My Vitriol: Back For Good?

By 2002, London four-piece My Vitriol had achieved top 40 success with their debut album Finelines and the three singles it spawned. Effortlessly attuned, as they were, to the primal post-hardcore of Deftones and the shoegaze aesthetic of Slowdive, they found success despite being at odds with the overblown nu-metal scene of the day. Over the course of three years they toured solidly and went on to make a dent on America while becoming a firm favourite at home. Hell, they even appeared on Top of The Pops. With such accomplishments under their belt, it was no surprise that their steady following was left utterly puzzled when guitarist and vocalist Som Wardner announced the band’s decision to take an indefinite hiatus.

Six years later, and the band – minus original bassist Carolyn Bannister – have re-emerged, having embarked on a last minute UK tour at the end of last year. Despite a physically painful beginning to the dates – front man Som Wardner was hit with a self-proclaimed ‘double whammy’ during the tour, including an ever-worsening flu that caused him severe difficulty hearing and even singing – it seems like an achievement for the band to even get back to this point. But what inspired their lengthy hiatus in the first place? "Well basically, I guess it was just a case of too much too soon for the band," offers Wardner. "We were very young and we basically ended up doing things we never thought we’d do in like a year of being together, like Top Of The Pops. We didn’t even really know each other that well!"

For an unsigned band attracting keen radio and label interest – which in itself was rare at that time for a band often dubbed as being ‘too heavy’– it isn’t hard to imagine saying yes to any chance at success, as Wardner recounts: "We were just so fortunate to have these opportunities, we weren’t gonna be like, 'hang on a minute, just give us a couple of years to sort ourselves out' [laughs]. You’ve got to take these opportunities whenever you can in life, so we went for it. But that wasn’t without its stress. So after three years of constant touring I was fried, and I just sort of said 'I’m not enjoying this anymore'. It got to a point where it turned into a job."

With such a relentless slew of new bands in recent years, it seems many would love this to be their job, at any cost. But in the case of My Vitriol, the personal enjoyment and passion took priority. "I had to sit the guys down and say 'look, let’s be bold. Let’s only do this, like we promised, if we really want to. There’s no point in us making a second album for the sake of being on time and rushing it for it to be shit, and for us to just regret it and for the fans to lose faith in us.' It wasn’t the right thing to do."

In the wake of this decision, where did that leave the band? "Well, basically, years ticked by (laughs), and I think I found myself having a life again. Once I got off that treadmill I enjoyed myself for a while, and I guess I needed something to write about. Otherwise every other song would be called ‘On the Road Again.’’’ Like anyone taking a breather, there is the lingering temptation to keep things the way they are, and perhaps never go back, but despite the decision to stall – rather than split – was there always the intention of getting the band back together? "Until we felt we were ready, it was not worth regrouping. Time ticked on and we all started to miss My Vitriol. So, we decided to do a one off show at Koko and it sold out. It was rusty, but it was great. That was the starting point I guess."

A few further secret shows have once again ignited interest in the band, prompting a full rebirth. Following a limited EP, the band are left hounded with the inevitable cries of “how about that elusive second album?” Wardner still stresses the importance of getting it right. "We keep getting asked that, but no one’s buying albums these days!" There seems to be no shortage of material though and with 30 songs ready and waiting, it’s just a question of how. "We’ve talked about doing it for free, or doing a physical release with special packaging, or even vinyl. Vinyl does really well these days."

Well, however they choose to play it and whatever the format, many will surely welcome the band’s return. Whether they're truly willing to climb the ladder back to their former stature and beyond remains another story entirely. But we'll be watching.