Review Summary: The album Veil of Maya wish they released.
While hailing from Bismarck, North Dakota; death metal/hardcore band Vendetta Spoken play a style of metal comparable to fellow Midwestern acts such as
Veil of Maya and
Born of Osiris but with a more cohesive and flowing final sound. As of now, Vendetta Spoken consists of:
Dean Sather - Vocals
Victor Clarence and Mark Hammerbeck - Guitars
Izzy Willis - Bass
Casey Graff - Drums
The first point of contention is Sather's incredibly grating and guttural vocal style. He contrasts a very low, harsh growled style which almost sounds inhaled with a supersonic, scathing high. Both of which sound very raw and original in and of the fact that his vocals are reminiscent of no one and stand alone very well. His vocal style is unintelligible for the most part. The fact that his vocals are so harsh and the distinct lack of repeated choruses and chants make it very hard to pick up on. For the most part, however, the lyrics stick to themes of personal conviction and philosophy.
The guitars on the album flow together perfectly and absolutely deliver on every end of the spectrum. The riffing is very catchy and At The Gates-esque when used. The riffing and tremolo picking contrast very well with the spastic, djent/chug patterns frequently used to achieve a breakdown-like feel without relying on drawn out, overused tactics like palm-muted open chords.
The guitars also shine in the frequent ambient passages, giving off a very prog-rock vibe without feeling too much like the overplayed atmospheric sections thrown in by many metal bands these days. Despite the short length of the songs, the music blends the elements of death metal with the elements of djent/sumeriancore with the smoothed out passages where the guitars and programmed elements can carry the emotion.
Casey Graff is very capable behind the drum kit. His style is very much death metal based as he mixes rapid double bass with chaotic blast beats but he combines the style with metalcore very appropriately and rarely mixes them, instead switching back and forth following the guitars seemingly as the songs evolve in style.
By far the most original concept on this album is the programming on the tracks "Beginning End" and "Mr. Cake". The tracks adopt a synthetic style that is no longer ambient or supporting but carries the songs and sounds as though they were taken from Rob Dougan and the chase scenes in The Matrix. It's something that is only used briefly and can definitely be expanded on and perfected in future releases.
While the album itself is very short, it contains very little filler. The first and final tracks are rather simple programmed instrumentals designed as a sort of rising action and denoument if you will, as the album itself is incredibly diverse. The album is also very short, clocking in at a hair over 30 minutes.
In those 30 minutes, however, Vendetta Spoken shows major talent and technicality without turning it into a wank fest. If this album had come out before similar Sumerian acts, it could easily have been rated higher, but as is it's just another unknown album. A must listen for fans the deathcore genre.
Recommended Tracks:
Twelve Ways to Light the Path
Curses
Feast or Famine
