Review: Vigilant - Oppression / Dramatic Surge | |||||||
|
|||||||
Oppression / Dramatic Surge | |||||||
Label: Vic Records Year released: 2023 Duration: 1:06:32 Tracks: 16 Genre: Thrash Metal Rating: Review online: December 23, 2023 Reviewed by: Michel Renaud |
Readers' Rating How do you rate this release? Rated 4/5 (80%) (2 Votes)
|
||||||
Review | |||||||
This is some obscure thrash from the Netherlands dating back to 1988-89. This compilation contains 16 tracks from two demos from 1988 and 1989, two tracks from the 1989 Metal Rocks compilation CD and some live and rehearsal performances. As usual with unearthed rarities released by Vic Records, the booklet contains extensive liner notes (as per the press release; I do not have the booklet). I can't think of a lot of technical thrash from the '80s, but this was one of the bands that dared. It is indeed technical and not nearly as fast and chaotic as most of the underground thrash from those years. With this being largely demo-level material, it sounds unrefined and kind of messy and the production is as DIY as it gets, so I found you need to put in some effort to appreciate the innards of the songs on offer and it took me a few listens to hear past the DIY hurdles and "get" the music. The vocals are closer to party thrash and some crossover bands, a bit out of sync with the technical music but not in a bad way, if that makes any sense. They sound off, but at the same time I don't think more controlled vocals would really have worked anyway. Lots of slow, melodic passages are to be found here, more so than you'd normally find in thrash. Even the thrash itself is not all that thrashy, often tiptoeing into rough heavy metal territory, though that guitar tone sure screams thrash. I wouldn't call this essential, but for those deep into underground thrash and want to hear something different, this compilation sure doesn't sound like everything else out there, and that alone makes it worth checking out. |
|||||||
Click below for more reviews | |||||||
Latest 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Various Books/Zines
|
The Metal Crypt - Crushing Posers Since 1999
Copyright © 1999-2024,
Michel Renaud / The Metal Crypt. All Rights Reserved.