There is a moment during Alien Realms by Vortex – specifically during the song Haunting The Abyss – where you find yourself listening to a Mozart inspired piano run being chased down by the rest of the band, like a pack of rabid dogs trying to corner a graceful fox, and you find yourself wondering just what the hell you are listening to.
Your brain can’t seem to comprehend that, yes, it is classical music and, yes, it is Blackend Death Metal, but the marriage of these two things seem almost alien in execution. Which is apt, considering the subject matter.
You know these two ideas go together, you’ve heard other bands attempt it to varying degrees of success, but for some reason in the hands of Vortex, this all sounds new. Then it hits you.
This sound. This is the sound of Beauty being ravaged by The Beast. This is the sound of her being torn apart, limb by limb, but not in an act of passion but in an act of brutal savagery. And I fucking love it.
Coming as a follow up to their last release, The Future Remains In Oblivion, Alien Realms is a dark and disturbing concept EP that tells the tale human and extraterrestrial conflict.
*Hint* It doesn’t turn out well for the humans.
All of which is played out against the backdrop of a hellish landscape of beautiful noise that hits you like a fucking tsunami from the word go.
Vortex aren’t a band that fucks around. They know what they are, they know who they are, and they play like a band possessed. But this isn’t just a simple case of A to B, how many Blackend Death Metal riffs can we slap down and how fast can we play them, as Vortex are a much more talented band than most around at the moment. In among the pounding drums, thunderous bass, eternal guitars, and every other cliche that I can think to throw out, is some of the most fantastically written orchestral pieces and classic movements you are likely to hear across this genre.
They are so fucking good and such a powerful counterpoint to such powerful music that I would genuinely love to see Vortex play Alien Realms as one continuous whole. To me, that’s what it is. It is an opera that just happens to be played at a blistering speed by a bunch of long haired mad bastards who prefer intricate guitar solos to violin concertos.
Alien Realms is as breath taking as a sunrise. It is as violent as a blitzkrieg assault. It is the sound of angelic choirs screaming into the abyss if demons. It is fucking proper.
RATING SYSTEM: 4 OUT OF 5
- 0 – 1: Fucking shit 1
- 1– 2: Shit
- 2 – 3: Not Bad Shit
- 3 – 4: Pretty Good Shit
- 4 – 5: Amazing Fucking Shit
- 5: The Best Shit You Will Ever Hear.
Press Source: ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS: Jon Asher – Music Publicist. Facebook @AsherMediaRelations. Instagram @AsherMedia. Tweet@AsherMedia
