siLLy puPPy
Given the fact that Vektor has won the increasingly finicky metal community over so unanimously means serious business considering metal bands are a dime a dozen this far into the 21st century where there are far more copycats than fertile imaginative product. It has occurred to me that surely there must be some band out there somewhere who would jump on the blackened thrash bandwagon in similar vein to what the Arizona tech thrash band has achieved so gracefully. Well it turns out that there is indeed an assembly line in the works out there. In this case coming from the fertile wine growing regions of Sienna, Italy, the tech thrash band VEXOVOID who despite copping their name from a Portal album (thus showing their allegiance in many forms to the tech thrash world) sound like a dead ringer for Vektor in almost every way right down to the sci-fi based themes and eerie space album cover artwork.
The band released only one EP “Heralds Of The Stars” in 2014 but recently released their first full length album CALL OF THE STARFORGER three years later. When i say this band sounds like Vektor, i’m not kidding in the least. This band has a PHD in Vektor-ology and has learned how to mimic every little nuance that the first V-band has developed over the years right down to Danny Brunelli’s imitation blood curdling vocal screams that nails David DiSanto’s signature style. Similarly the music is practically identical in compositional form and delivery. The caustic blackened tones delivered in a stampeding thrash gallop all point to Arizona’s top dogs is rather uncanny as VEXOVOID has all the chops to pull off all these technical antics off with ease. CALL OF THE STARFORGER not only incorporates all of the aggressive bombast in perfect mimicry but they carefully craft out atmospheric passages as well.
While i’m not keen on blatant ripoffs of other band’s styles, i have to admit that VEXOVOID matches their muse exceedingly well and even sounds like they could pull off a usurping of the throne if only they had developed this style first. While Vektor is without a doubt the primarily band of worship here, there are also nods to “Rust In Peace” era Megadeath as well as the true pioneers of sci-fi thrash Voivod. As i’m writing this review and listening to this album, i’m torn between being highly impressed with the outstanding musicianship that cranks out some of the best 21st century technical thrash apart from their heroes of worship Vektor themselves but i’m also left with a slight bad taste because it’s sorely lacking in any sort of original stamp whatsoever. So what i’m left with an impression that this band is physically ready for prime time but needs to have a few epiphanies in order to glean some inspiration or reflection on their own identity. Well worth hearing and recommended as an up and coming band that will hopefully find its own voice on its journey. It certainly is dripping with potential and a great listen if you can stomach such copycatism.