Speed Revolution

In the deep underground metal scene of Germany were hidden many great bands that no one knew of, especially outside the European territory. This was the case with the German speed metal band Vectom. Very little information is known about their background as well as the members of the band. They basically appeared in 1983, released two full-length records and then spit-up apparently in 1993. This is kind of unfortunate because they always lived in the obscurity and didn't benefit from great label support and promotion. Though, the amount of similar bands was absurd at this point, the band didn't innovate enough musically speaking. However, they still managed to release some material, despite dealing with those problems.

What we have here is the first album of Vectom titled "Speed Revolution". Some of you might tell yourself by looking at the cover art: "What the fuck is that?". Well this is understandable because no one really knows, but most people think that its some evil KKK guys dressed in black. I think these guys really tried to be offensive in their music, especially for a 1985 album, but this is what the shit was back then. Even though there are 10 songs on the record, it still only clocks at 35 minutes, and nearly all tracks average the 3 minutes of length. It tells a bit about the musical approach the band has taken.

The album begins with the self-titled track of the album, "Speed Revolution", with a creepy introduction until a guitar riff is unleashed accompanied by violent drumming blasts, which I really liked the sound. The chorus is pretty cool also, going simply, but efficiently by "Revolution!", it kind of feature the typical speed metal song structure. We also have the following "In Nomine Satanas" that doesn't bring much more to the table, but very intense drumming performance, and some sort of guitar solos, to say the least. I have a love/hate opinion about the third track "Damned Love" though, the main riff is killer, but the chorus doesn't sound that good for me at least, but still a good song whatsoever. The most memorable songs are definitely "Black Viper", "Satan's Colour" and "Open the Coffin" if you ask me. All three of these songs have a catchy as hell chorus, interesting melodic passages and nice solos as well as some unique vocals of Christian Bucher. He had a pretty nice voice tone and it fitted perfectly in this kind of raw speed metal with the semi-growling and high-pitched screams at times. One thing for sure, Vectom sounds exactly how German speed and thrash metal of the 80s is known for, their music can most likely be compared to other German bands such as Carrion, Necronomicon or Angel Dust. They also followed the evil and occult train of the mid-80s by adopting the satanic worship lyrics. However, they quickly changed their subjects in their second record and got better with their instruments too. Even though it's their first album, they still were talented musicians, they just didn't have the experience ... But one thing for sure, they had the will and ferocity. The "Speed Revolution" album production quality is really primitive, but still nice to listen too because we can actually hear all the instruments in the mix properly, the bass is especially interesting there, it will surely appeal to the people that are used to this kind of old school sound.

Overall, there's nothing really "original", but it doesn't mean that it's not great because in fact, this is a solid record and worthy of being among the great releases of German speed and thrash metal of the mid-80s. Maybe it's not as memorable or as good as the Sodom, Destruction and Kreator first records, but it definitely has it charm. I obviously recommend giving this album a chance, I am pretty sure that it can make some great headbanging moments, especially for fans of 80s old school metal that doesn't care about the sound quality, even if it's not bad in that particular case, for me at least.

Highlights :

Black Viper
Day of Execution
Open the Coffin
Satan's Colours
Speed Revolution

Vectom belonged to those German speed and thrash formations that never were appreciated by the indigenous metal press. The band was not very original, but this also applied for some of its more famous competitors. While following the rules of the sub genre, these technically competent debutants did not integrate foreign stylistic devices. They just delivered a generic thrash album. Better still, the band created a true jewel of Teutonic thrash that is often overlooked. I am talking of the opener of the B side, the fantastic "Black Viper". This ode to a seemingly very vicious snake was intriguing because of its highly dynamic guitar lines and the simple yet powerful and very precise drumming. The drilling riff of the sustainable chorus crowned the song, but the solo part also took no prisoners. This was refreshing speed / thrash metal in its purest form. (Call it speed or thrash, that made no difference back in 1986 - and I still see no reason to define it exactly.) Although "Black Viper" shined with an enormous degree of catchiness, it goes without saying that it was not commercially usable.

But "Speed Revolution" could not be reduced on its most outstanding highlight. Vectom had put together an attractive package of slicing riffs. For example, "Open the Coffin" pummeled you with its roaring main riff that built the backbone of the insistent chorus. Irrespective of the solid vocal performance, the same song served as a further example for the lyrical naivety of the juvenile German speed and thrash rebellion. "Open the coffin, the massacre begins, open it and cry / Open the coffin, black might comes out, open it and die". I really do not have any clue - what was the author trying to tell us? Anyway, lines like these were comprehensible for German teenagers and we were shouting them with enthusiasm. Once again, it became evident that simple lyrics were indissolubly linked with the first musical attempts of German thrash bands. However, the music was all that counted. In this respect, Vectom did not need to eschew the national and international competition. Further songs like the explosive "Satan´s Colors" and the viscous "Damned Love" support this statement.

The compact compositions came more or less straight to the point. Without being primitive in any way, they did not focus on complexity. Breaks and tempo changes were integrated, but the musicians used them in a very economical way. Instead of cultivating a dogma of maximum variety, the songs had a good flow. To its credit, the band did not bore the listener with half-baked fillers. Each and every of the ten numbers was solidly designed and their raw attitude could be compared with that of the early tunes of Destruction. But in contrast to Schmier and his hairy fellows, Vectom did not deliver slightly "scandalous" band photos. This might be a reason why the guys from Bavaria failed to reach the same level of attraction. In comparison with other metal groups, they were just too normal. The strange (and cheap looking) Ku Klux Klan cover did not work as a substitute for the absence of a provocative band appearance. However, the acceptably produced full-length was not able to start a revolution, but it showed a band with a good understanding of the then modern form of extreme metal. The songs of "Speed Revolution" still have the power to make fans of "Infernal Overkill" or "Hellish Crossfire" turn their heads and the album is definitely worth adding to their collections.

Down near the bottom of the massive pile of 80s German speed metal bands lay one of the most visually bizarre, yet sonically commonplace of outfits in Vectom. Their entry into the fray was certainly early enough for them to get a leg up on the competition, but despite having an extremely fast and reasonably competent sound, they've largely become a passing fancy of metal history buffs and are generally forgotten for the likes of Iron Angel and the longer lived and iconic Tankard, both of whom have a level of commonality with what occurs in this band's brief history. Nevertheless, credit should be given where credit is due, and despite not really having the most distinctive sound of the bunch, they do offer up an entertaining listening experience.

On some levels, Vectom's dark colored, Klansman-like exterior hides a pure thrash metal album by 1983 standards, as "Speed Revolution" definitely possesses a lot of the same NWOBHM inspired riffing elements that fueled "Kill Em' All" and "Show No Mercy". In fact, one can't help but hear a heavy degree of "Phantom Lord" screaming through the riffing on "Damned Love". Similarly, pretty much every song on here is chock full of high octane pentatonic shredding right out of the Kirk Hammett playbook, further solidifying this band's seeming obsession with being Germany's answer to Metallica 2 years prior. Yet at the same time, when hearing much of the leaner, meaner work on here, the same sort of high flying, blurring madness that typified much of "Show No Mercy" makes an impressive showing as well.

The one area where this album definitely retains its German national character is in the vocal department. While Christian Bucher isn't quite as nasty sounding as Schmier or Angelripper, elements of both factor into his gruff-drenched punk rock shouts. There's an occasional banshee wail that rests somewhere between the early glass shattering moments of Araya and Blitz Ellsworth 1983-86, but largely the vocal assault functions in a way more appropriate to the nastier side of things seized upon by the Teutonic Trio early on. Pretty much the only thing that keeps this album from attempting to compete with "Infernal Overkill" or "Endless Pain" is the overall sameness of the approach here (which is pretty substantial given how simplistic the former album is), as songs are generally interchangeable with each other.

What works in this album's favor is that it doesn't deviate from a tried and true formula, but it is ultimately that same sense of safeness meshed with a somewhat weak production sound (the guitar's sound distant and lacking in punch even when compared with thrash albums put out in 1983-84) that keeps this from being a truly essential listen. It's the sort of album that works well and is fun when its on, but it's tough to listen to without saying "Yeah, there's a riff that sounds a lot like early Metallica" or "Yep, there's a huge Slayer influence on that". Bucher's overt accent and the somewhat comical lyrics are also a pretty sizable stumbling block. But those who crave flash and speed may want to give this a try, for it definitely carries those things in abundance.

When the cover of your debut album consists of three inverse-KKK looking evil dudes with pointy black hoods, I feel a justification in expecting a lot, but a lot is not what Vectom deliver with their Speed Revolution, which might be more appropriately titled Speedbump Satan Revolution. By 1985 standards, surely the trails they blaze here would have felt more novel than today, but the sad fact is that this record doesn't hold up whatsoever. The riffs are extremely blase even by 80s standards, with fast rushing chords that do little else than drive the scruffy vocals of Christian Bucher, which are strangely enough the best thing going for this.

One thing I found pretty strange about Speed Revolution is the band's fascination with 'Satan' in just about the most generic means ever. They use his name in as many lyrics they can muster, so the album feels like some sort implausible Paradise Lost of thrash and speed metal. I suppose the three occultists with glowing eyes on the cover should have tipped me off, and I realize that the topic is quite common in extreme metal, but with Vectom, it feels a little forced. These guys have little to do with the devil, clearly, so when they're spouting out songs like "In Nomine Satanas" or "Satan's Colours", I just wasn't convinced. This isn't Slayer, closer to early Sodom in tone, but while the theme sufficed for Angelripper and his team, it feels artificial here. Fabricated. Nonetheless, the lyrics actually provide for some rather unintentional moments of humor on the album, and yeah, fight for Satan and all that.

When it comes to the actual riffing, I am most reminded of Tankard's Zombie Attack, though Vectom had the drop on that album. The two bands have the same fast, frolicking sense of fun in the compositions. I could very easily imagine Gerre singing over "Damned Love", "Open the Coffin", or "Too Fast for Hell", only Bucher does fine with it, his choppy accent and aggressive throat almost always the focus, as sloppy as they oft become. A few tunes like "Black Viper" and "Day of Execution" are more reminiscent of Destruction, but it's pretty much endlessly fast, with even the few slower riffs picking up to the same traipsing pace. The individual quality of the guitars is consistent, with Horst Gotz and Stefan Kroll occasionally pelting out brief flurries of leads ("Satan's Colours" has a decent, extended solo), but ultimately the construction just isn't there. No epic breakdowns or effective escalations into the chorus segment are found anywhere; it all just rambles along, with no surprises and no inspiring structures to speak of.

Certainly, Speed Revolution gives you that 'authentic' feeling found only through Germany in the 80s, but nostalgia is just not enough here to push it over the edge. No impetus whatsoever to ever listen to this over an Endless Pain, Zombie Attack or Obsessed by Cruelty, and totally no reason to pay attention when you had classics like Hell Awaits or Ride the Lightning coming out overseas. The cover image is pretty cool, the vocals sound good and abusive, but it all feels incredibly similar to an aircraft, all fueled up, which never leaves the runway. Nothing offensive or awful about it, but you're not going to pay to fly this baby off to thrash utopia when there were far better rides available.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

The mid 1980’s spawned a sub scene in thrash metal, namely speed metal. Germany was the main area for the genre which took its cue from Maiden and injected speed (obviously) and powering double bass drums. The scene was very severely limited due to the style the songs all took. However if it wasn’t for this scene I think many of today’s power metal combos wouldn’t exist. Speed Revolution may not be the best album of the genre but it has passion and sincerity which is often lacking in metal today. The album has a top heavy bass production compounded by some decent drum work, especially in the foot department. The guitar work, whilst basic, has a certain degree of melody which the band only spoils by trying too hard in the solos. The vocals are more down tuned than your typical thrash and speed metal as the group have tried to thrust a more demonic vocal style into the songs at times. The album treats us to a nice cheesy track (Loudness and Speed), which to be honest I find very enjoyable. Damned Love is different to the rest as it starts with a laboured double bass drum kick and rarely gets into the archetypal speed associated with the genre. Overall the album is worthy of the attention of any speed metal freak and is becoming quite difficult to find, but is definitely worth the effort.

ok, this album is exactly what it seems: Fast paced euro speed metal with all the typical lyrics of the time about satan, dying and all the like. It is pretty good and noteworthy for the fast and consistent bass drumming, but after a while can get on your nerves. Some standouts are 'open the coffin' 'the exterminator' and 'black viper'. I couldn't really break down every song because they are all basically the same, just speedy and frantic with some sloppy riffing here and there. Vocalist is pretty hoarse sounding and guitars are tuned way down. This isn't exactly a bad album, but at the same time it is nothing great or unique that would of changed the scene over there. All in all a pretty cool album that should be picked up by fans of this style of music, which was common on the label at the time.