The True Faith has never been a group that rests on their laurels. With a highly productive output since the groups inception in 2020, the Bostonian post-punk outfit returns with “In Vain” – the follow-up single to their critically-acclaimed sophomore album, “Go to Ground.”
Tapping again the creative mind of Ryan Santos Phillips as their producer, The True Faith has crafted a haunting track that shows a remarkable evolutionary depth from their pop-forward album released January 2023. “In Vain” is a song that creates a nostalgia-filled trip through the inner-workings of Travis Benson’s headspace. The song boasts a driving rhythm section that propels the song through the atmospheric noise of Quentin Moyer’s guitar and the hypnotic melodic theme that is carried throughout the recording. Expanding the group’s sound, bass player Dylan Kotliar finds a new role in piano, harnessing the refinement of the group’s sophistipop predecessors while retaining the edge that defines The True Faith’s songwriting.
Benson states “this song started off as a musical challenge to ourselves. After the recording of ‘Go to Ground,’ we wanted to find a way to highlight other aspects of our songwriting beyond that guitar-driven sound we’ve honed over the past several releases.” Characterizing the sound of the single, he says “the guitar track is a single riff that goes unchanged throughout the song. This allowed us to focus on how differences in the rhythm section can define and alter a melody.”
These elements create the perfect foundation for Benson’s impassioned vocals – cantillating feelings of reclusion and existential defeat. With the mastering expertise of Josh Bonati (Drab Majesty, Choir Boy), each component of “In Vain” cohesively coalesce to construct a despondent cry into the void that makes us wonder “why is it all in vain?”
Pressing info
- 28 copies on clear single-sided lathe cut 6" (Limited To One Records exclusive)
- 50 copies on Maxi CD
Recorded by The True Faith at House of God
Produced by Ryan Santos Phillips and The True Faith
Mixed by Ryan Santos Phillips at Lux Perpetua NYC
Mastered by Josh Bonati at Bonati Mastering
Artwork by Nyle Rosenbaum