The line “the throne is never vacant” (or principle of mass conservation, if we’re talking more scientifically) certainly applies to the music as well. How much times some legends went off the stage and other came to their places? Countless! Last year Slayer declared about finishing their career and somebody will take their place for sure. Legendary Brazilians Vucalno can become this “somebody” also, especially with their new album Eye In Hell.
Actually, come to think of it, Vulcano is non-less legendary band than Slayer. Formed in 1981 in São Paulo, the band quickly gained attention in the underground with their fellow countrymen Sarcofago and Multilator. Their evil demos, full of Black and Thrash Metal mix slowly reached Europe where became rare. According to the band, these demos and albums were highly acclaimed in the inner circle of Norway Black Metal in the beginning of 90s. Of course, the line-up was changed a couple of times and today there is only one member from the first line-up still plays in the band, guitarist Zhema Rodero. There are also Gerson Fajardo (guitar), Bruno Conrado (drums), Carlos Diaz (bass) and Luiz Carlos Louzada (vocals) in the band.
I mentioned Slayer in the beginning of the review for a reason because it is the first band that comes to mind when you hear the opening track “Bride Of Satan”; a pure oldschool Thrash Metal. Zhema and Gerson’s riffs are fast and solid; their solos are with no sign of melody, just techniques. Bruno Conrado’s merciless drums are prohibitively fast. Luiz Carlos Louzada’s vocals are malicious and ominous roar, also not melodic at all; it is rather melo-declamation than singing. But on the other hand, how else can you sing about death, devil, eternal damnation in hell and other things? The same can be said about “Struggling Beside Satan”, “Devil’s Bloody Banquet”, “Inferno” and “Dealer Of My Curses”: these songs are also typical fast and relentless Thrash Metal.
“Cursed Babylon” and “Sirens Of Destruction” goes more to Death Metal. There is some melody in it, the pace is changing several times during the song and it seems that riffs’ brutality with the speed of drums reaching its maximum. “Sinister Road” surprisingly starts from Groove Metal riff, reminding Sepultura a little bit; the music becomes smoother in the verse, reminding early Venom. “When Day Falls” sounds more like Black Metal with infernal tremolo and blast beats. “Cybernetic Beast” is probably the most various song in the album: it changes not only the pace but also a genres, going from Death to Thrash of Black quite sharply. And somehow one riff reminded me a very famous song from Iron Maiden (nevertheless, maybe it just seemed to me).
The album is ending with self-titled “Eye In Hell”: slow, sinister and very solid song. Here you can fully appreciate Carlos Diaz’s bass sound and playing while Luiz Carlos Louzada starts growling.
There is no place for sentiments in Eye In Hell. There are no ballads, some multi-layering and all the stuff. 13 songs are converging in one big clot of infernal anger and brutality. It’s more like a battering ram, which will crush absolutely everything on its way and will move forward through the wreckage. And according to Zhema Rodero’s words, Eye In Hell is far from being the last Vulcano‘s album: “…for the first time in our almost 39-year career, we signed a record deal with a label with name and focus on Metal. […] This union gave us extra motivation and energy to keep going and I believe we still have a lot of albums and shows ahead.”
Eye In Hell was released on March, 13 via Mighty Music.
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