Artist Interview: Vial Talks Rage, Catharsis, and New Territories

Indie-Punk band Vial is bringing a new science to how the alternative music scene is defined. Coming together through the most unlikely of apps has sparked a reaction in the Minneapolis scene. It all started in an after-school music program when singer Taylor Kraemer met shredder KT Branscom. After detecting the musical chemistry between the two, they began to look for a drummer and turned to the unlikely candidate, Tinder. After swiping left and right, Taylor and KT came across drummer Katie Fischer, and “The rest is history.”

Their style is quite unique to other bands utilizing the conjunction between bedroom pop and punk, creating a musical style that appeals to those deep in the subculture and indie-music lovers. Thus making their work open for more emotional writing while creating the same emotional releases as Screamo.

Though the band formed through humble beginnings, their rise to fame was anything but such. With the release of their debut album “Loudmouth” in 2020, the band looked to create a way to forge connections with listeners in quarantine through the creation of Tik Toks. Though their viral content did produce quick hits of joy, the band was quick to describe their struggles with the speed of going viral. They shared how creating content began to feel less like a way to connect with audiences and more like a struggle against the algorithm, producing things they knew would do well instead of creating content they truly loved.

Photo by: @qiuliphotography

Though TikTok served its purpose through dopamine hits and a distraction during the horrors of the pandemic, Vial is enjoying the face-to-face aspect of performing and connecting with crowds in real-time, and they are doing a great job of it. Their “PissFest” show produced an impressive audience that knew every lyric and created a notable moshpit. Vial’s music is excellent, but their stage presence is even more remarkable. Whatever impact their music has on you, hearing it firsthand and feeling their energy is nothing short of emotional nirvana. Screams contrasted with lyrical phrasing in between describing the struggles of our society, subculture, and the Queer community creating an emotional release that is felt in shockwaves through any venue they grace.

Vial is an all-Queer band that continues to impact the scene, drawing attention to trans issues and demanding respect. Branscom stated, “As a non-binary person, I'm constantly looking for representation of my gender identity in music, art, and film,” and that they wanted to create that for younger people in the scene, as that was something the group did not see in the artistic media they experienced. Though the alternative scene in the Twin Cities has improved dramatically in recent years, there is still work to be done. 

Fischer wrote the song “Planet Drool” to describe their anger at the disrespect towards them and their bandmates in a scene that claims to be accepting. Eventually, it morphed into something more, an expression that Fischer described as “attempting to give a voice to people who don't usually get a voice or feel the need to quiet themselves in uncomfortable situations,” which is unfortunately a message many femme-presenting, POC, and Queer individuals can relate to.

Photo by: @julietfarmer

Consistent microaggressions colored an undertone at the beginning of the band’s career as they were placed as an opener long after gaining ground and used as a token in the scene. What may be small on its own snowballs into an indicator of more significant issues. Assumptions about who can write great music should not be made in a seemingly all-inclusive space. Branscom describes their frustration with the scene and industry in general by perfectly stating, “We shouldn't have had to claw our way to, like moderate success, to be respected, and to be heard and seen.”

Vial’s confidence and strength have allowed them to transcend petty insults, making them a beacon for a new generation of punks. In our interview, the band described how they have found their fans to be a supportive, kind, and polite community in contrast to some other alternative spaces. I witnessed this firsthand at their “PissFest” show; it is an energy that welcomes all in the scene.

Vial is continuing to claim territory, and with the release of their cover, “Territorial Pissings,” I couldn’t stop myself from asking what came next. All Kraemer could reveal was this:

“We’re in the studio. But if you read this, you can’t tell anybody else. But we recorded something.” 

So if you’re reading this, keep your lips sealed and wait for whatever is next to come for this promising and proven musical chemical phenomenon.