The German king’s Vulture are back with another axe swing of old-school thrash metal!
Since forming in 2015 Vulture has quickly become one of the best bands keeping that 80s spirit alive within the metal landscape. Brandishing their very bloodthirst style of heavy metal & thrash, with influences such as the classic groups like Slayer, Exodus & Metallica.
Now with their fourth album “Sentinels” the band seems to be at their most focused & ready to ride into battle!
Guitarist Stefan Castevet states “It started with the songwriting, where we took more time than usual. We recorded three demos with numerous songs, which we also produced to the best of our ability. This gave us the chance to let our songs sink in as relatively final versions so that we could then choose the best pieces and – at least in part – rework them again.”
And right from the album’s opener “Screams from the Abattoir” the band feel tighter & more precise. No boring intro here, straight in with a thunderous drum fill before the band unleash hell. The fast-paced & frenetic riff of the track still has little motifs that stand out well even with the frantic speed of the track. Vocalist L. Steelers classic high register is firmly in place & just as epic as ever. The use of multi-track different tones helps thicken out the sound & give it the power it deserves.
G. Deceiver gets to show how great of a drum sound they captured on the album as “Unhallowed & Forgotten” cracks open. Pounding constant d-beat style drumming before swinging into the fist-pumping chorus.
S. Castevet & M. Outlaw’s guitar work is truly spectacular. Their right hands are unleashed while their fret fingers are precise & technically creating some of the best lead playing & catchy riffs in thrash metal currently. This one is a truly fast-paced anthem that has a great build to the bridge that lets off for just a moment before capping off the song in perfect heavy metal fashion.
With a huge stomper “Draw Your Blades” is a real height of the album. Opening with a bombastic thud & setting the tone of the track might be a slightly more midspaced track but for me, its tempo helps it keep it chunky riffing hard & heavy. A perfect mix of Venom & Celtic Frost this track drips a bit more ooze than the other shiny & sharp tracks & gives a nice fist-throwing track that will make the Neanderthal like myself happy.
On the second half of the album “Der Tod Trägt Schwarzes Leder” a track that helps show the band’s true talent with a soft & sultry opening.
I don’t like to throw the term epic around a lot but this track is it. Using female vocal melodies to help build the ambience. Now this might only be a nice interlude track that segways into the next track “Death Row” but please don’t overlook this track as it’s truly stunning.
Now as the album closes out with the title track “Sentinels (Heavier Than Time)” the band have built up to this. The longest track on the album but it earns its time. Opening with a huge arse riff that will have you headbanging & raging from the bat is a great signing. With syncopated chugging & a thick backbeat, this track is staunch & bold.
The track feels like a new anthem for the group & would be a fantastic live track that will have the crowd singing along to every word.
Also as the track builds to its bridge it has one of the heaviest breakdown sections I’ve heard in Thrash for a while. Invoking a Master Of Puppets style chugging before everything falls out & gives one last moment of spookiness & atmosphere to the track before closing out the whole record on a very high note.
Now when it comes to the traditional heavy metal & thrash sound I can be picky. Some bands might have all the riffs but I need balls & punch behind those riffs & that’s what Vulture gives to you in bucket loads.
These guys are the cream of the crop when it comes to merging the heaviness of say Slayer & Keator with the songwriting & memorable moments of Metallica & Razor. “Sentinels” has that perfect blend of heavy & catchy which is a rare find. A truly top-notch album & one I will be revisiting a TON!
Sentinels is out via Metal Blade Records on 12th April 2024
Review: Joseph Mitchell
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