Review VULTURE INDUSTRIES ‘Ghosts from the Past’

Bergen in Norway is known as the rock and metal melting pot when it comes to Norway. Many bands are hailing from the city at the Norwegian west coast, mostly bands rooted in black metal. But there are other bands too and one of them is Vulture Industries.

The band started in 1998 as Dead Rose Garden before the underwent a name changing process in 2003 and became Vulture Industries. With a new moniker in place the guys launched a debut album called ‘The Dystopian Journals’ in 2007 and three more records followed.

After having released ‘Stranger Times’ a kind of radio silence took over and it seem like the guys used the time to write new material that is now available on a new longplayer called ‘Ghosts from the Past’. Thematically the album reflects on the childhood with all its little secrets and a sympathy for the outcast while also drawing a line to the present.

A key element of Vulture Industries’ sound is the sonorous voice of frontman Bjørnar Erevik Nilsen. Listening to songs like the impressive ‘This Hell is Mine’ reminds of greats like Nick Cave. It is this slightly melancholic post-punk vibe that swings with each song on the album, regardless of if it is the Spaghetti Western reminding ‘Deeper’ or the uptempo opener ‘New Lords of Light’.

‘Right Here in the Dark’ is another example for the versatility of this album. Again, it’s the voice of Nilsen that stands in the forefront of a song that surprises with twist and layers like the marching beat in the middle of the tune. It’s these little turns here and there, together with various layers, which makes ‘Ghosts from the Past’ to a highly entertaining album, that creates excitement for quite some time.

Vultures Industries worked on the album during the dark era of pandemic and songs like ‘Not by Blood, but by Words’ reflect the mood during this time very well. Slow, dark and with a heavy-loaded soul the song rolls right into your mind. It’s like a dark mist of circumstances covers your soul.

The band invested quite some time into the process of creating their fifth longplayer and the result clearly shows that it was worth the effort. ‘Ghosts from the Past’ is most mature and intense album of the Norwegians. It is an emotional and intensive musical adventure, captivating from start to finish.