Vektor – Black Future (2009)

With the logo calling for similarities from Voivod we were expecting a soulless clone of this band, but instead we found a very good Progressive Trash Metal American band that is set to make a name of their own. Hailing from Arizona, this quartet does a great job into mixing progressive elements with old-school Trash that will blow you away.

While there are some Voivod influences, “Black Future” is an album that clearly stands out from all the ‘new’ Trash Metal releases these days. The riffing is the main driving force behind this release, but it’s perfectly crafted around complex song structures that are unlikely in many Trash releases.

For a sophomore full-length release, “Black Future” is a very mature piece of work that showcases great musicianship in every single song. The band’s almost 70 minutes of music feels both fresh and old-school at the same time. Showcasing their virtuoso guitar work, the band goes around throwing Trash riffs left and right, never getting dull. But the mixture of brilliant solos is what propels this release to new heights.

The vocals are fairly traditional, sounding like Kreator sometimes and they need some work sometimes since they are to ‘pitchy’ for us. But this is the only minor drawback we hear from this release, the rest of the music is brilliant and very well crafted. Heck, we even hear some (way) early Metallica similarities in the band, making them a force to be reckoned.

Besides the magical guitar playing, we have pretty solid bass guitar and drum tracks that enrich the musical experience greatly, and are perfectly mixed to be clearly appreciated. The three songs that clock over 10 minutes of duration are great exercises in Progressive Metal greatness, but with their Trash influence they sound completely amazing.

In general we must say that Vektor is a very promising young band that won our attention since their first track, and all similarities or preconceptions you might have by looking at the album’s cover will be blown away once you hear the first two songs. If you are a Trash Metal fan that is bored with all the current re-hashing that modern bands are doing, check out “Black Future”, will not be disappointed at all.

Release: November 17th, 2009

Country: USA