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VOLTURE
On The Edge

High Roller (2013)
Rating: 6.5/10

As a side project, Virginia’s Volture are quite a scintillating little band. Those not in the know will be quite pleased to note that this quartet is the brainchild of Municipal Waste bassist Ryan Waste and former Cannabis Corpse guitarist Nick Poulos. And no, before you start thinking this is another retro thrash band, you’re wrong – although retro does very much play its part in this offering. Volture play straight-up, balls to the wall, fist-pounding beer and biker-fuelled metal.

These guys have actually been around since 2008, but On The Edge is their debut full-length platter and boasts nine tracks of molten heavy metal. The compositions borrow heavily from early 80s NWOBHM with those driving, almost no frills riffs and clear, yet blazing vocals from Jack Bauer – who recently replaced frontman Brent Hubbard – the result being a traditional heavy metal record which should please fans of similar revivalists such as White Wizzard.

There’s nothing overtly fancy about Volture, but they are one of the better bands to reinvent the wheel. At times they also bring to mind the fiery haze of Sweden’s Enforcer, such is their nightly prowess. Vocally, it’s a rather archetypal, warrior-styled wail that is accompanied by a series of blazing solos and catchy riffs that you’ve probably heard a million times before, but I doubt very much these denim-clad guys are worried about the regression.

Volture have set out their stall to play up-beat metal and nothing more, and this is highlighted with tracks such as ‘Ride The Nite’, with its clichéd lyrics and formulaic structures. It’s good fun while it lasts, though. The same could also be said for the mediocre blaze of ‘Desert Pursuit’ and the mid-tempo burn of ‘Brethren Of The Coast’. The latter boasts a simmering guitar, bass and drum introduction, an introduction which leads us to a folky march before casting all restraints aside to become a full on headbanger.

On The Edge, despite its beery nature, certainly won’t stand the test of time due to its countless retro steals. Thankfully, however, the guys involved – including drummer Barry Cover and rhythm guitarist Dave Boyd – have become veterans somewhat within the scene, and clearly have the knowledge and metal blood to make this debut album a genuine trip back in time.

Volture are not an annoying mimic of a band like so many others, and this record certainly wouldn’t seem out of place amongst those countless creaky records from 20 or so years previous. Volture really come up trumps with hard-edge rockers such as ‘Hot Wired’ and the frothing ‘Nightrance’, while ‘Rock You Hard’ is another of those sweaty stage anthems bordering on hair metal wildness with its formulaic lyrics.

While On The Edge failed to take me over the precipice, it’s still a good time rock ’n’ roll record that’ll have you breaking free of the chains for one last bedroom party.

Neil Arnold

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