So when Germany’s Vulture hit the scene in 2017 with their debut The Guillotine, it probably should have come as no surprise that they came packing all the FUCKIN’ METAL you could possibly handle into their brand of retro-Speed n’ Thrash goodness – so much so that Metal Blade records wasted little time to add them to their roster for follow-up Ghastly Waves & Battered Graves, an album that saw the band honing their skills just a little bit more finely, and served to seal the band’s place in the upper echelon of this modern wave of traditional Thrash metal.

So you’re probably not expecting any big upheaval to the general Vulture formula for album number 3, right? You’re probably thinking you already have your opinion of this band and this brand of metal in general, and there’s probably nothing on this record that will change it one way or another, right? WELL GUESS WHAT, BUCK-O!

… You’re probably right.

But that’s not to say Dealin’ Death is just a copy-and-paste effort. While the classic Teutonic Thrash influences with healthy doses of Annihilator and Overkill are still on display, there’s undoubtedly a little bit more of a Traditional Heavy Metal-leaning flavor this time around, often giving off VERY King Diamond-like vibes, particularly on more mid-paced tracks like “Gorgon” and “Star-Crossed City,” and ESPECIALLY on “Below the Mausoleum,” which would sound right at home on Them or The Spider’s Lullabye. While generally I’m not a huge fan of saying a band sounds “more mature,” the stylistic approach does pull off that effect, helping to change the pace of their otherwise all-out assault and give them a little more depth, and it’s done so without taking away any of the band’s character.

But at the end of the day, the band’s focus is still centered on fast and furious riffs. “Malicious Souls” and “Flee the Phantom” show guitarists Mattes Outlaw and Stefan Castevet sharp as ever, keeping a blitzkrieg pace and trading off some really nice solo work that shows the depth of talent these guys are working with. Check the lead on the aforementioned “Below the Mausoleum” – it’s catchy as all get-out, and preludes one of the album’s better solo sections. Once again, credit is certainly due as well to the solid-as-steel rhythm duo of Andreas (Irön Kommander) Axtinctör and Gereon (Deceiver) Nikolay for laying down some great performances here – providing a fantastic backbone for the guitars and singer Leo Steeler’s trademark snarling vocals and falsetto screams to build upon. Speaking of which, I’m digging the slight uptick here on the album’s use of crowd-pleasing gang vocals, which will surely add even more to the band’s live performances (I’ve never seen them, but it seems like they’d be a blast). It doesn’t take very long at all before you find yourself singing along with “The Court of Caligula,” and the album’s title track, both of which are sure to become fan favorites in short order.

I’m finding myself compelled to just shut up at this point because really, any further analysis would just be an excuse to hear myself talk for a while longer (and nobody really needs that). If you were digging what Vulture were bringing to the table before – HUZZAH! You’re certainly gonna dig this. They’re still METAL AS FUCK, they’re still a ton of fun, and they’re still one of the most solid acts you’ll find in the genre.

Maybe things really are looking up? I know everyone had a shit 2020 – I won’t bore you with the personal details of my god-forsaken year – but while lots of folks have been ready to kick 2020 off a cliff and welcome the new year with open arms, I haven’t necessarily been so… optimistic. That being said, 2021 has barely gotten out the gate, and I’ve already got what I think is a viable candidate to make my year-end list.

If Alchemical Warefare from Alan “Nemtheanga” Averill’s (Primordial) side project Dread Soveriegn is a portent of things to come in 2021, maybe this year isn’t destined for the trash heap after all.

I don’t know what it is about side projects that so often end up working so well for me, but there’s no shortage of evidence that I REALLY like it when artists step away from their main gig to work on something else. Whether it’s Ryan Waste stepping away from the Municipal boys to put together criminally underrated Speed/Thrash outfit Bat, Patrick Jensen and Sharlee D’Angelo’s fantastic Witchery (honestly the best of all their collective band histories, in my honest opinion), or any number of other truly top-notch offerings throughout metal’s history, there’s obviously something to be said about really talented artists put together passion projects when they have the opportunity.

That all being said, while I’ve always been a big fan of Primordial, and specifically Nemtheanga’s truly unique vocal stylings, Dread Sovereign’s first two albums didn’t really hold my attention. They were fine offerings, but as I often find with a lot of doom metal projects, there just wasn’t quite enough to keep me interested throughout the entire experience. This may well be a personal shortcoming, but what can I say? My review, my opinion, buttercup.

This time around though, the iconic Irishman has injected a good dose of traditional heavy metal influences into his work, along with a touch of heavy-as-fuck, stoner-y Bison B.C. vibes here and there, and the end result is an album with a hell of a lot more variation and substance that fully grabs me by the throat and drags me along for the whole ride through sheer force of will. That’s not a complaint, I fucking love it. HARDER, DADDY!

While not a word often associated with doom metal, Alchemical Warfare has a real sense of urgency about it that really keeps things lively and exciting, two more words that, uh, don’t really go with doom. But nevermind that! After a heavy, building, Sabbath-like intro to “She Wolves of the Savage Season,” the band changes paces and really gets after it with upbeat, peppy riffs, and those unmistakable Nemtheanga vocals leading the way and commanding your attention. It’s an unexpected shot of adrenaline and really gets this album off to a proper start. The song goes out with a nice and slow, epic tail end that on prior albums might already have me feeling ready to move on to something else, but this time is a welcome change of pace that makes me want to see what’s next.

Follow-up “The Great Beast We Serve” really takes the traditional heavy metal influence and puts it center stage, providing a mighty, anthemic ode to the Dark Lord himself that’s uncomplicated, gets to the point, and sells itself very well without relying on too many frills. Great, fist-pumping riffs, a great hook, job done. Similarly, after a bit of a slow build, “Nature is the Devil’s Church” keeps unholy spirits high with a dirty, galloping riff, before really opening the taps with a legitimate rager that would get the darkest of demons whipped into a supernatural frenzy, and that’s before the band breaks things down with a nasty little break complete with chanting vocals and war-like pummeling drums that sound like some evil invocation of The Great Old Ones.

It’s on “Her Master’s Voice,” however, that Nemtheanga really puts his strengths, and indeed the band’s strengths on full display. He’s great throughout the album, but this is, without question, his vocal and songwriting highlight. I heard this song for the first time the week before Christmas, and the chorus has been stuck in my head ever since. The track has a more moody, classic doom vibe that carries into the atmospheric break on “Viral Tomb,” before the band kicks things back into gear with the driving “Devil’s Bane,” one of the album’s real headbangers. The band ends the album itself with the very Occult-y, chanting “Ruin Upon the Temple Mount,” calling to mind equal parts Melvins and Twilight of the Gods-era Bathory. Appropriate, given the band round things out with s spirited cover of Bathory’s “You Don’t Move Me (I don’t Give A Fuck),” a track recorded all the way back in June of 1983, but not released until 1992 on their first compilation album, Jubileum: Volume I. It’s for sure a unique and surprising choice for songs to cover from the legendary band, but pretty cool to bring up such an obscure track!

Given how much this kind of thing is usually so hit or miss for me, I’m very VERY pleasantly surprised to find how much of a hit this is for me. I’ve always wanted to get behind this project more, but my respect and love of Primordial and the high regard with which I hold Nemtheanga’s unique vocal talents have always left me wanting more from it. Now, I think I have the album that I’ve been waiting for from these guys, and I couldn’t be happier for it. Don’t be surprised if I mention it again in about 12 months.

So here we are with their newest output, Sun Eater, and these Arizonans appear to be in somewhat of an identity crisis. This album definitely takes much more of a tech-death/prog metal approach, and the results are somewhat mixed. It’s almost as if they are trying to reinvent themselves a la Fallujah or The Faceless, as the tone and prog sounding solos demonstrate on the first 2 tracks (as well as most of the following ones). They have definitely tried to go for more of an ambient style, and the breakdowns, so standard in the genre they helped define, are all but nonexistent and definitely not the main motif here at all (so some of you deathcore haters who are still reading might find something you like if you give this one a chance).

Part of the problem here those is the vocals of Jonny Davy, which bounce between the overly annoying raspy scream of 90% of deathcore bands out there, and a death growl that isn’t quite death metal but isn’t quite deathcore either; listen to the album and you’ll see what I mean. The aforementioned guitar work of Tony Sannicandro and Alan Glassman is definitely impressive, and the solid mixing job means the bass is present and the drumming of guest drummer Andy Walker makes its presence well known.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgXNlHH0I_U

Further adding to the prog feel is the fact that most of the tracks are quite longer than normal, with three of them going over the 6 minute mark. The best track of all, closer “Worming Nightfall”, is just flat out awesome. It’s a long, doomy, trudging track that shows the band can make a hit while they figure out which way they want to go with their sound.

And where will that sound be in the next few years? Who knows. Will they take an Opeth-ian turn and totally go off the map, or do they expound on one of the many facets that they have on display in Sun Eater? It will be worth keeping an eye on, as there is definitely some talent on display, the next step is where to focus it all.

A steady lineup, a steady label, no issues to distract from their goal, full length album number eight on Metal Blade in nearly fifteen years with the label. How does that translate? For those that thought the last several albums were a conscious attempt to soften their sound to attract a wider audience and therefore not harsh enough or worse still those that use the sellout word, Johan offers this, “A major change for us on this album was the sound and production. It was one of the main things we had discussed before going into the studio. We thought we needed to be a bit more aggressive and rougher than the previous two. We wanted a harder, tougher sound and I definitely think we got that.” Myself, I was never worried about it because the changes were gradual, not like, for example Rush’s change from progressive metal to arena rock, and because despite the softening of sound in the studio the harshness was maintained on stage. More brutality in the production room can’t be a bad thing however. Now that legions were swept into the fold with the past two efforts they can ramp up the intensity and keep most of the new fans because once again the shift is gradual. From the lyrics, “we’ll split their skulls and spill their guts upon the frozen ground.” No compromise there. Harshness is still there to a degree much higher than any mainstream death metal band, and I don’t mean in the lyrics alone.

Olavi masterfully delivers intensity through melodic lines in his compositions because he is never showing off. If it does not advance the mood of the song he does not do it. Intensity through melodic tension. His melodic lines set a mood instead of just picking off a series of high speed notes. Olavi and Johan complement each other well and in no way do they enter the power metal trap of dueling lead guitarists. Despite significantly more melody on this album they both hold the line of sacrificing individual glory for the power of the song. They pull off more melodies without seeming like the album as a whole is more melodic. It does not come across as listen to me strut. No fluff, no pointless solos, no spotlight pointed at them. “War of the Gods” has memorable riffs and eloquent melodic lines. In “Töck’s Taunt – Loke’s Treachery Part II” Johan’s guitar shines as bright as Olavi’s. I always like to see a member of the rhythm section craft a song. “Slaves of Fear” was written by the drummer, Fredrik, and the opening repeated riff will stick with you. It is not in “Pursuit of Vikings” territory but pretty damn memorable. One complaint, where’s Ted? I wish his bass was more prominent.

All the songs feature more complexity without losing sight of the mantra of extreme metal; more rage, more passion, more intensity. The melodic lines are more ominous, melding well with the crushing riffs. Not to beat a dead horse without putting its head on a pole, but I think the last two albums suffered in the production room, if suffered they did, not in the song writing department, and as stated by Johan, that has been addressed here, as is only fitting for an album dealing with a lord of chaos that intends to destroy all of the universe.

First an album for Odin, then an album for Thor, now an album for Frey. Frey is portrayed as he is, an immensely powerful battle god. It is Njordr’s son that faces the most powerful being in the worlds, not Thor or Odin. “The Last Stand of Frej” is a somber ballad Amon Amarth style and is a worthy successor to “Embrace the Endless Ocean.” Imagine going into battle knowing your survival is impossible and if you lose everything you hold precious will be destroyed. This song captures the hopelessness of Frey’s plight and the power behind his decision to sacrifice himself against Surtur in hope of savings the worlds. In the end Surtur lit the worlds aflame, Frey lost. The lyrics say;

“I am calm and ready to die
Everything around me burns
And I know that I will not survive
See him rise
From land of flames
Destruction is at hand,
It is time to make a stand
My death awaits, I have no fear
To this end my fate is bound
Though I’m doomed
I’ll stand my ground.”

Johan Hegg is the voice of Amon Amarth, and an enormous part of their sound. I would not like to imagine an album without him. “Wrath of the Norsemen” shows Johan’s harsher side in vocal delivery and despite what would be unintelligible for the uninitiated he pulls of grind intensity and no lyric sheet necessary simultaneously. Add to that “Töck’s Taunt” and the exceedingly low growl. I love the more vicious delivery of Johan’s youth, and like on all albums we get tastes of it throughout Surtur Rising as well. Also of note is “Live Without Regrets” and on the above mentioned “Wrath of the Norsemen” he screams, “NO ONE CAN SAVE ME! FROM THIS HORRIBLE DREAM! NO ONE CAN HEAR ME! OR MY HEARTRENDING SCREAMS!”

It is not unique to Tom Thiel’s artwork here, look for John Dollman’s example from a hundred years go, for example, but a personal gripe I’ve got is the portrayal of the Jotuns as huge humans. Jotun is generally translated as giant, but they are certainly not just oversized people. The emphasis is in otherness, on monstrous features. It is also true that gods and giants intermarry so at least some of them must be of comparable size. If there is some confusion over if one is a giant or god it is usually one’s actions that betray their race, not physical size. Surtur probably is of immense stature but of monstrous features as well as monstrous size. There are threats of marrying off someone to three headed giants. But back to the album.

Two songs deal with the teachings of Havamal, teachings of the high one. “War of the gods” deals with the war between the Aesir and Vanir, though there is debate over that interpretation. It seems to me more likely a war between the gods and giants that got confused in translation long ago and has been perpetuated that way. But anyhow, the theme to “Töck’s Taunt – Loke’s Treachery Part II” (I don’t have to tell where part one is) is that Loki betrays Frigg and dooms Baldr to Hel. And of course there are several songs about battle and glory. Two songs give opposing viewpoints on the monumental meeting of Surtur and Freyr, and the last song deals with honor and luck, build your own way through the one life you’ve got.

In “The Last Stand of Frej” Johan growls, “With all my strength I run the horn Deep into his eye…” He uses the same idea in “Destroyer of the Universe.” He is confusing two different battles. Frey killed Beli, another giant, with the antlers of a stag. Chalk it up to artistic license. Surtur still, in the end, lights the worlds on fire, destroying all that is.

“A Beast Am I” is told from the point of view of Fenris. Curiously at the end there is a pause followed by an acoustic assisted instrumental break that flows very well into the following track and makes me wonder if it is a mistake in track break location. It feels more appropriate as the beginning of “Doom Over Dead Men” than as the disjointed end of “A Beast am I.”

“Doom Over Dead Man” is doomdeath brilliance with their most complex composition to date. Complex, heartfelt, epic, somber. A nice orchestral presentation that does not, emphasis on not, come across as cheesy. To quote once more from the song;

“So I die but won’t be mourned
Broken and alone I wish that I were never born
So I die and won’t be missed
No rune stone will be raised
As my body rots away.”

Imagine going on a journey toward enlightenment, don’t get caught up in religious fervor and extremism, live your own way, do what is best for you and yours or the quotation above will apply to you.

Several other songs await your discovery. Get your mead cups ready, first round for Frey, second round for Johan, Olavi, Johan, Ted and Fredrik.

Taking a healthy dose of Slayer and Morbid Angel, God Dethroned forges a brand of death metal that’s catchy, fast, unrelentingly brutal and addictive. Just think of Bloody Blasphemy as contemporary death metal wrapped in the spirit of death metal’s formative years. Opener “Serpent King’s” expeditious start is nothing short of breathtaking. Jens’ masterful guitar work is reminiscent of the precision of thrash metal axemen yet it contains the brutality of death metal. On the same hand, “Nocturnal’s” venomous delivery is another exhaustive work of blistering guitar work and pummeling drumming, which, like “The Execution Protocol,” explains Euro-death metallers’ longing to exceed standards set on U.S. shores. For God Dethroned it couldn’t be truer than on “Boiling Blood.” More or less a homage to Slayer’s “Altar of Sacrifice” and Morbid Angel’s “Where the Slime Live,” the song displays the sort of craftsmanship and attention to detail that should land the band leagues of rapid fans if they’d only pay attention. It’s not clear if “Soul Capture 1562” will grant God Dethroned the fanbase it deserves, but for such a candid death metal band to compose an atmospheric piece (just call it a ballad) is worthy of praise.

Of all of the songs on Bloody Blasphemy, “Soul Capture 1562” stands out as a crowning achievement, for every blast beat and searing lyric is rendered mute to the song’s well-placed lead work and unexpected use of female vocals. Of course, things return to their demonic state in “Under the Golden Wings of Death.” Although, less forthright in its approach, the song displays slower sections that sound more at home on an Asphyx album than here. I guess it’s another way Henri and company are paying homage to hometown gods.

The remainder of the album contains moments of excellence (like the lead on “Firebreath”) that really don’t need to be expounded upon, but for what it’s worth, they travel along the same fiery trajectory as the album’s faster material. Simply put, Bloody Blasphemy is a death metal album for death metallers. Nothing more, nothing less.