Album number two Grand Feast For Vultures from Norwegian thrash metal outfit Blood Tsunami finds them pretty much picking up where 2007's debut Thrash Metal left off. While their roots are firmly entrenched in the old school sounds of 80's and 90's trash, a considerable portion of the music on this sophomore effort also falls into the melodic, death metal category.
Propelled by the savage twin guitar attack of Dor Amazon and Pete Evil (who also handled the vocals as well), along with the impressive drum work of ex-Emperor skin pounder Faust, this seven song disc is full of venomous aggression from beginning to end. Songs "Castles Of Skulls", the scorching "Laid To Waste" and the title track are fairly straight forward, mid to fast paced thrashers. However, it's the final two songs "Eceladus Rising" and "One Step Closer To The Grave" where the band's instrumental prowess really shines through. As on they did on their first album, they once again chose to cut an ambitious and lengthy instrumental track, which arrives here in the form of the twelve and half minute "Eceladus Rising". Essentially a showcase for the dual riffing of Amazon and Evil, this composition takes enough twists and turns to keep things interesting for the whole ride. The opening couple of minutes of closing number "One Step Closer To The Grave" almost sounds like a natural extension of the previous song, that is until Evil's snarling vocals enter into the fray. Once again it's the shifting tempos and searing, layered lead guitar work that provides this track with its musical backbone. The song climaxes with four + minutes of frantic, non-stop tradeoff solos and a heaping dose of tandem riffing.
While the band hasn't progressed or deviated too much from what they accomplished musically on their debut effort, I'd still consider Grand Feast For Vultures to be a step in the right direction. It will be interesting though to see if album number three finds them stepping up their game and taking their music to the next level in order to create a bit of separation between them and the rest of the bands, in what is usually a fairly cluttered musical genre.
Track Listing
1) Castle of Skulls
2) Grand Feast For Vultures
3) Personal Exorcism
4) Nothing But Contempt
5) Laid To Waste
6) Eceladus Rising
7) One Step Closer To The Grave
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