Review by Felix on July 16, 2023.

Schweinfurt is no nice town. Before evil Adolf’s war, it was the centre of the German ball-bearing industry and so, among other things, it had to suffer a lot from the allied air attacks. After the deadly inferno was over, Schweinfurt was in ruins and if you visit it today, you will see that nobody had a good idea how to rebuild the city. Surprisingly or maybe just logically, we find the same lack of ideas in the music of Schweinfurt’s most “famous” thrash export, Vendetta.

But let me start with another aspect. Vendetta released two albums during the Teutonic thrash metal explosion. I don’t like them very much, but let the truth be told, other people do so. Either way, the configuration of Vendetta today has only one connection to the original band. The bass player is still the one of the eighties. The other guys have occupied the name and I guess it would be more honest to call yourself “Vendetta II”, “Blood Revenge” or maybe “STM” for Schweinfurt’s Thrash Musicians or whatever. On the other hand, I admit that it makes sense that they still operate under the old banner. The material still lacks coherence – exactly like it did in the eighties (in my humble opinion).

Just have a look at the mid-paced title track in the centre of the album. It starts with a good, bone-dry riff and strong percussive elements. The voice also appears powerful, even the slightly melodic bridge has its charm. But the awkward melody in the chorus and the weak polyphonic singing, in particular at the end of the song, destroy the good approaches to a certain extent. This dilemma is no isolated case. Vendetta know the stylistic devices, the genre aesthetics (rasping guitars are omnipresent) and the general building blocks of thrash and they offer some robust parts. But they fail to successfully put the pieces together. Not always, but in a remarkable number of cases. Their own song’s name 'No Hands But A Gun' is emblematic for their own situation.

Strong tracks? The solos of 'Death Means Relief' are too long and the funky bass at the beginning tastes acidic, but it is still a cool number. 'Shoot To Kill' houses some straight sequences that create a certain intensity (by the way, the song and the vocals remain me of the faster tracks of Risk). Its characteristic chorus also hits the mark. Unfortunately there are also songs like 'AK-47' that give me absolutely nothing in view of their expressionless riffs and their non-exciting configuration. 'Stranglehold Of Terror' is better due to its fantastic, dense “Run from terror / Stop the fighting…” part, but already the following bridge sounds terrible and uninspired. By the way, its socio-critical lyrics are a little bit one-sided. But of course it makes things easier to think exclusively in black or white.

Vendetta remains a mystery to me. I appreciate their stamina, but bands that return after 20 years with an album that fails to reach the 30 minute mark or bands that call their fifth album “The 5th” are suspicious to me. However, let’s be fair: Black As Coal can rely on a powerful, straight-in-your-face production (with an audible bass!) and it reflects the ambitions of the band. Yet it also mirrors the deficiencies in terms of songwriting. Almost every song would have benefited from a shorter playtime and better interconnected individual parts. And so Vendetta are like their home town. Both cannot conceal their shortcomings.

Rating: 5.6 out of 10

Review by Jeger on June 27, 2025.

Sweden's Vinterland - one of the '90's No Fashion Black Metal era's predominant players, but not for long. They erupted onto the scene with a couple of promising demos and then in 1996, Vinterland released their debut LP, "Welcome My Last Chapter", to the great enthusiasm of followers and critics alike. A volume of Nature's frigid bounty and of Night's enchanting embrace done the Swedish Melodic Black Metal way; a la Dissection, Sacramentum and Gates of Ishtar. Would be Sages of the scene were Vinterland until their untimely disappearance. Vinterland has not released a single record following their debut. How would they even follow up such a remarkable album? A Black Metal record that's as epic as it is soulful and as graceful as it is majestic. "Welcome My Last Chapter" would ironically stand as Vinterland's own final chapter…

"Welcome My Last Chapter" sees Vinterland finely tight roping the border that divides Melodic and Atmospheric Black Metal. Its atmosphere is like an ethereal mist over bold, melodic passages that are also offset by thunderous concussions and intense vocals. A double-folded recording where Vinterland pushes the limits while remaining grounded by the copper of genre trueness. There was no other way to do it back then during the blossoming of the Second Wave. With the opening track, "Our Dawn Of Glory", Vinterland approaches the gateways with galloping momentum into the sphere of intoxicating melody, racing rhythms and power bass lines; all wisely segmented in a way to where all phases are united, yet softly outlined all the same.

Behold the arrival of the Harbinger upon this star-born night: the sound of galloping hooves upon loose gravel of the road to horizons anew. "So Far Beyond (The Great Vast Forest)" is a visual instrumental interlude that conjures images of Wolves baying the moon, of galloping the woodland and of the lonesome Vampyre as he stalks his darkly haunts. An epic in "A Castle So Crystal Clear" follows. Not epic in length but in substance. This track does feel lengthier than it actually is, and that's due to its slower progression. Taking their time are Vinterland until you're about 1/3 into the cut and an exciting rush of dashing riffs and blast-beats unfold.

Not one weak track… Not a single hiccup or faux pa to be found. "Welcome My Last Chapter" is one of THE great second wave of BM albums: criminally overlooked and foolishly underestimated. Let us prepare now! Let us strike up the candles and let us sojourn here in the grip of musical perfection. Or perhaps shall we mount our steeds and take to the forests! Either way, the night awaits, the Castle looms and winter's icy breeze gales. Let there be no hesitation! Just jump in head first like the blade as it plunges through flesh. You're going to adore this one. I guarantee it.

Rating: 10 out of 10