Vehemence

Forward Without Motion

2015

Nathan Gearhart- Vocals
Bjorn Dannov- Guitar
Mark Kozuback- Bass
Andy Schroeder- Drums
Kyle Moeller- Guitar

1. I Don’t Want To Look Inside

This long awaited album kicks things off with this song, and the beginning has a nice harmonized guitar riff for a few bars, and then sets up a nice driving rhythm with the guitars and drums for a few bars. They play a few more bars with the same riff and drums kicks it up a notch with the use of blasts. When the first verse begins we get to hear Nathan’s vocals, they have matured into a blend of lows and highs that give you a more refined style of delivery. The song has a great groove to it, which you can move to, very enjoyable really, not to mention the guitar solo around the 2:54 minute position giving you another taste of the harmonizing effects of having quality guitarists. The riff that they play coming out of the solo section is an example of that classic Vehemence guitar style. Right around the 5:08 minute mark, they give us a little bridge to breakdown section where the guitars deliver a menacing guitar riff and the drums roll into some rapid blasting to give you an energetic head banging moment that will surely get bodies moving.

2. Imagining The Loss

This song has a nice feel to it, a medium tempo and a solid rhythm for the verses, Andy’s drums have a crisp sound to them, and he goes from double bass to blasts seamlessly. This song sounds like they are picking right up from “Helping The World To See” as if there was no time in between these two albums. The song has a solid groove and we get to see that melodic almost lamenting style that we have heard from Vehemence’s previous albums. They hit us with a cool little guitar solo around the 3:00 minute mark. At 3:45 the song goes through a transition with a riff that builds up to open up the last verse of the song. The song ends with a perpetuating guitar riff that fits perfectly and ends by abruptly stopping.

3. Murdered By The Earth

Love the beginning guitar riff, this song has a solid mid-tempo feel to it, and a groove you can really get into and the vocals really lock that groove in. The highs for the first section and the lows for another bar. Then we hear a little melodic transition going into the next verse. Out of that verse we get some blast beats that set up another few bars of vocal delivery by Nathan. When he hits us with the low growling vocals the song goes through a change with a slightly different feel. However it ultimately leads right back to that solid rhythm with the two guitars playing harmonically. A guitar solo is generously gifted to the listeners and you can’t help but feel the soul put into the guitar solos, it makes you feel like this song comes from down deep inside. At 8:24 minutes long they really give you everything they have for this one. The way the guitars switch to the acoustic and continue to play and fade out makes this song one that must be amazing to see live.

4. Jim The Prophet

An interesting and dark guitar introduction by the guitars and drums start this track off, then the vocals come in and the song just sticks with that, gloom filled evil sound. This is not your typical fast paced death metal song. There are moments at times that do have the speed picking and blast beats for example the 2:05 minute mark we get some mixed vocals, speed picking guitar riffs, and blast beats getting you into the head banging mood. Then at the 2:40 minute mark the song changes into something else with a solid groove. It seems like every 45-60 seconds the song gets heavier, and heavier to the point you may want to reevaluate your physical status if you think you are going to be in a pit during this song. At the 4:45 minute mark we get a short little rollout into a steady punishing rhythm and sounds clips from what seems to be audio from Jonestown to finish the song off.

5. In The Shadows WE Dwell

This song tears into you right out of the gate with Nathans growl, and the guitar riffs layered over the drums. The first verse is cool with Nathan giving some highs, and then we get a lonely guitar riff that sets up the next section that has a ripping groove you can’t deny the movement you will undoubtedly be succumbing to. That is until you get to the 1:30 minute mark where Andy is delivering the blast beats like a champion. The next verse is a little more high energy and has a good tempo for a few bars that changes dramatically to a slower pace and low guttural vocals. This particular section builds up to a great segment of fast picking harmonizing guitars and a driving rhythm. It slowly egresses to a single guitar playing a riff that eventually fades out.

6. A Dark Figure In The Distance

This song begins with a riff you wouldn’t normally expect from a metal band, it is a light melodic guitar riff with Andy following on the hi hat with a complimenting beat. We continue to hear that guitar riff through the first verse. Rollin gout of the first verse we get a unique rhythm playing out with some vocal effects for a few bars. At 4:04 we get hit with the guitar solo section at this moment I really feel like Bjorn and Kyle have better chemistry than former member Chavez. It just honestly feels like these two build off of each other and are on the same wave length or page.

7. It’s All My Fault

This song begins with a little drum solo intro and “boom” hits you with Nathans vocals right away. Delivering highs and lows with ease going from one bar of highs to another bar of lows. This song has a good tempo and a beat you can head bang to. The song hits us with these little sections like the one at the 1:25 minute mark that has a sinister feel and builds up to the blast beat riddled verse, and then out to double bass rolling guitar shredding chorus. This song has such a solid groove to it you will not stop head banging moving moshing tapping your foot, you will be entranced by this song with good reason.

8. She Fucks Like She’s Alive

This song begins with a great rhythm coming from the guitars and Andy does a great job adding dimension to the song. He is exploring the use of playing patterns on his hi hat, and doing little drums fills here and there. His style of using blast beats and double bass filled death metal drumming really makes this song one that you can get into. The dual guitars harmonizing often and really complimenting each other while keeping the song interesting with a solid rhythm. Around the 4:30 minute mark the song slows down and gives us a slow melodic lamenting guitar melody that plays out for the rest of the song and fades out on a cymbal roll from Andy.

9. There’s So Many Reasons To Give Up On Religion

Blast beats and a mean guitar riff start this particular song for the first fifteen seconds and then Nathan joins in with his vocals for what seems like a pre verse section to get things warmed up. The verse we hear Nathan giving his classic style of vocals that are reminiscent of both of their previous albums. Around the 2:55 minute section the song takes a darker approach for a few bars and then gifts us generously with a guitar solo and then some speed picking going into a faster tempo section. This half of the song will get you moving and head banging if you weren’t already. The guys seem to be building up from one section to the next maintaining a good groove and hitting us with heavy sections and blast beats high energy sections that eventually ends the song.

This album is great, it’s a good mix where you can hear elements from the previous two albums but also the way they have matured is very evident. That have matured in their sound and have a more focused attack with their delivery. Musically their brand of metal seems like it is picking right up from their last album. For fans like myself we have been waiting what seems like forever for this album, but if you didn’t know it would seem like they only had a few years between helping the world to see and this album. They didn’t miss a beat, they didn’t lose anything. They are making great music and delivering their blend of melodic death metal unlike anyone else out on the game. This album is a solid 8/10 and I certainly hope they keep this line up and make more music in the near future, I know I am not the only one to say this but I am glad Vehemence is back at it.

To give you a taste here is a video for Murdered By The Earth

Heres the video \m/

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Also check out their bandcamp page to listen, and order Forward Without Motion HERE \m/

-Badger \m/
http://www.badgersmetalbreakdown.com