It appears outer space is the limit for progressive thrash metallers Vektor. This year saw the Americans launch their third full-length 'Terminal Redux' into this galaxy after spending four years working on it. The reviews have largely been overwhelmingly outstanding with a sizeable proportion promulgating this as the four-piece's optimum output. Tonight they are live in London, having obliterated a packed Underworld only last December for the first time. Given the enormous success of 'Terminal Redux', it feels just that Vektor announced they will be performing all of the release in its entirety tonight.
The quartet takes off with new album opener 'Charging the Void', clocking in at nearly ten minutes but consistently engaging a mosh pit. Vektor can be considered one of the most innovative thrash acts since the turn of the century because they distance themselves from other youthful thrashers simply unimaginatively aping their '80s heroes. Progressive metal melodies, off-beat drumming, modern thrash riffs and predominantly growled vocals collide to create sci-fi-propelled metal containing the vicious, atmospheric and unorthodox. Admittedly, the most space-y atmospheres are somewhat mired by Underworld's sound but the technical flourishes ring clear as guitarists David DiSanto and Erik Nelson's fingers dance around their fretboards.
Vektor blast through the album in chronological order, wandering through particular highlights as 'LCD (Liquid Crystal Disease)', 'Ultimate Artificer' and tender ballad 'Collapse' with DiSanto employing clean vocals. The technical nature of the music ensures a great portion of the crowd are watching Vektor spurt out every arpeggio when not partaking in the ravenous pit orbiting the centre of the venue. The members are in good spirits as is the busy Underworld with punters frequently chanting the band's name in between songs.
The last song of the new album 'Recharging the Void' arrives, clocking in at over thirteen minutes and, like the rest of the album, is thoroughly intriguing and multi-dimensional. Vektor leave after the set concludes but there is more to come. Returning for their encore, the band expulses 'Hunger for Violence' from their debut album 'Black Future'. This track is multi-layered but lacks the maturity and complexity that the ambitious thrashers have demonstrated with their new album. The final transmission of the night is 'Tetrastructural Minds' from sophomore album 'Outer Isolation', introduced with a solid drum performance from Blake Anderson and Voivod-esque angular guitar work. This nova of energy, with melodies that brand memories, leaves behind a stellar performance of a show and the audience's reaction is almost tangible.
This concert was simply out of this world. Vektor have ticked boxes that so many metal bands fail to do in this day and age – maintain a steady line up, spend years working on a new album rather than spitting one out every other year to justify touring and - most crucially - craft music that is genuinely imaginative and demonstrative of a progression in their musical ability.(something that even many household prog metal acts struggle with nowadays). It is no wonder that they have elevated themselves into the metal conscious in such a brief span of time and their audience is rising exponentially. Sci-fi or die, indeed!
FUTURE GIGS
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