Vektor-Outer Isolation

Heavy Artillery
2011

Vektor hail from the Phoenix, AZ area and this is their second release. I remember when their debut came out a few years ago and it received some praises, but I wasn't so thrilled by it. "Outer Isolation" is a bit more impressive to my ears. Since they are on Heavy Artillery you know they have to be a retro-metal act of some sort and they are. Mainly retro-thrash, but that's not all there is to Vektor. No, they are not content to just copy, but instead bring their own comples structures to the thrash formula. The results are a constantly pumping style that will have your senses spinning. Just when you think you know where the music is heading they change it up and then do it again and again and you get the picture. Don't think this is some self-indulgent wank-fest either. They have the skills, but they stay and heavy throughout and never lose sight of that fact. The only part of this album that didn't thrill were the vocals. At times they work when the tone is deep, but when they go higher they don't quite mesh with the music. That's a minor complaint though because overall this is a brilliant blast of well-played thrash. This is creative and well-planned so it's definitely worth tracking down.