Review

Viet Cong – S/T

Born out of the acrimonious dissolution of beloved Calgary art-rock band Women and inspired by the subsequent, sudden death of Women guitarist Chris Reimer, Viet Cong counts Women vocalist/bassist Matt Flegel and drummer Mike Wallace among its ranks. While the world first weathered their tempestuous tuneage on a tour-only cassette released in 2013, Viet Cong represents the band’s proper debut. Its cover adorned with a set of hands cutting bandages off another, the album underneath reveals the remnants of countless healed and healing wounds, manifested through jagged guitars, propulsive rhythms, celestial synths and howls, all flush with anger and joy and life. ‘Hope springs eternal’, as Alexander Pope put it, and why not, when man is blessed with such vivid and vital art as this?