Much like the rest of Latin America, the Venezuelan indie scene has also been stepping up their game to become an emerging authority in all things rock, with established acts like La Vida Bohème and emerging ones like the feisty punk Roy Valentín. Now, Puerto de la Cruz’s Da Vianda joins the club with their recently released homonymous EP (free to download).
The band—comprised of Martín Bello, Jesús Álvarez, Gennaro Di Luca, and Alejandro Arévalo—have been on the national circuit since 2012, touring and gaining some love from the music press. It’s not undeserved because they’re a group of highly skilled musicians who have crafted a mixture between ’90s So-Cal punk and Latin American greats like Bohemia Suburbana and Vaquero. With a clean production and some pretty cool guitar riffs, Da Vianda’s first effort might get your heart going and your mind reminiscing. Yet, it’s too polished to make a dent. For all the angst (and also fun) that the record carries, it comes off safe. Da Vianda could’ve taken the opportunity to turn the genre on its head and bring some new elements to an established sound, but, somehow, they missed the mark.
That said, “Galería,” their first single off the record, is one of the best songs, with Di Luca’s angsty growl shining through. You can check out “Galería” and download the rest of the EP up on their bandcamp.