The 80s has always been a decade that has filled modern day metallers with envy as it is arguably seen as THE decade for metal as scenes popped up anywhere and everywhere in most places around the UK and obviously the world. Tape trading was rife and encouraged, nobody had the internet, you had to track down albums through research or word of mouth and some of us even had to travel hundreds of miles to find a decent record store that might stock said rarities on their shelves. CDs were something I had heard of in the late 80s as everything was swapped on TDKs or Maxells (if you were posh) as a means to boost your collection beyond that of your mates. Obscure band t-shirts were the currency as well as I turned up at various gigs armed with the latest shirt by some underground act that I knew no one else would have heard of.
So why all this reminiscing, well it’s patently obvious that Italy’s Vesper worship the 80s in all its glory though their logo is too modern for the music they play to me. This Italian trio knock out old Euro thrash circa ’83 to ’86 depending on your criteria. The band also has a penchant for the very early black metal of the Mayhem ilk which I know many of you will say is really very early death metal, if we meet I’ll debate the point with you and you’ll lose. So with beer can in hand I set about Vesper’s debut which was released during 2010. Lyrically this is the usual fodder about Satan and other perversions I won’t bore you with as “Narcotoxic Overdose” kicks off with a short intro with a decent enough riff and familiar echoing vocal lines. The riffing has a Venom feel and for a change the production has plenty of bass in the mix, something that occasionally is lacking in these retro albums. Half way and the track changes speed into double bass and a crusty riff with a blackened edge. The less said about “Scat Till Death” the better as the first quality song appears as “White Poison”. The opening riff is great and accompanied by a double bass rampage and then followed by another great riff. I didn’t like the women groaning in the background but I’m just a prude really.
Vesper will never win any prizes for innovation and I’d be amiss if I said they were the best at this sort of black thrash but having said that there isn’t anything wrong with this release either. The title track has a slower riff with an Exorcist style sample to start it. The track builds slowly before some Hellhammer filth comes through. The riff change is excellent however giving the track plenty of momentum for the pleasantly titled “Analfisted By Satan” (nice Italian lads these aren’t they). The track boasts a blast section and is considerably faster than the majority of the songs here. The faster songs like “Raging Dogs” don’t grab me as much as the slower crusty songs like “Sex Slave Zombie” which has a better melody and good catchiness in the riffing, especially when the pace picks up.
This is an enjoyable album of old thrash that has that dirty unfettered feel but is played well enough to stand its ground and if you invested in it I think it would stand the test of time, for how long is debatable though. Check out these scummy Italian bastards if you’re into grubby old thrash.
http://www.myspace.com/vesperscum
