Volture-Shocking it's prey

Heavy Artillery
2011

Volture were launched just over two years ago when Ryan Waste (of MUNICIPAL WASTE) and Nick Poulos agree to join together due to their love of NWOBHM as well as obscure U.S. and European bands and their desire to channel those influences into their own project. They filled out the line-up and over the next year so they went through some line-up changes, but by early 2010 they found time to get into the studio and record this EP. "Shocking it's prey" seems to rely on the idea that the last 28 years of metal never happened. No surging thrash, no blinding death metal, no gothic metal, but instead it's the early 1980's again. This approach is nothing new because after the retro-thrash fad has come the more recent wave of bands who aspire to re-create or at least just honor those bands who created some truly classic metal between about 1979 and 1983. Volture remind me in part of Heavy Artillery labelmates Enforcer with their love of classic metal, raw production values and fairly high vocals. However while Enforcer are huge on Dianno era Iron Maiden and Kill 'em all style Metallica, Volture actually have slightly more varied influences. I hear some Diamond Head and Raven, but also some more obscure influences like Quartz and Heavy Load. Fans of any of those bands will likely be pleased by this outing. Although it's more of a tribute than anything else because they never push beyond this style that was defined nearly three decades ago. Now I do have to say that while the first four tracks were solid and consistent the last two entries seemed a bit more forced at least as far as the lyrics are concerned. "Cheap Thrillz" is about exactly what you think it is. The music is solid, but the lyrics are liked forced cheesiness which makes it slightly difficult to take. The closer Heathens Revenge again has cliched lyrics as well only this time it's three rate not so serious witchcraft/devil/demon type foolishness. It's not serious, but it had me thinking I like them better when they stick to the metal/basic monster type lyrics which are corny enough to begin with. Still the music and vocals are everything you can hope for. This album is a real celebration of one of the best times for for heavy metal. Volture also gets points for doing a song called "Heavy Metal Machine" because it's only word away from being a great name and it has a mighty catchy riff to boot like Raven and late 70's Judas Priest battling each other in a full on metal street fight. Check this album out when it's released next month and be excited because the band is also working on material for a full length review as well.