Vulture : "Sentinels"

I recently reviewed the new Atrophy album which really rocked out, and made me want to check out what is going on with Thrash today. This German band is doing the opposite of what Atrophy did, they are looking back at the sounds of the past and paying homage to them. Most notably old "Haunting the Chapel" era Slayer with "Bonded By Blood" era Exodus. Complete with the falsetto yodels.  Where Atrophy was a band from that era that was blending the sounds of today's music to create something that felt more vital, than this band who in their opening song comes across like a tribute band. 

I can appreciate the fact that this singer has more personality than most and is pretty much hitting the notes. Where a band like Steel Panther does this thing as a joke, I think these guys are dead serious. They are not just embracing the cheese of the era, but worshipping it., If you are into guitar solos they have them coming out of their ears, and are every bit as cheese-laden as those from 1986. The sound of the 80s can be dialed in using the right equipment, slathering everything in big reverb. Writing songs as well as those bands is another story. There is almost a Scorpions or Aceept-like feel to "Realm of the Impaler". They might be on Metal Blade, but this feels more like Combat Records.  There is a cool harmonized guitar part that reminds me of early King Diamond. 

He is certainly an influence in how they approach the falsetto scream leading into "Draw Your Blades' . The taunt verse riff owes more to Megadeth. Thus the cross-breeding of the two makes Flotsam and Jetsam, especially in how the gang vocals are handled. "Where there's a Whip there's a Way" just kind of thrashes along a more generic path. There is a weird instrumental song, that is well executed, but confusing in what they are trying to accomplish with it. "Death Row" is more straightforward forward, Exodus worship. "Gargoyles" is a little darker, but mostly straightforward thrash, which is also where "Oathbreaker" falls, though it is marginally catchier. The last song has some of the best riffing, though the vocals follow more of an Exodus cadence. I will give this album an 8.5, which is more than generous given the derivative nature of what they do. Metal Blade drops this April 12th. 

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