Here's how VantaVoid's "Bloodline" helped CrankThatFrank move on
An artist with a need to create music outside what they’re most known for and a content creator discovering a new passion creates a force that is unstoppable and filled with passion. Such is VantaVoid, a new metal band created by MAKEOUT guitarist Tyler Young, and longtime YouTuber CrankThatFrank (Frank Gioia.) Kicking off the new year, with the third single, the duo are teaming up with Alternative Press to premiere their latest track.
After connecting on Twitter, the two released their first single together with “Drowning” in 2019. They later dropped a surprise “EP” in celebration of April Fool’s Day last year. Since then, they released their first single under VantaVoid with “Outcast” in July 2020, with “Burn” featuring Emmure‘s Frankie Palmeri.
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With a focus on personal struggles, the two deliver heavy breakdowns paired with emotional lyrics. Each verse takes you on its own journey before taking you back to choruses infused with engrossing rhythms. Check out the lyric video VantaVoid’s “Bloodline,” along with the inspiration behind the track and project below.
The journey to VantaVoid started with a tweet from Tyler Young asking for help writing metal music, which Frank Gioia responded to, from there, you dropped “Drowning.” What went into the decision behind making the collaborations an official project?
TYLER YOUNG: MAKEOUT was going through a transition with finding a new singer when I tweeted about wanting to write some heavy stuff, mostly as an outlet for me to get some frustrations out. I’ve always been a fan of heavier music along with pop and grew up playing in heavy bands before moving to the pop-punk world. Frank and I had connected when he did a reaction video to some MAKEOUT songs, so when he said he’d want to do vocals, I was like “Hell yea, let’s do it!” That first song we did eventually became “Drowning” and we ended up hitting the #1 spot on the iTunes metal charts! The release went so well and went way beyond our expectations. We knew we had something special, so we decided to turn it into a full-fledged project.
Tyler is known for being a guitarist in pop-punk outfit MAKEOUT and previously created metal music before teaming up with Frank, Meanwhile, Frank has been creating content on YouTube and other platforms for about 7 years. How have those experiences shaped the group?
YOUNG: I think the collaboration has been really awesome because we both bring different things to the table. I’ve been in the music industry world for a bit now so I’ve been helping Frank navigate through all of that, while Frank is a pro at content creation and fan interaction. We’re able to utilize the massive following that Frank has created for himself over the years, while not making the mistakes people generally make in the music industry while they’re first getting started. It’s really the best of both worlds coming together and I think it’s really contributed to the successes we’ve had during the short time we’ve been VantaVoid.
Like your previous releases, “Burn” and “Outcast,” “Bloodline” follows themes of drug addiction and the struggles that come with it. They’re all very personal. Has it ever been difficult to share your life like that to audiences? Have you ever feared sharing too many personal struggles?
FRANK GIOIA: Towards the end of when I was making YouTube videos, I essentially got to a point where I was hiding behind an exaggerated version of myself. I was in so much pain behind the scenes, but I didn’t want to show it to anyone. Having these songs to vent my struggles through wasn’t difficult, but cathartic. I felt like a huge weight was lifted from me after recording. “Bloodline” is a really emotionally heavy song that I hope resonates with people in some way. I thought there was no way out at the time, but now I’m happier than I’ve ever been. I think being vulnerable in music is a beautiful thing.
With how the rhythms are laid out, it feels like there are several time changes throughout the track between the verses and the choruses. It’s intricate and really keeps the listener’s attention. What was your process in writing the track and who took on the separate responsibilities?
YOUNG: The way our process works is that I will write all of the instrumentals for the song and then send them to Frank for him to write vocals. What’s nice though is that we’re always talking about song direction and where we want to go with the band as I’m creating new songs. With “Bloodline,” we knew we wanted to create a song that was a little bit more accessible than our previous releases. I really focused on making it melodic and leaving room for Frank to sing over, since we knew we wanted more singing than screaming on this one. In the end, I think we ended up with a really cool song!
The track is VantaVoid’s third single following “Burn” and “Outcast.” Can you share any details on what you have planned for 2021?
YOUNG: If there’s one thing the pandemic has been good for it’s been for sitting at home and recording music! At this point, I think we have somewhere between 15-20 songs written, so we’re currently working on plans to head into the studio and record some songs in the next couple of months. 2021 is going to be the year we really kick this into full gear, so be on the lookout for new releases from us in the near future!
