Vagrants

When post-hardcore trio Vagrants sat down to begin work on their debut album,
there was no grand plan in place. The Pensacola, Florida band
–vocalist/guitarist Jose DelRio, guitarist Bryce Ballinger and drummer Anna Hayes–adopted a very
simple mantra: write the best songs they possibly could, and present an honest and
true representation of their band. And that’s exactly what Be Consumed–released
April 29 via Equal Vision Records–is. A thrilling collection of 10 emotionally-
charged, deeply personal and sonically vibrant songs, it’s a record that breathes
new life into the post-hardcore scene, showcasing a band operating with a true
belief in their craft.
Recorded during lockdown with producers Matt Goldman (Underoath, T
he Chariot)and Sam Guaiana (Silverstein, The Devil Wears Prada),
Be Consumed scales-up the promise of Vagrants’ 2019 EPSeparation
, broadening their sound and pushing their emotive brand of post-
hardcore into new and exciting directions. Anthemic single
“You Still Linger” offered an early taste of that power and what is contained
within Be Consumed. A song that, according to Jose, recounts his experiences with
depression and “the ghost on your shoulder that follows you around as you search
for closure,” it’s a fitting introduction to a record that tells of the Vagrants
frontman’s experiences with mental illness and trauma.
“Be Consumed was like trauma therapy for me,” Jose says. “It’s me working
through stuff I’ve been holding onto since childhood. The ori
ginal title we had for the record was What It Is To Love Is To Be Consumed
, and I think that summarizes what we’ve written about here. This album is about being consumed by your
emotions, by love and by depression; it’s about submitting to being hurt, lett
ing your guard down and putting yourself in harm’s way, because that’s the only way
to fully feel everything that love and life has to offer. I’ve felt consumed by my
anxieties and emotions in recent years, and
Be Consumed
reflects that.”
Wherever you look on Be Consumed, emotions run high. The title-track, for
instance, tells of the feeling of hitting rock bottom when consumed by depression.
The titanic “Aimless,” meanwhile, sees Jose, Bryce and Anna take a more
universal look at a world consumed by darkn
ess, and how, with every passing day,
we’re coming closer to destroying the planet we call home. “It’s about where we
are as a society,” Jose says. “It’s a nihilistic perspective on all the things that are
fucked up in the world
–deforestation, war, famine–
and how we’re collectively
turning a blind eye.”
Supporting these strong sentiments throughout
Be Consumed is a vivid musical
backdrop. According to Anna, Jose went down the rabbit hole during lockdown, as
Vagrants’ leader experimented with new textur
es, electronics and instruments
that could enhance the band’s sound. The result is a record with a beautiful sound
design, and for Jose, it’s allowed him to further define the bands sonics by fusing
the best of old and new. Be Consumed represents a beacon of belief for Vagrants, in both themselves and
the power of music to make a positive change. For Anna, it’s that belief that will
be driving them as the band unleash their debut album on the world.
“We’ve never worked harder than we have with Be Consumed, and that shows in
the quality of the record,” she concludes. “We pushed ourselves to the fullest,
grew our confidence and made something of which we’re all incredibly proud. And
there’s more to come from Vagrants yet.”