock track (guitars are EXCELLENT) AND being lyrically one of the best tracks on the album. "Orpheum" was absolutely fabulous- I loved the piano and Stephen Christian's voice is particularly striking. And while "God, Drugs and Sex" didn't stack up to the epic finales of albums past (though really, longtime Anberlin fans, is any album closer going to ever stack up to (*Fin) or "Dance Dance Christa Paffgen? Didn't think so), it is still a lovely track and Stephen's voice is just incredible. Compared to the rest of the album, it seems really stripped down and instead of being out of place, it just works.
-But really, "Unstable" is the standout track, despite being the bonus track that you can't even get on Amazon. Just wow.

This album is the reason I was so disappointed with Dark is the Way, Light is a Place- because this is exactly what they're capable of. This is not the Anberlin I stumbled upon at age 13 and I'm so glad it's not. They have grown, changed and matured and released this incredible piece of art that is truly a career landmark for them.

So thanks, Anberlin- the money I spent on this album, the time I spent listening to it (and will spend listening to it as it stays on constant rotation through my music library), the money I will inevitably spend when you come back around on tour... All SO worth it.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Vital is a Necessary Buy October 16, 2012

By Clifton Gardner

Format:MP3 Music|Amazon Verified Purchase

Anberlin has gone through a number of transitions in their sound over the years, and some have been very well-received by fans (such as the brooding emo-rock in "Cities"), and others have been unduly criticized (such as the wildly varied modern rock album "New Surrender"). But while each album has given us a different flavor of Anberlin's excellent melodic alternative rock, Stephen Christian's vocal work and lyricism has been it's sole defining characteristic. With "Vital," it's clear that the band wanted to make every element of the album their own - and they succeeded on every level.

Anberlin has never suffered for lack of great opening tracks, and "Self-Starter" is no exception. Exceptionally tasteful guitar riffs and synths pile up underneath a soaring vocal performance and relentless beat to kick off everything with an authoritative bang. The energy does not let up in "Little Tyrants," which, along with later track "Desires," makes for some of the heaviest material Anberlin has ever created - the former song even includes an impressively structured guitar solo. Some of the darker guitar screeches and booming bass sounds from their album "Cities" make their way into the synth-laden "Other Side" and the fast-paced "Orpheus." In an oddly refreshing twist, the band drops all physical instrumentation to back the ballad "Innocent" with nothing but electronic beats, synths, pads, and leads. Single "Someone Anyone" is as toe-tapping as they come, with a melody that can and will stick in your head. "Type Three" brings acoustic guitars into the mix, whereas "Intentions" brings an infectious synth-rock sound that would make the 80s blush with jealousy. Ultimately, Anberlin ends with the dark and plodding "God, Drugs, and Sex" in trademark epic fashion.

Lyrically, Anberlin trims the fat of previous works and keeps things palatable. The almost-universally-acclaimed "Cities" is bloated with overly pretentious lyrics about suicide, homicide, drugs, sex, divorce, and deception; and fortunately, Anberlin's "less is more" approach to Vital is relieving. They're thoughtful; they're often deep and quite mature. However, they fit seamlessly into Christian's fantastic melodic voice work, which is great - because the music is what makes this album so incredible.

What about the inevitable missteps in this album? There are none. At all. There are oceans of varying textures and nuances and subtleties from song to song, yet they all fit into an amazingly cohesive whole. This is the career-defining work for Anberlin, and firmly establishes them as a rock tour-de-force that should no longer be thought of as "that emo art-rock punkish thingy from Tooth and Nail" and should be thought of as what they are: exceptionally creative musicians making supremely well-crafted music.

Ten-Point Scale: 10.0 out of 10
Genre: Post-Hardcore Rock / Electronica
Objectionable Content: Minimal
Recommended: Most Highly

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Anberlin continues to evolve October 24, 2012

By ChoperPilot

Format:MP3 Music

This is fantastic record. This band evolves with each record, but they keep their style with each one. This is loaded with a slew of catchy, well-written songs. "Self-Starter" is a new instant hit, "Intentions" is a great club song, and "Modern Age" is an anthem-like song. But overall, this album is a solid from start to finish. The only other records this year I've heard that have this level of quality are "havoc and bright lights - alanis morissette", "southern air - yellow card", "a joyful noise - gossip" and "crave - for king and country."