The early part of every new year is spent catching up on those albums I missed the previous year, and in many instances there are some gems to be found that I simply missed out the first time around. The Knightlore is the 2019 Gates of Hell offering from Italian heavy metal act Vulture's Vengeance, their debut full-length after a couple of demo & EP releases. From the production to the songwriting and the musicianship, The Knightlore screams old school, classic early '80s metal...think Cirith Ungol, Manilla Road, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Liege Lord, and early Fates Warning. Containing eight songs, this new release is chock full of kick ass riffs, plenty of blazing guitar solos, galloping drumming, and the high pitched vocal wailing of Tony T. Steele, who also plays guitar alongside fellow axe-master Tony L.A., with the rhythm team made up of Matt Savage on bass and drummer Matt Serafini. Some really spectacular old-school metal here, such as the twisting "Pathfinder's Call", the crunchy attack of "A Great Spark From the Dark", and the epic sounding title track, which is steeped in guitar thunder over which Steele soars. Other highlights include the dark, menacing ripper "Dead Men and Blind Fates" (featuring some stellar lead guitar work) and the majestic anthem "Eye of a Stranger", a song that has plenty of melody to go along with its heavy metal firepower.
Vulture's Vengeance have the look, the swagger, and most importantly the music, so if you crave vintage sounding heavy metal that delivers on every level, make sure you don't miss The Knightlore, a real winner from 2019 that deserves to be heard.
Track Listing
1. A Great Spark from the Dark
2. Fates Weaver
3. Pathfinder's Call
4. The Knightlore
5. Lord of the Key
6. Dead Men and Blind Fates
7. Eye of a Stranger
8. Chained by the Night
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