Volture - On The Edge (2013) [Gorgatz]

Volture - On The Edge (2013) [Gorgatz]



INFO:

Ever wonder what it would’ve been like being able to be in those dingy, grimey and sleazy clubs in 1985 when heavy metal was really starting to take off? Imagine seeing a bar full of leather, long hair and tight jeans … yea, yea, I know it must’ve been awesome, and I wish I was there for it too. However, unfortunately for me – and a lot of other people – we were not, but … there are bands like Volture that keep that same musical spirit alive and execute that tried and true blueprint so expertly that, well, even though we can’t witness the atmosphere we sure can understand what it must’ve sounded like.

Right off the bat the album explodes into frenzy, with a catchy mid paced riff that commands air guitar immediately. These sorts of riffs don’t relent throughout the course of the album either. Each song is chalk full of that trad-y goodness that lovers of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and the like will absolutely ooze over. They’re the sorts of riffs that bring you all the way back to when metal was simple and based around catchy hooks. Volture are experts at re-creating the magic of the classic Iron Maiden guitar harmonies mashed together with sleaziness and energy of metal days gone by. With that said, I find Volture to be at their strongest when they are at their highest speeds. Their slower songs tend to plod along without that same focused energy that their more vigorous brothers contain. Not that these passages are bad, per say, but they are definitely not at their best. However, ever single song – slower or faster – contains those massive hooks. I’d bet you a bottle of hairspray that you’ll have your air guitar out at least once per song. These songs just get etched into your brain and stay there just like good traditional metal should.

Another aspect of this album I really enjoyed was the production. Simply put, it’s gritty. It’s almost under-produced, but it still sounds professional. The guitars are dirty and that classic 80’s tone is there, but most importantly the bass is nice and audible in the mix. This was to be expected because Ryan Waste of Municipal Waste fame is on bass, and founded the band, but still, he sounds great and adds great depth to the record’s sound.

Now, there always is a downside to every great album. In Volture’s case, it’s the vocalist. It’s not that he’s bad, or his performance was awful on the album, quite the contrary, but, he tries too hard to be Bruce Dickenson. We get it pal, you love Maiden – we all love Maiden! There are times where it’s laughable at how close he emulates Dickenson, spin the song: “Brethern Of The Coast”. Then go and listen to “Ghost Of The Navigator” … yea, that’s what I thought. However, as same-y as he can get, his performance was great overall. His high pitched wails were on point, and had a strong enough range to command the songs when need be. This is a sign of a good vocalist, and that’s exactly what his performance describes!

Overall, this is a great record. On The Edge will appeal to the die-hards who crave that ridiculously old school metal sound. In that sense, there really aren’t too many bands that do it better than these guys. So, if you’re one of those do yourself a favour and grab this album and never long for the 80’s again!

T R A C K L I S T :

01. On The Edge -- 04:59
02. Ride The Nite -- 03:53
03. Desert Pursuit -- 03:41
04. Brethren Of The Coast -- 05:49
05. Hot Wired -- 03:55
06. Nightrance -- 03:33
07. Heat Seeker -- 04:00
08. Rock You Hard -- 03:55
09. Deep Dweller -- 04:44
Total time: 38:31

Bitrate: 320 k
Genre: Heavy
Subgenre: Hard Rock / Traditional Heavy Metal
Size: 89.31 MB

Credit Goes To Omeiht Of Rockbox