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VULTURE
Sentinels

Metal Blade (2024)
Rating: 8/10

Swooping back with fiery talons, German speedsters Vulture deliver their fourth full-length studio album with an excellent cover design by Guatemalan artist Mario López. As expected this is another razor-sharp release that mixes the dynamic steel of vintage Accept with the haste of Exciter. Vulture’s brand of speed metal is to the point but riddled with precise, glistening melodies too ensuring plenty of traditional segments.

Since the last outing, Dealin’ Death (2021), the guys have picked up the pace somewhat as showcased on the album’s lead single ‘Unhallowed & Forgotten’ with its maniacal axe work. What also interests me about the song is that it’s based on the Spanish Blind Dead horror movie series.

For more organic designs ‘Oathbreaker’ is homage to the vintage heavy metal roots especially with its Judas Priest-esque axe work. The record is littered with cool, infectious riffs – ‘Sentinels (Heavier Than Time)’ and ‘Draw Your Blades’ being prime examples where riffs just scorch. There are strong choruses too, a favourite being ‘Realm Of The Impaler’, while the speed metal fanatics among you will lap up the likes of ‘Death Row’ and ‘Screams From The Abattoir’.

Members L. Steeler (vocals), M. Outlaw (guitar), S. Castevet (guitar), A. Axetinctör (bass) and G. Deceiver (drums) between them create banshee wails, sniping solos, thunderous drums, hefty bass lines and twisted riffs; a sizzling cauldron that pops, boils and leaves serious burns.

Neil Arnold

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