With their debut single “Vice,” Glasgow’s heavyskint arrive not quietly, but with the unmistakable crash of a band who already know exactly who they are. Fresh off a run of sold-out shows and an increasingly loyal local following, the four-piece channel the chaotic electricity of their live performances into a track that feels both sharply crafted and deliberately unrestrained. Produced by Chris McCrory—known for his work with Catholic Action, Walt Disco, and Conscious Pilot—“Vice” balances melodic clarity with a raw, volatile edge. The song opens with a brooding spaciousness that hints at the band’s Pink Floyd–esque sense of atmosphere, before quickly erupting into the noisy guitars and desperate vocal peaks that have become their early trademark. By the time the chorus hits, it’s clear heavyskint are not dabbling in intensity; they live in it.
The band’s influences—Fontaines D.C., Wunderhorse, and late-90s alt-rock—are detectable but never derivative. Instead, heavyskint use that DNA as a springboard for their own confrontational style: moody, gritty, and emotionally charged. Frontman Jacob Hunter sounds like a man teetering on the edge, his vocal delivery carrying the kind of pressure that doesn’t need studio polish to feel real. In fact, one of his takes apparently led to a noise complaint from a neighbouring unit—unsurprising, given the track’s cathartic eruption. Guitarist Jamie Kelly describes “Vice” as the first song the band ever wrote together, and it shows—not in the sense of inexperience, but in the raw, unified instinct behind it. The recording even includes layers created by Kelly punching his guitar, a fitting testament to the band’s commitment to capturing the sheer physicality of their sound. “No guitars were harmed in the making of this track,” he insists, though the energy suggests otherwise.
What makes “Vice” so compelling is its sense of intent. For a debut, it’s remarkably assured—dark, spacious, and volatile, yet anchored by strong songwriting and a clear vision of what heavyskint want to be. It reads like a mission statement: big choruses, unfiltered emotion, and an atmosphere thick enough to taste. With a headline slot at King Tut’s on January 10th and an already devoted Glasgow fanbase, heavyskint feel less like a band just getting started and more like one already gathering momentum. “Vice” suggests there’s plenty more to come—and if this debut is any indication, the next chapter is going to be loud.
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