Axewound - Vultures (2012)

This review was written by someone, who I hope in time will become a permanent contributor to the blog. My good friend Aaron Anarchy has written an article (slightly edited by me) for the site reviewing English/Canadian supergroup Axewound's debut album Vultures. Enjoy and leave feedback below in the comments box.

1. Vultures 3:46
2. Post Apocalyptic Part 4:47
3. Victim Of The System 2:41
4. Cold 4:10
5. Burn Alive 4:32
6. Exorchrist 3:48
7. Collide 5:56
8. Destroy 3:34
9. Blood, Money & Lies 3:35
10. Church Of Nothing 4:46
Total Time: 41:35

It’s easy to label a band a “super group”; in fact the title has been used more than the morning after pill in Essex during this day and age. Sometimes the conglomerate of musicians that form a super group just don’t mesh, causing their sound distort into the musical equivalent of Justin Lee Collins’s messed up lovechild. However Axewound’s collection of English/Canadian metalcore and hardcore elite makes this a TRUE super group, adding up to and perhaps surpassing the sum of its parts.

Axewound derives its membership from British heavy metal superstars Bullet for My Valentine (Matt Tuck - guitar/vocals), Canadian hardcore titans Cancer Bats (Liam Cormier - Lead vocals). Metalcore up and comers Glamour of the Kill (Mike Kingswood - Guitar), English industrial crusaders Pitchshifter (Jason Bowld - Drums) and Rise to Remain (Joe Copcutt - Bass). 

These gents, all friends and touring partners from one point or another came together to pen and record this album in an impressive eleven days. This band clearly has a strong dynamic and this shows straight away throughout the entire record.

Right from the opening title track "Vultures" you see the promise from this band. The initial riff starts a relentless assault that doesn’t let up, Synester Gates also appears on this track adding his guitar talents with a well written solo, adding nicely to the visceral groove and colossal heaviness. Your journey through this aural assault only gets better as the album goes on. Standout tracks such as "Post-Apocalyptic Party", "Cold", "Exorchrist" and "Blood, Money and Lies" definitely have plenty to please fans of groove laden metalcore. Liam Cormier's high screams sound in fine form contrasting Matt Tuck's guttural growl and excellent cleans. The melodies of Tuck and Kingswood mesh well, especially in quieter sections before pummeling you with savage, angular riffing. Jason Bowld must definitely be commended on his performance, showing some true skill on the drums, after not having much room to experiment in Pitchshifter, considering their main product is industrial music.

In my opinion these guys have come together to build a side project, and ended up meshing excellently as a band, definitely adding up to more than the sum of their parts. Now it’s not ground breaking. It’s not revolutionary. It’s not artsy fartsy. And Liam Cormier's voice definitely isn't for everyone. What we do have is good, honest, heavy as fuck metalcore the way it used to be. It’s genuinely well made, it’s catchy, it’s well written musically and lyric wise, and my god does it have its heavy moments, well for metalcore anyway.  I can thoroughly recommend purchasing this album… then listening to it on repeat like some kind of obsessive cultish mantra, because the melodies will work themselves into your head with ease and you'll find yourself addicted before you know it. Altogether a promising debut from a metalcore supergroup that will hopefully one day build a legacy of their own.

9.3/10

Check this out if: You enjoy metalcore or hardcore how it used to be, but want to see it with a new twist

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For fans of: Bullet For My Valentine, Cancer Bats, Rise To Remain

Vultures is out now on Search and Destroy Records