Rivette-In Vertigo

Ektro
2016

Rivette is a three-piece band from Finland that has been active since 2014. This up-and-coming group is lead by skilled guitarist/vocalist Esa Pirttimäki (Forced Kill, Warchief, Glasgowsmile, ex-Ravenous) and they have one cassette demo and this forthcoming mini-LP to their name. Originally formed with the intention of being a Iron Maiden meets "Kill 'Em All"-era Metallica type of outfit (!), Finland's Rivette now rolls out a catchy brand of heavy and hard rock that is damn near-impossible to resist! Bassist/keyboardist F.F. Nieminen and drummer Kode Vertanen* (Forced Kill, ex-Armageddal Age) round things out for the success-bound Rivette and you can (or make that you should!) pre-order this (rewarding) five-song EP by heading over here. Limited to a mere 500 copies (350 black and 150 transparent blue!), "In Vertigo" is available as a name-your-price digital download, but given it's deeply enriching notes I can't help but feel as if vinyl would be the right way to go (especially seeing as "In Vertigo" has collector's item written all over it!). Due for release on December 16th, "In Vertigo" starts off with my favorite track of the lot, "Outrun the Night". This fantastic rocker proposes a world where Dire Straits was responsible for the development of such N.W.O.B.H.M. bands as Jameson Raid, Def Leppard, Riot, Urchin, Vardis, and White Spirit! While the EP's second cut, "Arms of Lightning", follows that radical concept all the way through to it's "logical" conclusion (see below) there is more classic rock on display in "The Sting"**. From there you have the exceptional "Limelights of Fire" (a four minute plus treasure that recalls the early days of British metal!) and then this mini-LP wraps up nicely with the title track. Serving time as the EPs longest number, "In Vertigo" takes Rivette's appreciation for Dire Straits into account even as it mixes 70's hard rock with N.W.O.B.H.M.'s early roots. As strange as all of that might sound on paper (and trust me here folks I do understand how odd it reads!), "In Vertigo" ultimately ends up working as a title track because it isn't afraid to push the boundaries of heavy & hard metal. Of course you could say the exact same thing about this mini-LP as a whole! Sometimes metallic and oftentimes melodic, Rivette's debut MLP crosses as many bridges as it can before it's all said and done. With influences that range from Dire Straits to Diamond Head, "In Vertigo" is a innovative and refreshing EP that never tries to hide where it came from or where it is going. Much like the band itself, "In Vertigo" is an inspiring story that refuses to follow any guidelines other than it's own heart.  And finally it is a five-song EP from a relatively-new group that I hope will be around for a long time to come....





*Kode Vertanen has also helped out the band Ranger in live settings. While he provides some rock-steady drum beats in Rivette that are absolutely perfect for the occasion(!), Kobe played guitar for the band Ranger. 

 **Taking a page or two from one of my all-time favorite LPs ("Brothers in Arms"), "The Sting" shows more love for Mark Knopfler and company while simultaneously building the case for Rivette's future stardom.

A brief word about the wonderful "Arms of Lightning":

More hard rock than heavy metal, "Arms of Lightning" is a heavy rocking gem that could have easily been released in the late seventies as a single and no one would have been the wiser! Clocking in at only three minutes and six seconds, "Arms of Lightning" captures the spirit of the early N.W.O.B.H.M. scene and makes this EP all the more recommended!!