Every once in a while, a band emerges with a sound that both draws from a wide range of influences, yet feels fresh in its execution. Such a band doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel necessarily, but is able to stand out from the pack because they are more than the sum of their influences, and infuse their sound with a new vitality and distinctive voice. Houston progressive group Vox Vocis are one such band, and in a few short years they’ve gone from making a splash in their local scene, to now embarking on their first nationwide tour.
The band has already undergone a marked sonic evolution since the release of their first EP in 2014. Their debut album, 2016’s In the Arms of the Sun, drew from iconic prog acts like Coheed and Cambria and Closure in Moscow to create a technical, yet hooky musical journey. Now, on their recently released follow-up album Star Meissa, they incorporate a more hook-driven direction while still retaining the musical ambition that first drew fans in. Lead single “St. Lawrence” is a perfect exemplification of this duality, as frontman Alex Vaquera’s soaring, soulful melodies recall some of the finest vocalists in the genre. Fans of I the Mighty and Emarosa (Bradley Walden era) will immediately find much to love.
If you enjoy what you hear, be sure to catch the band on tour at the dates listed below, follow them on Facebook, and purchase Star Meissa on Bandcamp!
(Photos by Deniz Davenport)
3/14 Las Vegas, NV – Eagle Aerie Hall
3/15 Pomona, CA – PBW*
3/16 Fresno, CA – Full Circle Brewing Company*
3/17 San Jose, CA – X Bar*
3/18 Sacramento, CA – Colonial Cafe*
3/20 Portland, OR – Eastside Bar & Grill
3/21 Seattle, WA – Hi-Fidelity Lounge
3/22 Olympia, WA – Le Voyeur
3/23 Clarkston, WA – Riverport Brewery
3/24 Salt Lake City, UT – The Loading Dock
3/25 Colorado Springs, CO – house show
3/27 Wichita, KS – Kirby’s Beer Store
3/28 Norman, OK – Red Brick Bar
3/29 Springfield, MO – Outland Bar
3/30 Cape Grandeau, MO – Mixing 10
3/31 Memphis, TN – Canvas
4/01 Cincinnatti, OH – Urban Artifact
4/02 Akron, OH – The Rialto Theatre
4/04 Pittsburgh, PA – Howler’s Coyote Cafe
4/05 Charleston, WV – The Empty Glass
4/07 Jacksonville, FL – Rain Dogs
4/08 Orlando, FL – Henro Contemporary Center
4/10 New Orleans, LA – Gasa Gaza
4/11 Baton Rouge, LA – 524 Studios
4/12 Ft. Worth, TX – The Rail Club
4/13 Houston, TX – Houston Undrgrnd (with Closure In Moscow)
4/14 Denton, TX – House of God
*Joined by Demon In Me
