Vatican Vamps

Based on the resume of musical artist Nat Lort-Nelson, (formerly of The Bunny Gang) a multi-instrumentalist and prolific song-writer, you’d expect a rambunctious sound of punk, reggae and gospel in his solo career. Yet his endeavor as Vatican Vamps reflects slight glimmers of these past influences and will surprise you in ways you would least expect.

Nat writes a hybrid of alternative rock that includes all the energy and spirit of the orthodox. But don't be in a slump of nay-saying however, the spirit of the music does not condone a depressive or stagnate musical state. Rather, Vatican Vamps beautifully portrays life's emotions in an aerial trance of guitars alongside the sound of triumph over evil in the hard hitting rhythmic grooves of each song. Nat is joined by Genevieve Lort-Nelson, keys and vocals, Tim Gaskins, drums and vocals, Tim Miller, bass and vocals, and Tina Rea, synth, guitar, percussion and vocals to make Vatican Vamps.

Once the band was formed in late 2013 they set out to make a series of three EPs that explore the concepts of after life through alternative and experimental rock. The first album, Aokigahara, named after the infamous suicide forest in Japan and representing hell in the band's album series, mainly concentrates on dark lyrical content and songs that are musically heavy. The second EP released in April of 2015, Yggdrasil, was named after the tree that holds all nine realms of Norse cosmology together and represents heaven within the album series. The songs on Yggdrasil are lighter and more anthemic with bright and airy album art to contrast the dark and mysterious feel of the previous EP.

Gehenna, released in January 2018, rounds out the series to represent purgatory and is named after the modern day Valley of Hinnom outside of Jerusalem, which historically in Rabbinic literature and Christian scripture has been a place known to be cursed and where the wicked went to be punished. The music in this full-length album focuses on the ups and downs of life and its reality, whether it be joyous or difficult, that we carry inside of us every day. Gehenna's album production was a transatlantic process throughout 2016 and 2017 with Nat and Genevieve recording their instrumental tracks at small, home studios in Zaragoza. Spain and Manchester, England, while living abroad and the Tims and Tina recording with Nick Sullivan at Consonance Productions in Denver, Colorado. The album artwork is by Stephen Foodi out of Brixton, England (https://www.foodiclothing.com), album photography by Troy Rowe, the wonderful layout and typography by Scott McCormick (http://mccormickphotos.com) and mastering is by Jonathan Russell at Masterfonics in Nashville, Tennessee.