ALBUM REVIEW: Vulture – Dealin’ Death

German Speed Metallers VULTURE are back with their 3rd album of high-octane fury. Out via Metal Blade Records and Dying Victims Productions on May 21st.

Tranquil acoustic guitars begin the record with a sombre melody that is joined by some orchestration to add a feeling of something epic but dangerous lurking ahead. A whammy dive erupts into triumphantly soaring riffs and pounding drums with memorable melodies to kick us right into a blistering Speed Metal frenzy alongside some insane vocals of pure molten steel. The violent instrumentals are spiced with flourishes of lead work to add some technical flare to the more Voivodian riffs while primal thrashing onslaughts remain the main focus of the axe-wielders and skin-beater. Clearly these Teutonic savages have an excellent command of their skills which does not exclude the powerful vocalist whose range varies from thrashing snarls to bestial grunts and those piercing shrieks, certainly giving plenty to admire alongside the riff-artillery and pulverising beats. Vulture have made one hell of an entrance.

Relentless and unwieldy, these sonic swordsmen do not halt in their deliverance of pure old school Metal madness, offering a tight and catchy range of songs that develop gloriously in a way that revitalises and reinvigorates the titans of old. Thought clearly drawing inspiration from the classic bands of the 80s, Vulture have plenty of their own personality and passion injected into this wailing inferno of high-octane assaults that allow them to easily stand out as mighty Metal merchants. Each track has its own rise the triumph before diving into the depths of hell with a potent array of excellent execution from the entire band. From the anthemic vocals to the soloing and crushing riffs to the diverse drum work, there is no weak link the this chain.

As we draw towards the later moments of the record, fear not, the dynamics and energy do not weaken. The music is unfaltering through to the last moments, making one want to blast this album again and again. In recent years we have seen many phenomenal acts bring the old ways into the 21st century and Vulture certainly deserve to join the ranks of bands whom do this in a refreshing and exciting manner while not losing any of the drive they started out with. Balancing ripping aggression, anthemic moments and a healthy dose of old school sleaze, this album has everything it needs to be a killer experience and more with the solos standing out so gloriously, drums that do not become dull and vocals that are utterly maniacal (in many directions). All of this orbits a stoic core of ferocious riffing and thunder-striking bass lines that allow the band to forge forward with no weakness and emboldened spirit. From start to end, this is blistering Heavy Metal traditionalism that stays relevant and demands respect without pretence.

A monolithic album of Heavy Metal magnificence that will enchant all headbangers that wish to embrace days yonder while having a renewed touch to things. Vulture know how to harness the old ways without being overly derivative, very likely due to the obviously huge passion that goes into crafting their songs alongside top-tier musicianship that captures the primal Speed Metal spirit while giving it a soaring performance that is unmissable.