Reviews: SAT252
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Satanath Records has been killing it lately with their latest round of death and black metal releases. Founder Aleksey Korolyov seems to have impeccable taste given proof by his impressive roster of talent. Hopefully, our readers have gotten the chance to sample some of the new albums from the label which we’ve been sharing over the past few weeks. Once again, we’re excited to bring you another one; this time it’s the upcoming album from melodic death metal outfit Vehementor! The Macedonian outfit formed back in 2014 as a way for its members to express powerful emotions through songcraft. Material came quickly and easily for the band, so they hit the studio back in 2015 to record their debut Dungeons of Grotesque Symmetry. Not wanting to rush things, they decided to take their time to perfect their release.
Thankfully Dungeons of Grotesque Symmetry will see the light of day soon, and just like the old saying, good things come to those who wait. While their previously released single “Burden” was an aggressive launch into polyrhythmic, progressive territories for the group, the single we’re debuting today, “Notorious” is a darker and more melodic tune. After listening to both tracks, it’s clear that there’s a lot of talent in this band, and we’ll be following them more closely in the future. Scroll down to listen to “Notorious” and find out for yourself.
https://www.indymetalvault.com/2019/06/04/track-premiere-vehementor-notorious/
To introduce them, would it make sense if I told you that Vehementor’s logo is a perfect reflection of the band? I mean, it should be, and this probably sounds like synesthetic rabble but it really striked me – look at it: they’re fresh, heavy, full of energy, sonically aesthetic and smooth. Attractive on the first listen. This North Macedonian Death Thrash (though they call themselves Root metal) band’s first release is a real treat, and a promising one, too. Not to forget its progressive, polyrhytmic aspects!
It’s one of those pieces that you can simply feel it wasn’t made to become a commercial product, but an expression of emotion and interest. So, I should mention that the band was formed back in 2013 and the record finished as early as 2015, but they never rushed its release.
Beginning with a, to my first impression, Kreator-meets-Tribulation track named “Reaper” and a nice groovy riff, from the very start you can see that this is going to be fun. Parallel to being of good quality and having a clear production – all instruments sound great both individually and combined, plus there are some really well-put solos – this record strikes you with honest, youthful energy. Very melodic, too.
However, that is not all that “Dungeons of Grotesque Symmetry” has to offer. Some tracks, “Notorious” for example, are simply beautiful (as beautiful as the genre gets!) or, like “Cursed Sensation”, authentically heavy. All in all, the way this album is put together, with various material putting various aspects of the band’s talent to focus but still managing to have a unique sound, it reminds me of perhaps the best-known example of a well-put together record: Dark Tranquillity’s “Fiction”. Still, all tracks would function as singles. Impressive, especially for a first one.
You probably know the unwritten rule that a band’s first album is there to capture your attention, the second one is to experiment and the third one is for a band to establish themselves and prove their worthiness. Well, they did the first step successfully and, after listening, you’ll surely catch yourself awaiting further development of Vehementor’s work.
It is a bit short, though, measuring just a bit under half an hour with its 9 songs. Of course – quality over quantity, but they proved their songwriting talents so it might be fun to expect something longer in the future.
http://www.vm-underground.com/review/vehementor-dungeons-of-grotesque-symmetry-2/
The municipality of Kičevo in Macedonia has 56,734 inhabitants, and the city 27,076 and among them the four musicians of the band Vehementor. The band was formed five years ago with an idea to express smoldering feelings, suppressed anger and various powerful emotions and considerations through art in a musical form. The material was finished after months of work, it came out spontaneously with a huge amount of ease in the process of creating and the recording begun in 2015. The band was not in a hurry of releasing the album Dungeons Of Grotesque Symmetry, so in 2019 it finally saw the light of day. This is their first and hopefully not last album. The style and the sub-genre is difficult to determine, they simply call it root metal. The album is mixed and mastered by Zoran Kreco, and logo and artwork by Paint-It-Black Design.
The first single Burden was very progressive but with a fair amount of aggression and polyrhythmic richness. The track, Notorious is much more melodic and with a tasteful dark atmosphere.
http://permafrost.today/2019/07/31/vehementor-with-root-metal/
Makedonsk metal er ikke det man får mest av, men disse karene har levert et sjarmerende og forså vidt gjennomført album. Man merker at det er mye opplagte inspirasjonskilder å høre i bandets hybrid av death metal og thrash, men de leverer ei skive som er interessant og fengende å lytte til.
https://www.screamhorrormag.com/
Although on the surface Vehementor’s debut ‘Dungeons of Grotesque Symmetary’ looks like the kind of record aimed squarely at the dyed in the wool death metal fan and pretty much no-one else, the reality is somewhat different. On this album, the Macedonian band mix all manner of extreme metal influences. Huge amounts of melodic death and classic thrash metal meet elements of groove metal and occasional industrial-ish rhythms, resulting in one of the most enjoyable – and filler free – extreme metal discs you could hope to find.
Vehementor seem to recognise the value of breaking listeners in gently, since throughout ‘Reaper’ they manage to combine a fairly old fashioned metal sound with moments of extreme heaviness and pneumatic rhythms. The combination of old melodies and intensive riffs isn’t new, but it’s something the band do brilliantly, even creating a sound that manages to feel very Swedish despite their locale. Within these three minutes, you’ll find some well executed twin leads (obviously multi tracked as there’s only one guitarist), an enthusiastic guitar solo and other melodic charms going head to head with a melodic death metal vocal, resulting in a really punchy opening statement. The opening of ‘Lay Low Stay Down’ reinforces a desire to mix things up by opening with the kind of groove-oriented riff you’d find on a guitar instrumental album from the Shrapnel or Relativity labels back in the 90s. With the arrival of another aggressive vocal from frontman Darko Nateski, there’s a switch to melodic death metal for the verse, but as before, the band really know how to get the best out of such extreme riffs, while still keeping an ear on a melody. It’s an intense melody, sure, but in metal terms there’s a lot to love. At the point where the song’s intro has started to fade in your memory, that introductory riff makes an unexpected return and is used brilliantly to underscore another very late 80s sounding solo. ‘Notorious’ turns up the heaviness a little more, with the riffs often settling for a classic thrash sound set against a death metal infused vocal that’ll be make of break for some listeners. If you can just focus on the music, though, it’s so rich in textures; the chorus sets a slightly proggy, clean toned guitar against the fearsome growl and the featured solo takes an unexpected detour with plenty of two hand tapping sounds. At this point, it becomes even clearer that Vehementor are among the best at their chosen style.
Opening with various nods to classic thrash, ‘Hate’ lends the album its most obvious throwback to the early 90s with something that wouldn’t be out of place on Sepultura’s ‘Arise’ LP. Unlike a few other tracks, there’s much less of a temptation to switch to more of a death metal sound as the track progresses, instead showing guitarist Nikola Peyoski locked into his riffs more than ever before. It may not be anything new, but the tightness in the overall arrangement is very impressive. ‘Cursed Sensation’ offers a fantastic and quite simple groove metal riff, which the band use as a springboard for heavier choruses based around some finely crafted death metal. The death metal aspects are flawlessly played, but it’s definitely the verses that are of the most interest here. The way the main riff chugs almost feels like experiencing Lamb of God covering White Zombie’s ‘Thunder Kiss ’65’…and it’s none the worse for that, obviously. Throw in a complex, clean lead break and an enthused vocal and this becomes this becomes a definite stand out, while ‘No Way’ drops into some fairly straight but intensive thrash, filling an enjoyable three minutes. Although Vehementor offer more interesting tunes on this release, it’s still worth noting that the lead guitar work often lurking beneath the crushing rhythms is excellently played.
Both ‘No Way’ and ‘When Death Is Near’ add a couple more great thrashers without really adding anything new to the record as a whole, but the album’s final pairing finishes ‘Dungeons…’ very much on a high. For fans looking for something a little closer to classic sounding extreme metal, ‘The Stronghold Is Yours’ will be an instant favourite. With a full compliment of triggered drums, occasional hints of metalcore and a massive riff, it has the foundations of something enjoyable right from the opening bars. As the number progresses, the heaviness really asserts itself against a black metal inspired vocal giving a great crossover sound. The inclusion of a couple of really old school lead breaks balances the heaviness with some instant melodies, not to mention a very Swedish feel. For fans of In Flames at their heaviest and Soilwork at their most direct, this is well worth an ear. Moving seamlessly into the closing number ‘Burden’, the band’s jagged riffs take on an even more pneumatic stance for increased anger. As with most of the album, though, it isn’t as cut and dried as that and in this instance, there are nods to prog metal and even the occasional throwback to Fear Factory in their ‘Dehumanise’ days for a few solid grooves along the way. A fine way to end a thoroughly enjoyable album.
In terms of mixing very heavy riffs with some very obvious lead guitar melodies throughout, this album hits the spot almost constantly throughout its thoughtfully succinct half an hour. The vocals will be a deal breaker for some listeners, naturally, but even those – as forceful as they are – are scaled back just enough for most of the lyrics to be appreciated. In terms of extreme metal crossovers, you’ve possibly not heard anything this good since you first discovered Entombed back in 1990. For lovers of the style, it’s a disc not to be missed.
http://www.realgonerocks.com/2019/09/vehementor-dungeons-of-grotesque-symmetry/
Heute gibts mal wieder eine Premiere, ich kann mich nämlich nicht erinnern schon mal eine Band aus Nordmazedonien auf meinem Blog vorstellen zu dürfen. Das ändert sich heute mit der 2013 gegründeten Truppe Vehementor und ihrem kürzlich erschienenen Debütalbum „Dungeons of Grotesque Symmetry„, auf welchem die noch recht junge Truppe ein ordentliches erstes Zeichen setzt.
Was die Produktion der Scheibe angeht, braucht sich die Truppe nicht vor den Großen ihres Genre-Mixes zu verstecken, denn die kommt glasklar, gut ausbalanciert und mit ordentlich Druck daher und rahmt so den Stilmix der Jungs gut ein. Selbiger Mix konzentriert sich vor allem auf die Stile Death, Thrash und Groove Metal und bietet so eine ziemlich „meaty“ Angelegenheit, die mit viel dicken Eiern, dicken Rhythmen und druckvollen Riffs zu überzeugen versucht. Dadurch wird auch ein eher direktes und „einfaches“ Album wie dieses hier zu einem doch recht abwechslungsreichen Mix, der mal scharfe Thrash-Riffs abfeuert, interessantes, forderndes Drumming parat hält und immer wieder mit deftigen modernen Rhythmen und Saitenhieben die stumpfe Keule auspackt, welche dann mit tiefen, knackigen Death Metal-Riffs weiter getunt wird. Dabei erinnern vor allem die Vocals, aber auch einige Riffs und melodischere Segmente an Amon Amarth, ohne dabei wirklich blind abzukupfern. Dafür legt die Truppe zu viel wert auf stampfende, fette Rhythmen, die alles zermalmen was sich nicht retten kann, während die Thrash-Riffs das fertig machen was noch steht. Dabei bewegt sich die Mucke der Nordmazedonier eher im ruhigen bis Midtempo-Bereich was die Sache noch schwerer, kraftvoller und erdrückender werden lässt. Dabei sorgt der Death- und Thrash-Anteil auch gleich für einen eher klassischen Sound während der Groove-Anteil dem Ganzen Gemisch einen moderneren fast schon an Core erinnernden Anstrich und sorgt damit auch dafür, dass der Mix der Herren nicht langweilig wird. Vom melodischen, noch recht zurückhaltenden Opener „Reaper“ bis zur abschließenden Rhythmus-Keule „Burden“ gibts den Mix in verschiedensten Abstimmungen und zeigt sich dabei immer von einer ziemlich packenden und starken Seite und überzeugt so über die volle halbe Stunde, die die Scheibe läuft.
Wer also auf einem modernen Mix aus (melodischem) Death Metal, etwas Thrash und stampfendem Groove steht, der sollte sich das Debüt von Vehementor unbedingt mal reinziehen. Hier und da klingt das Ganze etwas nach Amon Amarth, aber das verhindert ja nicht, dass man mit den 30 Minuten von „Dungeons of Grotesque Symmetry“ nicht durchgängig seinen Spaß hat. Modern und kraftvoll bietet die Scheibe einen ziemlich ordentlichen Stilmix, der gut ins Ohr läuft.
https://metalviewer.wordpress.com/2019/09/22/vehementor-dungeons-of-grotesque-symmetry/
VEHEMENTOR formed in 2013 in the unlikely town of Kievo in North Macedonia. I say “unlikely” as if I vacation there every summer. The truth is, Kievo might be the single most likely place for Death Metal bands ever. What do I know? At any rate, six years in the making, VEHEMENTOR recently released their debut album, “Dungeons of Grotesque Symmetry,” on Satanath Records. Not sure why it took six years to produce one album, but maybe it’s like good bourbon—it gets better the longer it soaks in the barrel. And this is, indeed, a good album.
“Dungeons of Grotesque Symmetry” is a considerably well honed piece of Death Metal. There is a heavy 90’s vibe to it, which adds some intrigue if not nostalgia. Nikola Pejoski is a versatile guitarist who easily fills the sonic space of both rhythm and lead. I know a lot of that is down to the production, so hats off to that crew as well. Zoran Stefanoski (drums) and Ljupco Stefanoski (bass) assert an aggressive pace while somehow maintaining a rhythmic groove. Darko Nasteski delivers guttural but articulate vocals that, although not remarkably distinctive, are befitting the genre.
I am not sure what the title of the album signifies, other than the obvious, but it triggers notions of a cold, dark locale of dubious intent. Whether that locale is the world and society writ large, or just a state of mind, is up to the listener. The undeniable driver, regardless of the lyrical theme you pick up, is hard hitting metal. While riffs come fast and furious, there are definite groove melodies throughout which make this album highly repeatable. You can listen to this album in any sequence; every song is a standalone attack.
Standout tracks are “Reaper,” “Lay Low Stay Down,” “Cursed Sensation,” and “Notorious.” In particular, “Notorious” is a complex tune with several intricate movements. Perhaps the slowest tune, it is also one of the most memorable. Other tracks such as “No Way” (a polite title for the actual chorus – hint, insert a one word intensifier between “no” and “way”), “Hate,” and “Burden” are sheer blasts of vehemence that are easily summed up by their titles. All together, “Dungeons of Grotesque Symmetry” is an outstanding debut album, though I do wish it was longer — a title track would have been killer. Like the album cover, VEHEMENTOR beckons you to a world of fire and raw energy. And they do not disappoint.
http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/v_2/vehementor-dungeons.htm
Деби албум македонског deathrash квартета ће усрећити све оне којима је овакав звук срцу драг. Скоро ме није неки албум овако подсетио на издања из раних деведесетих, а да се нисам (pardon my French) згрозио. Основа, те изистинска атмосфера старе школе, уклопљена са модерним идејама и изведбом и groovy рифовима су се показали као савршени састојци овог издања. Сваки neo(death)thrash бенд који покушава да направи нешто што би стајало раме уз раме са оним најбољим што је жанр нудио током осамдесетих би требало да обрне Dungeons of Grotesque Symmetry неколико и да притом ухвати солидан број белешки.
https://ciklonizacija.blogspot.com/2019/09/blitzkrieg13.html
P.S.: Nicht schlecht, aber es fehlen echte Höhepunkte. Meistens plätschern die Songs nur so vor sich hin.
M.K.: Man hört selten soviel Potential heraus, da kann etwas sehr großartiges entstehen. Aber hier fehlt leider noch das letzte bissel, um völlig zu überzeugen. Folgewerk ist jetzt schon vorgemerkt.
S.B.: Diese angegroovten Sachen kommen nicht bis zu mir durch, auch wenn hier und da ganz gute Elemente zu finden sind, die das wieder aufbrechen…erinnert mich irgendwie zu oft zu sehr an Sepultura aus der Ära, die mir nicht mehr gefällt. Keine Lust auf mehr.
T.W.: Naja. Ganz nett, viel bleibt nicht hängen.
T.F.: Geht gleich top los, geiles Riffing mit Melodie, recht clean gehaltene Death-Growls, groovt im Midtempo, sehr cool! Im weiteren Verlauf durchaus mal Tempoverschärfungen…Gitarrensoli, die gar an Maiden und Co. erinnern…mal feine Bolt Thrower-Grooves…knackig kurz gehaltene Songs, sehr atmosphärisch…es wird nicht schlechter! Diese halbe Stunde überzeugt mich vollkommen, alles drin für jeden melodischen Death-Thrash-Fan und ein echter Leckerbissen! Mein Gewinner des Monats und absoluter Tipp!
T.L.: Death/Thrash-Debüt der Band. Ziemlich catchy. Für das Einstiegswerk ein mehr als anständiges Ergebnis.
https://www.eternitymagazin.de/kreuzfeuer-september-2019/
Неожиданно сильным дебютом порадовал почтенную публику возникший практически из ниоткуда македонский Vehementor. Это продуманный, прекрасно записанный и неожиданно мелодичный грув-трэш с лёгким дэтовым налётом и рычащим вокалом Дарко Настески. Темп на альбоме сохраняется преимущественно чуть выше среднего, лишь изредка взрываясь короткими скоростными пробежками. Ритмический рисунок первой же композиции “Reaper” преподнёс совсем уж неожиданное сравнение, заставив вспомнить финский Sentenced образца 1995-го года – и оставаясь при этом в рамках качёвого трэша! Второй любопытный и нестандартный момент таит в себе атмосферный “Notorious”: здесь медленный мелодичный припев имеет явное сходство с работами Paradise Lost и Crematory середины 90-х… Крайне необычное, но удачное решение. Для тех, кто желает по достоинству оценить работу ритм-секции Vehementor, есть смысл обратить внимание на финальный трек “Burden”, отданный на откуп «работникам толстых струн и крепких палок» – там то ли братья, то ли однофамильцы Зоран (ударные) и Лупчо (бас) Стефановски развернулись в полный рост. Техничные гитарные партии Николы Пейоски своей чёткостью и прозрачностью порой напоминают манеру Джеффа Уотерса из Annihilator – в качестве примера можно привести “Lay Low Stay Down” и “Notorious”. К счастью, не забывает Никола и про грувовые тягучие риффы – для любителей активных физических упражнений имеются такие мощные и агрессивные номера, как “When Death Is Near” и “No Way”. Тройка личных фаворитов – упомянутые выше разноплановый “Lay Low Stay Down”, максимально качающий “No Way” и вкрадчивый “Cursed Sensation”. Оформлением альбома занимался наш соотечественник – лидер блэк-думового проекта In Tenebriz Владимир Прокофьев, рисовавший обложки для Gmork, Utburd, Монсальват, Древень и т. д., и надо сказать, что результат получился достойный: вроде бы композиционно несложная картина обладает самым важным свойством – эффектом запоминания. Ещё один несомненный плюс этого релиза – его лаконичность: все девять песен уместились в полчаса, не оставляя при этом ощущения недосказанности или поспешности. Достойная работа!
http://inrock.ru/reviews/vehementor-2019
С 2013 года терзает этот мир звуками смертельно трешевого музла непреклонно яростная формация VEHEMENTOR. Непрестанные репетиции сменяли одну за другой, таким самым реальным и суровым методом отковывалось мастерство, а за ним шло творчество. Но тут даже не порядок важен, я не настаиваю, важен результат. А это компакт-диск который имеет все признаки реального металлического объекта. Не говоря уж про каталожный номер.
Root Metal - это самоопределение, самоидентификация группы — корневой металл. Уточним, корневой по отношениям к указанным жанрам дэт и трэш. Грув-метал уточняют уже метал-архивы. Честно говоря, я ожидал некоего металлического извержения, а получил тотальное наступление. Здесь же ровное, четкое, мудрое (вот куда отлились стальные опилки с репетиционной точки) музицирование. В самом деле — наш македонский квартет VEHEMENTOR создает мид-темповый (по большей части) конгломерат, в котором все разложено по полкам, все предрешено, и решено заранее. Даже подавляет своей размеренностью.
Но больше конечно цепляет своими наработками, - как струнными гитарными, так и вокальными. При том гитариста мне бы хотелось слышать почаще с соло-работой, он это умеет и конечно себя показал. Эти моменты четко видны на общем чугунном полотне VEHEMENTOR. Но в итоге получилось более грувово - по своему, кстати. Струнник свое дело знает, умело выстраивает свои пулеметные очереди, кладет их ровно и прицельно
Вокалист полностью встроен в эту средне-темповую машину смерти, он здесь как в танке - отдает команды на открытие огня, гроулит, подписывает приказы на выдвижение на поле боя. Не сильно качает маятник в своем вокальном диапазоне, но как видно композер и не выдвигал таких задач. Однако с течением диска )) разогревается и начинает выдавать более трешевые вокалы. Отмечу, что в этом направлении проявляется более эмоций, больше динамики. В контексте музыкального творчества VEHEMENTOR вокалист профессионально акцентирован на этом диске, составляя в едином механизме важную агрессивную составляющую.
Recommendation? When Death Is Near – ну с таким названием нужно соответствовать. В начале струнник откупоривает несколько емкостей с резкими соляками, ритм-секция пашет пространство настроенным стальным плугом, а вокалист тянет тяжелые кабеля высокого напряжения из прошлых треков — в будущие.
https://vk.com/wall216331265_4241
To hear a metal band from Macedonia seems like rare opportunity but, here they go...
Vehementor recorded groove album that is not that much about aggression, but good song-writing. A vocalist sings with harsh-growls and he is dealing with spiritual and dark matters in lyrics which seem more suitable for black metal band that I think Vehementor is not.
Album is averagely middle paced but features faster song like Lay Low Stay Down with cool refrain. Guitar-playing on the album compile heavier thrash metal riffs with shreds that are not played fast, all in order to achieve a certain climax in songs. It may not always works throughout the whole album but it does for some really good tracks like Hate, The Stronghold Is Yours, Notorious (!!!) that have dark atmosphere or ominously sounding guitars or both. These are my 3 songs that made me realize that this album has tracks that are well done and most of them are mainly based on guitar groove .
More melodic song is Reaper that opens the album. Cursed Sensation has nice shredding guitars which is pretty enough to like another song of this band. If you dig Meshuggah, you should hear closing track of the album-Burden, which follow some riffs from Bleed song of that Swedish band.
Dungeons Of Grotesque Symmetry should please fans of darker and thrashier groove metal, less those of you who`d like to hear a lot of melodies which are minority of the album . The other advantage of the songs and music is good sound production.
Vehementor is a groovy thrash/death metal formation from Macedonia. Its hometown is Kicevo. The quartet – Darko Nasteski (vocals), Nikola Pejoski (guitars), Ljupco Stefanoski (bass) & Zoran Stefanoski (drums) – started in the year of 2013 and "Dungeons of Grotesque Symmetry" is their debut release. It consists of nine songs and if I had to describe what kind of music they play I would definitely mention you a mix between the latest records of Machine Head, Slayer, Carcass, God Dethroned, Kataklysm and Amon Amarth. They masterfully combine the catchiness of heavy guitar riffs with tempting melodies and scratchy vocals. The pace is mainly slow just to provide the biggest power and dynamics possible for all the hooks. There's a lot going on in the about half an hour of material, but somehow I still found their tracks pretty boring. I truly hope they can squeeze in more variety and originality into their forthcoming stuff as nowadays to play and sound in a professional way is really not enough!!! Don't get me wrong it's a very decent debut album, but the metalheads in the 21st century crave for more, especially to be more unique!!!
http://castrum.com.ua/encomium/7albums3.htm
Sendo um Co-lançamento da Satanath Records com a Murdherrecords, o álbum "Dungeons Of Grotesque Symmetry" da banda de Death /Thrash Metal da macedônia VEHEMENTOR foi lançado em 24 de junho de 2019 e trouxe mais uma ótima opção para nós fãs de Metal.
O Vehementor foi formado em 2014 com uma idéia de expressar sentimentos ardentes, raiva reprimida e várias emoções e considerações poderosas através da arte em uma forma musical.
O material foi finalizado após meses de trabalho, saiu espontaneamente com uma enorme facilidade no processo de criação e a gravação começou em 2015.
A banda não estava com pressa de lançar o álbum, então em 2019 finalmente viu o luz do dia, sendo mixado e masterizado por Zoran Kreco.
Não deixe de conferir, seus riffs ótimos, produção contundente e melodias expressivas fazem deste um registro de respeito.
http://rockvibrationsofficial.blogspot.com/2020/07/vehementor-dungeons-of-grotesque.html
I have to admit that I do not know that much bands from FYROM aka the Former Yugoslavian Republic Of Macedonia aka North Macedonia nowadays. Born For Slaughter, Aeon Arcanum, Maras or Tremula are a handful of bands that I do appreciate, but I have to thank Satanath Records’ Aleksey once more for introducing me to Vehementor.
Apparently, Vehementor are a combo from Kičevo, a city in the far West of the country (quite close to the border with Albania, for what this information might be worth). The band, with some members of Hardfaced and Melissa (it looks like a continuation of the past), started during the first half of this decade, but I do not think they did record and release anything ‘huge’ yet – until now. The quartet (vocalist / lyricist Darko Nasteski, drummer Zoran Stefanoski, bassist Ljupco Stefanoski, and guitar player / co-lyricist Nikola Peyoski) recorded some material during early 2019 at the Kreco Sound Studio with Zoran Kreco, who worked with Hardfaced before as well. After signing to Russia’s Satanath Records, working once again with Murdher Records, five-hundred copies on compact disc got pressed / distributed. These ones do include a three-folded six-page booklet with the lyrics (in English), with visual art by the label’s master Aleksey Korolyov (layout + design) and Paint-It Black’s Vladimir Prokofiev (the guy behind In Tenebriz!), who worked with this label – and quite some others – several times before (think e.g. Lauxnos, Trond, All My Sins, A Thousand Sufferings or Ethir Anduin).
The nine pieces clock about half an hour. They do not exactly stand for something renewing, yet they rather pay tribute to the Nineties, when the harshness of the Old School and the progression of a new order joined forces. Yes, Dungeons Of Grotesque Symmetry surely brings something that withholds the melodic approach of the earlier years. It does have a distinct and manifest groovy attitude, with polyrhythmic riffs, little progressive rhythms and a highly melodious basic structure.
The tempo varies a lot, yet most of the time it dwells in between mid- and up-tempo. Seen the extremely groovy approach, that typical kind of speed lifts up the pounding heaviness, for Vehementor’s aim is not to be the most extreme act. No, they rather prefer to focus on thrashing grooves and sludgy progression, with a certain, and quite remarkable, joy of play. No, I am not going to say that this is happy stuff, but somehow the energy and complacence are prominently present.
Another great element is the sound quality. The production is very neat, with a proper mix (once again a necessary detail for grooving melodies). But at the same time it purely breathes a Nineties atmosphere, for lacking of unnecessary gimmicks or additions. It’s just the Music talking.
Dungeons Of Grotesque Symmetry might not be the world’s most surprising album from the 21st century. But damn, believe me, since this is a strong effort for being a debut album.
https://www.concreteweb.be/reviews/vehementor
Vehementor come from North Macedonia of all places, and they apparently spent the six years between their inception and the release of their debut, Dungeons of Grotesque Symmetry, crafting a Groove-laden Death/Thrash sound that's like a mutated monstrosity made from the melodic sensibility of Insomnium and later Sentenced, the harsh pompousness of Amon Amarth, and the striking grooviness of early Lamb of God. That description might be off-putting to a lot of readers, but for my money it makes for a fresh and engaging sound that I've been listening to regularly for quite a while now. The musicianship is strong, the vocals like a crossbreed of Johan Hegg and Niilo Sevänen, and the songwriting gruff and masculine while being infectious enough to cause involuntary movement throughout your body. It's a bit scant at just under 30 minutes of material, and the Groove influence may be too much for many, but I found this to be a novel and aggressive release that leaves me wanting so much more from this band.
https://www.metalcrypt.com/pages/review.php?revid=12167
VERDIKT: Nenuceně příjemná nahrávka, která svým chytlavým death metalem zaujme od samého začátku. Sice nezapře inspiraci z jiného poloostrova, než jsou autoři samotní, ale to tak nějak neohrožuje ničí existenci.
Někdejší Jugoslávie po sobě zanechala hned několik menších států, z nichž se jeden svérázný jmenoval Makedonie. Píšu v minulém čase, protože se od roku 2019 toto území oficiálně jmenuje Severní Makedonie. Že jste to nevěděli? Ani já ne… Nicméně předmětem tohoto článku není dějepisné pojednání nad Balkánem, nýbrž povídání o kapele, která z této země pochází. Je to nová čtyřčlenná formace Vehementor, která po několika letech života (zrodila se 2013) natočila svou první velkou desku, kterou pojmenovala jako Dungeons Of Grotesque Symmetry.
Svižný vehementní death metal je od první skladby plný veselých momentů, dobré nálady a okamžitě přivede posluchače na dobrou notu. Někomu by se mohly trochu znelíbit místy téměř totožné prvky, které v sobě už léta nosí Amon Amarth. Ale nevěšte hlavu, pohanské válečnictví švédské veličiny tu nenajdeme. Jde jen o jistou podobnost v některých melodických linkách a především vokálních plochách, které mají velmi podobný způsob frázování a konec konců i barvu hlasu. Tím však veškerá podobnost končí, neboť už na obale nevidíme žádného hrdinu, či jinak ctěnou bytost. Ano, nějaká postava se tam krčí, ale celkový vzhled je obálkám zmíněných veteránů vzdálen (můžeme najít možná tak paralelu s Once Sent From The Golden Hall, což byla asi poslední skvělá deska téhle kapely).
Půlhodinová sprcha svěžího death metalu uteče jak voda ve Vardaru. Nálada, kterou jsem po dohrání měl, byla dobrá a žádala si opakovaný poslech. To se moc často nestává a staví tak Vehementor do pozice dobrých zábavytvorných muzikantů. Naštěstí to není ani obyčejně jalové pidlikání s úsměvem, kdy se snažíte hrát maximum svých možností s vědomím absolutní koncentrace, ale prodáváte to jako sranda projekt pro zábavu, kdy přece nejde o nějaké dokazování a dosahování cílů. Na to mi přijdou Vehementor dost sebejistí, či chcete-li vehementní. Dokonce si nemyslím, že by ta veselejší melodika měla být prvoplánově zábavná ve smyslu kouzlící úsměvy, ale prostě je to jen prosluněná životaschopná melodie. Zkrátka se to tak autorům líbí a nemají potřebu nic skrývat.
Tady jednoduše není o čem dál přemýšlet. Je to svižný death metal s jasně lehkou tváří koketující s razancí thrashe, či houpavostí groove metalu. Má to šmrnc a okamžitý účinek. Jestli se vám to nezalíbí hned zkraje, nemá smysl lámat to přes klouby. Samozřejmě otázkou je určitá trvanlivost a mnohdy bych docela ocenil, kdyby autoři na obale uváděli datum expirace, ale to je stejně natolik relativní a individuální veličina, že ji lze odmávnout prostým „do příští nahrávky“. Jisté je, že teď a tady Vehementor bodují. Natočili příjemnou desku, která mi dokonce evokuje dávný počin Phobos And Deimos od Satariel (zase Švédsko). To byla také velmi chytlavá nahrávka, kterou jednou za čas protočím ještě dnes. A pokud bych měl v určitém přirovnávání ještě pokračovat, tak by mohl zmínit i krajany Mortifilia, kteří ostatně ze skandinávského deathu rovněž čerpají. Srovnávat lze zejména v období alba Fate. Tak se toho nebojte.
https://www.echoes-zine.cz/recenze/vehementor-dungeons-of-grotesque-symmetry
This is one nifty extreme metal morsel courtesy of the ever productive Satanath Records and one that hails from Macedonia. Now, normally, when one reads about Macedonia, metal is not the first thing that comes to mind and even if metal is the style of the band in question it is typically of the fake variety. Bands from that part of the world typically incorporate so much ethnic garbage that the end-result is fodder for the usual 90/100 ratings from the usual websites written by the usual writers… in other words, the bands and their music suck. Fortunately for metal fans, and the band’s dignity, Dungeons Of Grotesque Symmetry, is superior and burns any and all poser acts with Kaval and Tapan on the pyre.
Reaper begins the album and has a nifty riff, which establishes the band’s Bolt Thrower-cum-Carcass sound. The vocals, in particular, are reminiscent of Karl Willets. The tempo suddenly accelerates and it is a brutal delight to hear. Lay Low Stay Down begins with an unusually commercial sound, but fear not this is Vehementor. Notorious’ strumming is Fade To Black or something, while Cursed Sensation is the brutal metal’s answer to Star Wars. The groove of No Way belies the track’s speedy and brutal metal riffing. This could have been a bad track, but Vehementor has none of those. Hate is next and is likely the album’s weakest cut. It is rather technical. The album’s last cut is called Burden and is a mid-paced thrasher.
The band benefits from its riffs, sense of attack and dynamism. The fake tom sound does the band no favours however. That is probably the only con here. Overall, get this one.
http://metallian.com/vehementor.php
VEHEMENTOR… taste that name. It gives you s taste of blood in your mouth just from saying it. The music better match that taste or else it is a total waste of a really good extreme metal band name. VEHEMENTOR, every time I say it the taste of blood comes back. A band from Macedonia is not common goods in my reviews. I love discovering new scenes and getting to know the bands better. With a name like VEHEMENTOR I kinda expected this to be a bit more brutal than it is. Instead of a full death metal blast we get a sort of deathrash. There is a groove to this that I fancy. It is easy to bop your head to this. And those neck muscles need exercise. A nice acquaintance.
Aujourd’hui, présentons une coproduction entre nos fidéles Satanath Records et Murdher Records qui nous emmènent faire un tour en Macédoine avec cet album du groupe Vehementor.
Neuf titres sont proposés ici et le style balancé est un death metal ultra groovy et plutôt actuel avec de bonnes mélodies accrocheuses.
Rien de brutal en soit, on reste sur un mid tempo dominant mais un death ambiancé et dominé par un groove efficace.
On aura un peu d’old school avec le premier morceau « Reaper » et cette intro qui ne sera pas sans rappeler Carcass période Swansong.
On est avec sur morceau sur quelque chose qui allie rythmiques saccadées et d’autre plus liées. Une voix death bien guttural avec un flow bien utilisé.
Cet album s’écoute aisément d’une traîte, proposant aussi des variations ici et là.
Pour exemple sur « Notorious » très mélodique et éthérée qui ne sera pas sans rappeler un combo comme Dark Tranquillity.
Chapeau aussi en matière de groove à « Lay Low Stay Down » qui balance à tout va. Plus dansant que ça tu meures. Des petites accélérations ici et là qui font plaisir, un groove présent également dans le chant, un petit solo des familles qui twiste, en bref, le morceau le plus accrocheur de l’album (selon votre serviteur).
L’ensemble se passe sans accroc, Vehementor ravira avant tout les amateurs de metal actuel.
Je pense par exemple au morceau qui clôt l’album « Burden », ultra carré, efficace qui n’est pas sans rappeler Gojira au niveau de ce côté technique et lourd.
Un bien bon album ici, pour tous ceux qui veulent se procurer du groove en ces temps difficiles et austères.
http://www.magicfiremusic.net/2021/05/28/chronique-vehementor-dungeons-of-grotesque-symmetry/