Source: Album Art
Sometimes you think you’ve heard everything a genre has to offer. With more ‘established’ genres like thrash metal, that’s an assumption a lot of people make. Enter Vektor. Their potent mix of prog and thrash writhes with life and relevance, not just almost a decade into their own career, but over thirty years since thrash began rearing its’ constantly-banging head to boot.
Terminal Redux, the quartet’s third studio album, is (crucially for any self-respecting flash release) really fucking fast. But it isn’t just fast – it’s richly veined with songwriting nous, killer licks and enough twists and turns to keep a hedge-maze enthusiast happy for eons. ‘Charging The Void’ fades in with feedback and industrial style clanging noise, before diving guitars drag us through the first (of many) telltale ‘thrash gallops’. Instrumentally, Vektor are locked tight, a focused, precision riff engine. David DiSanto begins to spit out his caustic, croaking shrieks, and we’re reminded of the scorching vocal register of late-era Chuck Schuldinger (and not for the last time with this album)
‘Cygnus Terminal’ is a little more restrained, reverby, melodic picked notes adding layers of mood before a vicious, chugging riff barges its way in. ‘LCD (Liquid Crystal Disease’ kicks in with a blazing, descending trill set like a jewel between battering drum fills and big, statement chords, before diving down into a frantic, running riff, propelled by powerful, punishing drum work and a dizzying series of solos. ‘Mountains Above The Sun’ is a brief respite, a short, repetitive melodic vamp that steps sideways into a sleazy guitar break.
‘Ultimate Artificer’ kicks off with a breathless, almost d-beat drum line before whipping the rug out from under you with a true rager of a riff, throwing in some held-shrieks and some blast beats for good measure. ‘Pteropticon’ is a slightly slower starter, bigger chords and mid-paced guitar runs swiftly barged aside in favour of some of the fastest thrash this side of the 80’s, scraping riffs and a scrappy gallops. ‘Psychotropia’ throbs with pounding kick drums and punishing cascades of riff, pinch harmonics squealing like wounded beasts, stuttering guitars battered into the shape of a rapid, swinging groove, building up to a fantastic bass solo and some grinding chords.
‘Pillars Of Sand’ builds and explodes with energy, slowly ascending, spiraling higher, constantly moving, forcing you to pump a fist throughout. ‘Collapse’ is laid back to the point of wistful, breathy vocals and meandering, 70’s prog style guitar work brightly noodling away, clearing a road home. Closer ‘Recharging The Void’ indulges in prog the most, slowly adding layer upon layer, opening out, dropping into light, ethereal melodies and blissful clean vocals, like the intro of a RUSH track, coalescing into a joyful, hedonistic final charge.
Dripping with intelligence, ferocity and conviction in equal measure, this isn’t just any old thrash record. Vektor have created something that demands to be heard, by thrash, prog and metal fans in general. A rip-roaring, head-spinning good time.
