Vampire

Vampire is one of those obvious-monikered sorts of bands that comes around every few years and then offers a refreshing 'reset' on the style that they perform, almost like they've gone back to the basics, stripped away a lot of the distractions and bad trajectories that other bands have gone down, and then throttle fucking ass. Like a Ghost. Or Midnight. In the case of these Swedes, they exist on a crossroads of the black/thrash niche that has become so popular again in these last 10-15 years, and the more traditional Swede black metal penchants for great melodies. Even beyond that, they offer a bit more of a horror-influenced mindset through their wicked note choices and occasional atmospheric relishes, and the lyrics, all of which live up quite well to their name and artwork.

All three of their full-lengths to date, as well as their Cimmerian Shade EP, have been wonderful, but it's the eponymous debut which remains my favorite due to the songwriting, and just the realization that dawned on me when listening through this that something great was happening. In fact, I recall writing about this one already for my friend's Codex Obscurum dead-tree zine under my human name, but it bears revisiting because it's a really awesome rush of these concepts. Whip-nasty riffing force glazed in eerily melodic little guitars and dissonant hooks dominates much of the material like "Howl from the Coffin", and here they do fall under some familiar patterns, but it's all the little details that matter, like the wildly different breakdowns in that particular song, which came at me totally unexpected. The raucous vocals here are absolutely wild, on the surface an uncaring rasp, but the mix of it with the reverb and sustained lines are absolutely perfect. These guys manage to pay tribute to all of the acts that formed their sound, from Hellhammer to Venom to the German thrash titans, but they splash on an added coat of vile, blackened paint.

All the songs are great, but my personal favorite in their entire canon is "The Fen", which begins will chilly acoustics and atmosphere that makes you feel like you're out on a moor under the moonlight, and then just erupts into some incredible 80s Slayer or Possessed-worthy riffing, and then this drudging little break which feels like you're repeatedly getting struck by some bog mummy with a hammer. This is just awesome horror metal all around because it actually sounds threatening, rather than just merely talking the talk. The song titles are also just incredible..."Ungodly Warlock"? "Cellar Grave Vampire"? "Jaws of the Unknown"? "At Midnight I'll Posses Your Corpse"? Everything fits to the music so thematically. Interestingly enough, while this is an excellent album (and so are its successors), I still feel like there's a good room for growth...not every lick is as catchy or evil as it could be, and I can only imagine how impressive it will be if they rise to that challenge. Fantastic debut that I enjoyed to begin with, but has definitely grown on me since I reviewed it that last time. If you're into any of the awesome current wave of death/thrash or black/thrash coming out of both sides of the pond, or even if you find yourself stuck in the 90s Swedish black metal, you want this. You do!

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

Here it is, the debut album of Sweden's infamous Vampire. I was pleasantly surprised when they signed to Century Media since I was one of those who did not get the demo from 2012. What we have here is ten tracks of thrashing and simple death metal, but at some points showing some very interesting ideas come forth. By that I am talking about acoustic guitars and even piano samples.

But as for the most part this record follows a very traditional approach with 1980s styled thrash metal riffs accompanied by two-beat drumming and rumbling bass. As far as singing goes "Hand of Doom" delivers fantastic screamed growls that give the album a haunting presence throughout the record. When come to think about it, this album does not sound typically "Swedish" actually. It has much more in common with Brazilian Sepultura in terms of song structures and riffing than for example Entombed. The drums are pounding through every song and there is not a single slow track on here so the risk for boredom should be quite low I would say

Since the demo cassette of 2012 were extremely roughly recorded and produced, all of those songs that we here again on the album does not sound most interesting. For me, I prefer that underground 'necro' sound to those songs. But these guys do show us that they had more in stock than just a demo. I love the playfulness of tracks such as "Cellar Grave Vampire" and the simplicity, yet catchiness of "Jaws of the Unknown". If we are to talk about the surprises that the album do have, it is the eighth song "The Fen" which shows off both dormant acoustic guitars as well as it is thrashing and roaring its way forward. The last track "Under the Grudge" is a future classic in my opinion, always remembered by that gloomy piano ending the track abruptly and in total darkness

Overall it is a solid release that even possesses a melodic touch from the guitars from time to time and is possibly one of the greatest death metal records to be released in Sweden so far in this decade.

Vampire are a Swedish old school death metal act, but a rather interesting one, at that. While their peers are generally focused on reviving the HM-2 driven brutality found on Carnage, Entombed, & Dismember albums, Vampire take things a step further, drawing the listener back to 1987, where "Scream Bloody Gore" & "Under the Sign of the Black Mark" proved the benchmark for what would later be seen as death & black metal (respectively). And it works very well, indeed! The band manages to unleash some very wicked and brutal riffs, with vocalist Hand of Doom's growls bearing a striking resemblance to death metal's father himself - Chuck Schuldiner. At the same time, however, one would be a fool to think that this is "just another worship act", solely intent on conjuring the ghost of 80's death metal. There's a very particular vibe & atmosphere behind this release, what one might call a "folk horror" atmosphere, which brings to mind the forest by nightfall, which is reflected in the dark, horror-themed lyrics which aren't afraid to use such tropes as "old abandoned houses deep in the woods" & "the unholy evil book". Classic horror characters also make an appearance...ghouls, warlocks, demons, octopuses, and believe it or not (brace yourself...), fucking vampires.

It's all rather awesome. I was intrigued right from the get-go, but after having a few months to allow the album to fully sink in, I've grown to really love this album. The production excels both in clarity and atmosphere, allowing each instrument to be equally powerful, but giving them a very strong and organic sense (which is saying a lot for a death metal album in 2014), a sense of "life" (or death?). The guitars have a very strong, old-school feel to them, and the vocals are very gritty and raw (not a long-shot from the Obliteration vocalist's growls). I might complain that there is just a bit too much reverb on them, but at times I feel that this actually helps the album's overall atmosphere of mystery and darkness.

Musically, the listener will be reminded of early Death & early Bathory, along with the likes of "Altars..."-era Morbid Angel. That is, very thrashy, brutal music that is also exceptionally evil (and surprisingly catchy). "Ungodly Warlock" has a very, very memorable and catchy chorus, while others like "The Fen" and "Under the Grudge" show some truly exceptional riff-work, with the latter being one of the best on the entire album. At some moments, the listener will be reminded of "Slowly We Rot"-era Obituary ("Howl from the Coffin") or the work of Celtic Frost ("Jaws of the Unknown", which even has Tom's infamous "OOOMPH!" at one point), but through all of this, the band manages to keep a core sound intact, and more than anyone they sound like VAMPIRE.

The band's utilization of atmosphere is also something to be taken note of. If you have any doubts, check out "The Bestial Abyss", which features a surprisingly melodic outro that is one of the most emotional outros I've heard all year. "The Fen" begins with a full-band folk hoedown before the band breaks into one of the most powerful riffs this album has to offer. And perhaps most notable, is the eerie piano outro that sends off the album's most memorable (and closing) track, "Under the Grudge". The piano piece in and of itself is haunting enough, without the eerie whispers that can be discerned behind it. While small and short, on the grander scale I think the inclusion of these little pieces has managed to help Vampire stand out from their peers. Combined with the mysterious lyrical content, as well as the more subtle production (and let's not forget the album cover!), I feel like these guys are much more than "just another band". They've got their own sound and identity, and I'm very excited to see where the band is able to take this for future albums.

The endless sea of retro death metal is vast and harsh. Most bands will sink and leave little impact, a few manage to stay afloat and even fewer manage to rise and truly leave their mark on a nowadays rather saturated scene. Vampire’s 2012 demo caused quite some stir in the underground amongst retro death enthusiasts slowly building up a hype telling that Vampire was destined to belong to those who rise from the sea.

On their self-titled debut full-length Vampire treats us with a solid slab of music bordering to ‘Bonded by Blood’-styled primitive thrash and 80’s death metal in the veins of ‘Scream Bloody Gore’. Imagine Repugnant’s and Tribulation’s debut full-lengths with the occasional Autopsy-styled horror riff and you’re on the right track. It is simple and primitive with straightforward catchy riffs and songs. Most songs follow the same pattern beginning and ending in crushing up-tempo and only slow down somewhat in the middle. ‘Vampire’ is sparse on technical extravaganza, but the band sure knows how to mangle the listener completely. If you have the slightest interest in 80’s death metal you will recognize it all; the thrash-infused riffing style, the song structures, the charmingly juvenile horror song titles, the thrashy drumming and the Repugnant/early Death-styled hoarse growls. In short, the Gothenburg outfit has studied the masters well and done their homework with honours.

So, does ‘Vampire’ manage to rise from the eternal sea? Frankly, no. To truly rise from the sea, any aspiring retro death band needs to capture that essence of pioneering, that x factor found on the early works of bands like Death, Autopsy and Nihilist, or compose songs that are simple, yet still catches the listener off guard creating an exciting feeling of exploration despite actually having heard the bulk of it before. Unlike the debut full-lengths of, for instance, Repugnant, Tribulation and Necrowretch, ‘Vampire’ succeeds in neither. It is a competent album but feels almost calculated and is too stereotypical and predictable treating the listener with few surprises. Only ‘Ungodly Warlord’, ‘Jaws of the Unknown’ and ‘The Fen’ break the monotony with irregular song structures or tempo shifts and feel composed of really thoughtful ideas. 3 out of 10 songs are too few though and halfway through the album I find myself glancing at ‘Epitome of Darkness’ instead.

Apart from being done too much by the book, this album never captures that underlying eerie feeling of something sinister lurking in the shadows. I believe the band was heading in this direction when writing the material for ‘Vampire’ given the lyrics, the cover art and the occasional Autopsy riff or eerie leads, but it just doesn’t get there. The production is partly to blame for this. It is decent and gives enough room for all instruments, but at the same time it feels somewhat sterile and a bit too digital.

Despite these complaints it should however again be noted that ‘Vampire’ is filled with catchy riffs and generally well executed. In a live setting this material might really come to place and if any of the songs were played at a party I would headbang my neck into oblivion. When listening to ‘Vampire’ as a full-length though, monotony and lack of standout songwriting hampers the experience. With their debut, Vampire stays afloat but does not rise from the sea.


Originally written for www.metalcovenant.com