SÖLICITÖR is a Speed Metal band out of the Pacific Northwest - Seattle, Washington to be exact. They recently signed with Gates of Hell Records and reissued their self-titled debut EP which now also includes their 2018 demo, making up a solid six-track package. The band features a viscous two guitar assault from Patrick Fry (HEXENGEIST) and Matt Vogan (SUBSTRATUM) and is fronted by Amy Lee Carlson (SUBSTRATUM), who gives no quarter on vocals. Bassist Damon Cleary-Erickson is also a former HEXENGEIST band mate, leaving drummer Johann Waymire as the only outsider. And so it is with drummers.

When I downloaded the album, I really didn't know what to expect. The band's name essentially means a member of the legal profession in England or a canvasser in the US. And then there is the matter of the umlauts. First I thought they might be European or maybe trying to affect an old Latin vibe. After listening to the first track and seeing their home location, I got it: Umlaut like MÖTÖRHEAD. The only vocal inflection meant by the linguistic demarcation would be a guttural shout with horns held high. Still, the name is odd, but in the end they can just redefine the word by making it synonymous with blistering metal. The EP is a virtual riff fest with searing lead guitar solos and ripping vocals that are both raw and clean. The tracks almost all clear the four minute mark and with the demos added you get a good half hour of unrelenting metal. The demos are slightly extended versions of "Nightstalker" and "Speed Tyrant" and, understandably, a lot less well produced. They do, however, give you a glimpse into how much the band has progressed over a very short period. With a full-length album expected in spring 2020, you can only imagine what kind of metal attack will be unleashed.

With only four tracks, it's hard to select favorites. They all come on very strong. There are no ballads or experimental interludes on this album - just high octane, carnage rendering metal. As Carlson warns on "Vulture Command,"  "there is no retreat; there is no surrender." Thematically, this is no concept album. Every song extols the lethal proficiencies of a killer who is coming after you and the futility of trying to run or even fight back.  Seattle is home to a good 100 or so Speed/Thrash Metal bands. According to the American model, competition breeds progress. In this case, the theory certainly holds true. "Sölicitör" is a solid debut. Can't wait to see the onslaught they'll bring in 2020.