February 2025 - Feature Release - The Guardians Edition

How's it going, fellas, as it is my turn to nominate the featured release for The Guardians, I've decided to pick the debut full-length from Russian heavy metallers Vendel, "Out in the Fields". Manilla Road & Iron Maiden immediately come to mind with the band's operating in epic & galloping territory, and the occasional proggy ornament thrown in for good measure. That without sacrificing an ounce of heaviness, which sadly is not always a given nowadays. Let me know what you think & happy listening!

https://metal.academy/releases/52970

Great pick, Karl. I have never heard of these Russians before, but on first listen I found this really enjoyable. A mix of USPM and Epic Doom Metal that is impressively heavy. It will certainly get a bit more attention over the next few weeks and I will try to write up a review before the month is out.

My review:

Vendel answers the question nobody ever asked before, what if Judas Priest was a doom metal band? A simplification, but close enough to understand what these guys are about. Another simplification would be to call them another one of these epic heavy/doom metal bands that take epic metal and it with doom metal that seem to be a thing now.
If this sounds odd, it's because it is. I understand there's probably a virtue to this, but Priest generally works when they have energy to them, something that is unusual for a doom metal album. So this is sliding between two different styles and never quite working out right for them. They try, but fail through no fault except combining two styles that are exceedingly difficult to blend together.
Their attempts at the two styles are not created equal, however. While not setting the world on fire, the more traditional side of the album has a stronger idea of what does and does not make that genre work. In particular, they are quite skilled at galloping guitar sections. The doom sections tend to feel like they're just rehashes of other, better works, and as stated. Which unfortunately, combined with other issues tend to drag the album down.
One odd thing I noticed is that a lot of the guitar solos seem to be trying to invoke the guitar solos in the soundtracks to The Incredible Machine games. Even outside of me feeling it has similarities, it's a lot more showy than what the album is going for and seems out of place even discounting that.
While I don't dislike the album, I can't say there's really a reason to listen to it even if there is derth of great bands doing whatever it is these guys are trying to do. It's not objectionable, but unless the idea appeals, it's just not that interesting.

3/5