VULTURE INDUSTRIES - The Dystopia Journals

Vulture Industries - The Dystopia Journals

8 songs
44:04 minutes
***** *****
Dark Essence

Bandpage

Neither band name nor cover artwork look promising. The band name lets you think of industrial music, and the cover could be from a dark gothic band. Fortunately, Vulture Industries from Norway are neither the one nor the other, but play an unconventional yet very sophisticated form of black metal.

Considering that The Dystopia Journals is a debut, the feat is even more respectable. Vulture Industries have such a varied approach to songwriting that it makes sense to call them progressive. It would be wrong though to consider them real newcomers, as the five musicians have gained experience in bands like Enslaved, Sulphur, Malice In Wonderland.

The music sounds very Scandinavian, with strong parallels to Bathory and Arcturus. But Vulture Industries have enough originality not to come across as a copy. It’s very impressive to hear how vocalist Bjornar Nilsen masters the most different kinds of singing styles: screams, growls and clean singing. But the music also astonishes again and again with its wide array of moods: folk, symphonic, gloom, aggression, hymns and a tendency for drama are just a few facets of this band. Sometimes the complex song structures remind me of Mike Patton’s avant-garde approach. Every time you listen to The Dystopia Journals, you can be sure to discover something new.

Vulture Industries are next to Le Grand Guignol one of the few bands that managed to bring fresh air into the black metal scene. Those who like the unexpected and are fed up with listening to hordes of Children Of Bodom clones, absolutely need The Dystopia Journals. I was amazed from the first to the last moment, and we can only hope that this band will continue releasing such fantastic music.

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