Vultures

Recording information: Atrium Studios, Cardiff; Nott-In-Pill Studios, Newport.
Photographer: Paul Harris .
Featuring members of Bullet for My Valentine, Pitchshifter, Rise to Remain, Glamour of the Kill, and Cancer Bats, metalcore supergroup AxeWound introduce themselves to the world on their ripping debut, Vultures. Packed with harmonized guitar riffs, chugging breakdowns, and pinch harmonics galore, the band nails its colors to the mast with an album that feels like a loving tribute to all the things that make groove and thrash metal so fun. This balance between seriousness and metal excess is a tough one to pull off, but AxeWound manage it nicely, reining in the songs with enough genuine aggression that they're not in danger of devolving into parody. Most importantly with a group like this, it's clear the band is out to have fun. They're just a bunch of dudes hanging out and making the music they love, and that sort of vibe will definitely appeal to those who wouldn't understand why someone would ironically wear a Pantera or Iron Maiden shirt, even if metalcore isn't really their cup of tea. ~ Gregory Heaney