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Released on March 18, 2016 via Indie Recordings
It’s always a great treat when I get to sit down in my big comfy chair, put on my headphones and get blown away by an incredible album by a band that gives it their all from start to finish. Vredehammer‘s sophomore full-length album Violator, released on Indie Recording Records, fits that category perfectly.
Since this was my first time listening to Vredehammer, I started by doing some research. I found out that the blackened death metal trio, hailing from Norway, formed in 2009. The band started as studio solo project by ex-Elite, Abbath and Allfander member, Per Valla. Their first full-length album, Vinteroffer, was nominated for “metal album of the year” at the Norwegian Grammy Awards.
My first impression of Violator is that this album is ferocious. The music is constantly trying to crush your eardrums and your soul. If you are into getting thrashed around, well buckle in, because this chaotic ride is over before you know it, with 7 songs that add up to 33 minutes. Guitarist and vocalist Per Valla, along with bassist Stone, deliver blistering, heavy riffs. They range from the metal chugging riffs of ‘Light the Fucking Sky’, ‘Spawn Tyrant’ and ‘Cyclone’ to the broody passages of ‘Blodhevn’, ‘Ursus’ and ‘Violator’.
The explosive drumming of Felix is an enjoyment throughout the whole album, with unrelenting lightning-speed double-kick drum attacks. I’ve always had a problem with trying to interpret lyrics from bands that use guttural vocals, but Valla’s deep, raw voice fits Vrdehammer’s blackened death mayhem.
Violator delivers plenty of aggressive, sharp precision drumming and intense, catchy guitar hooks. It’s hard to ignore the desire to get up off your comfy chair and bang your head until your headphones go flying off.
