VANISHMENT

VANISHMENT   “No More Torture”

By Dr. Abner Mality

It’s hard to find much to say about VANISHMENT and their debut “No More Torture”. It is neither great enough to inspire raves nor poor enough to lead to an avalanche of wisecracks and smart remarks. Instead, it is yet another of those releases that fall in the vast gray void of the average.

The band is composed of some scene veterans, including drummer Chris Wozniak, who beat the skins for two of my favorite Chicago area bands, LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR and EARTHEN GRAVE. They’ve come up with a sound that draws heavily from modern METALLICA and MEGADETH, mixed with some of the groove of PANTERA and lightened with some classic MAIDEN/PRIEST guitar melodies. It can’t be described as all out thrash or hardcore, but the production is plenty raw and keeps a rough edge at all times. As for the songs, they keep my interest while they are playing...but not a minute longer. Even now, a few minutes after I’ve finished listening to the album, my memories are subsiding. Not really the mark of a great band.

Nevertheless, the likes of “Dismiss The Warning” and “Killing The Sun” are pleasing metal songs. Rob Ropkins the vocalist kind of bellows at everything...not a ton of melody or smoothness there. The band at least has an organic and natural tone to it. But the songwriting doesn’t rise much beyond the level of competent.

So again, not a heck of a lot to say about VANISHMENT. Another metal band to join the great gray mass.

DEAD SAGE RECORDS 

VANISHMENT