All right gang. Let’s tackle the elephant in the room first. Yes, Vesta is made up of three/fifths of the emo (how I hate that term) rock heroes in The Juliana Theory. Joshua Fiedler, Joshua Kosker, and Chad Monticue were central to the music and sound of their former band, so it’s natural to wonder if Vesta is simply TJT 2.0.

The short answer is: No.

I’m thrilled to report that Vesta stands firmly on its own two (or would that be eight?) legs. Now don’t get me wrong: I was (and still am) a huge fan of The Juliana Theory. When former lead singer Brett Detar recently announced that he’s working on compiling a TJT b-sides release, I was thrilled. But you also have to know when to let go. Band members grow, develop, and change. So I usually approach new projects from bands that have broken up with a certain level of excitement. In the best case scenarios, you get a group like At The Drive-In splintering into The Mars Volta and Sparta, two fantastic bands in their own right. Double the awesomeness…why complain about what might have been?

Which all brings us back to the reason why we’re here: Vesta. Yes, there are some sonic similarities to The Juliana Theory. That’s only natural when the majority of this band was the guitars and bass heartbeat of the Theory. But here’s the cool thing: in only seven songs (eight, if you get the hard copy of the EP), Vesta has managed to develop a sound and identity that is distinct from that former group.

This EP is packed with fantastic music of the brooding dance rock variety. Think Popularity-era Jonezetta or the darker cuts from Head Automatica. The rhythm section of bassist Monticue and drummer Justin Niedzwecki hit some seriously heavy grooves throughout, while the Joshes drive the entire affair with pulsating guitar lines. A couple of the tracks (“Big Bad Wolf” & “Bullet On A Thread”) move almost into a space rock vibe. Speaking of “Big Bad Wolf,” it’s one of my favorites of the whole EP. While it’s only a short instrumental interlude, it showcases a sound and direction that I hope Vesta continues to explore in their future work.

Lyrically, 0.1 Daylight’s Coming wrestles with the uncertain elements of life, whether it’s the call to mature as we grow older or the inevitable pitfalls in any relationship. There’s a sense of urgency that runs throughout, weaving in and out of the words and music. It’s a solid piece of art crafted in a compelling way…and a lot of fun to listen to.

Bottom line? Check out Vesta and better your life.