VINDICATOR were formed in 2005 and they are from South Amherst, Ohio. The Thrash Metal outfit released two EPs and four full-length albums so far. Their fifth album “Whispers Of Death” was produced and mastered by Ben Bennett (HYPERSTRIKE; XOTH). It has a length of about 45 minutes, and it was released via US Thrash and Power Metal specialists No Life Til Metal Records. The first song of the album “Whispers Of Death… Anxiety’s Grip” starts with an extended intro led by the guitars and the bass transitioning into a fast verse part. The guitar riffing is tight and supported by strong basslines. The vocals are harsh and vary around the medium end of the vocal range. The track slows down to mid-tempo for the chorus parts with powerful guitar riffs and backing vocals shouting out the chorus line. The break remains at mid-tempo leading to an extended and contributing lead guitar solo. There are some SLAYER vibes at the end of the break transitioning into another verse/chorus part. “Charnel Pastures” maintains the pace of the opening track and it goes right into the verse part, which is supported by plenty of blast-beats. The guitar riffing is direct and aggressive and so are the vocals. The chorus part is again supported by backing vocals. The whole track is frantic and a bit chaotic, in particular after the break with all the blast-beat attacks.

“Thirst For Violence” starts with grim melodies at a measured tempo, introducing the main riff. It does not take long for a transitioning into crazy pace for the verse part, which is accompanied by crushing basslines. Verse and chorus parts as well as the break are played without any tempo or rhythm changes. The choruses are supported once again by the backing vocals, singing the anthemic chorus line. There are two lead guitar solos, the first one is relatively short, while the second one is more melodic picking up the initial melodies from the beginning of the track. “Thirst For Violence” is with more than six minutes among the longest album tracks. “Your World Dies In Flame” keeps up the pace and rhythm with devastating guitar riffs and very aggressive vocals. There are plenty of vocals during the track with literally no break until the mid-tempo break. The guitar riffing is thunderous during the break supported by the strong basslines. Focal point of the break is the very contributing lead guitar solo. “Exhaustion” starts right with the vocals and the first verse part. It is another frantic track with a lot of Heavy Metal vibes in the guitar riffing and in the multiple solos. The drums deliver plenty of break ups in the rhythm as well as double-bass drumming towards the end of the track. While the pace is like in the other tracks, “Exhaustion” has different vibes compared to traditional Thrash Metal. “Novocain” is an instrumental 90-seconds interlude with thunderous guitar riffs and dark melodies delivered by the lead guitars at mid-tempo.

“Bleed Between The Lines” is another fast track with more old school Thrash Metal riffing and crunching basslines. While the pace is maintained during the verse parts, the bridge offers a twist to mid-tempo prior to the choruses. The chorus line is again provided by the backing vocals. The break switches to a measured tempo with a sluggish rhythm, introducing the extended and very melodic guitar solo with grim melodies. “Merry Evenings Make Sad Mournings” has a slow and doom-laden start with chilling melodies provided by the guitars. It does not take long to switch to a fast delivery of flesh-ripping guitar riffs, crushing basslines, and aggressive vocals. The vocals hardly contain any tonal shifts during the verse parts, however, there are a few higher pitched notes during the choruses. The highlight of the track is the very contributing lead guitar solo. “Merry Evenings Make Sad Mournings” is one of my favourite album songs. “Battle Box” is more a mid-tempo track with staccato type of drumming supported by the relentless basslines. The guitar riffing is very direct and aggressive. The backing vocals deliver support for the choruses, while the vocals once again have little tonal shifts during the track with a few exceptions. “Battle Box” is the official visualizer release, and the YouTube link is provided below. “Abominable Intelligence” is an almost three-minute interlude driven by the guitars at a measured tempo delivering bone-chilling melodies, supported by spoken words. “Ripper Attack” is a fast old school Thrash Metal song at fast pace with high intensity and aggression. The guitar riffing is tight and supported by strong basslines. The choruses slow down to mid-tempo and the chorus line is once more provided by the backing vocals. The break is a mid-tempo delivery with a blast-beat attack introduce the extended and contributing lead guitar solo. The album finishes with the dark atmospheric outro “Obsoletion Complete”.

VINDICATOR deliver a good Thrash Metal album. “Whispers Of Death” is built around traditional Thrash Metal, but it also offers a smart blend of different vibes and inspirations ranging from Heay Metal to Death Metal. Key elements of the album sound are the guitars, the crushing bass, and the comprehensive drumming. The lead guitar solos are often highlights of the tracks. The album is well produced. “Whispers Of Death” is an album that most Thrash Metal fans will love and they will look forward to exciting live shows of VINDICATOR.