Review VENDETTA ‘Black as Coal’

Vendetta from Schweinfurt, Germany belongs to the veterans of German metal. Having released with ‘Go and Live … Stay and Die’ and ‘Brain Damage’ two acclaimed longplayers in the 80s the band decided to part ways in 1990.

After years of absence Vendetta returned in 2002 and released with ‘Hate’ a new longplayer. Having found the right vibe again, the guys released two additional records and it is their sixth record, ‘Black As Coal’, which hits the shelves these days.

After having pressed the ‘Start’-button, ruthless thrash metal streams out of the speakers and transfers the listener back to the earlier days of German thrash metal. It is raw and unpolished metal with thundering riffs (‘Stronghold of Terror’), hitting the ears. While listening to the album I had to think about Paradox, but also the sound of Altenessen. It is this heavily pounding beat and the guitar power that is oldschool but not old-fashioned.

There was the big hype about the latest Metallica album and I don’t compare the thrash metal forerunners with a band like Vendetta. What the latter though managed is to keep the flame of thrash metal alive. It is raw and untamed energy that automatically leads to headbanging. At the same time Vendetta delivers an authentic metal experience. The guys love this kind of music and thrash metal enthusiasts will appreciate too with what they get offered.

‘Black as Coal’ refers to a time when the sound of the Bay Area started to conquer the metal scene. It is a journey back in time when German band like Kreator and Sodom, but also Deathrow and Assassin started to deliver harsh riffpower to headbangers all over the globe. ‘Black as Coal’ is fun and entertains. What more can you expect?