Album Review: Vicious Rumors - The Devil's Asylum
Reviewed by Gareth Pugh
After a break of 5 years, veteran power metal band Vicious Rumors return with a new album “The Devil’s Asylum”, their fourteenth and incidentally also the 40th anniversary of debut “Soldiers of the Night”, perhaps even less surprisingly is yet another new line-up change, founding members guitarist Geoff Thorpe and drummer Larry Howe are joined by new guitarist Denver Cooper and longtime live bassist Robin Utbult and the mysteriously monikered Chalice, as vocalist, a position the group has struggled with ever since the tragic loss of Carl Alberts (R.I.P.) back in 1995.
Musically the band have kept to their strengths, and Thorpe revealed the band have been touring the recent retrospective boxset ‘The Atlantic Years’ and having thoroughly enjoyed playing the old material live and that it influenced the songwriting on “The Devil’s Asylum”, which combines the classic speed metal sound from the likes of and “Digital Dictators” and the self-titled albums, mixed with the heavier more contemporary elements of recent albums “Concussion Protocol” and “Celebration Decay”.
‘Bloodbath’ starts off the proceedings with some classic vicious riffing, a killer chorus and a great melodic solo, Chalice showcases his impressive vocal range with some intense high-pitched screams mixed in with his normal singing. ‘Dogs of War’ slows things down a touch, with some chugging chord work and a super catchy refrain, and another imposing solo. Vicious Rumors have always had a varied sound and certainly aren’t afraid to mix it up; ‘Crack the Sky in Half’ is more upbeat, with an almost ‘happy’ feel to it, which works extremely well, whereas ‘High Hell Hammer’ is a real powerhouse, with choppy, galloping riffing.
‘Butcher’s Block’ is a bit more modern sounding, with down-tuned guitars and a heavy staccato groove, while ‘Wrong Side of Love’ is a bit simpler in construction with an almost hard rock feel to it. The album finishes with the title-track which for me is the strongest track on the album, combining punishing rhythms, brutal riffs, and serpentine guitar melodies. Chalice sings his heart out and the band leaves you wanting more, which is always a great way to end.
The album sounds huge thanks to the production job of Juan Urteaga (Machine Head, Testament, etc.) and Jimmy Evans, who by the way, also co-wrote 3 songs, and was recorded at 4 different studios in double-quick time over a few months during Christmas and New Year 24/25. It’s great to have these Californian legends back, and even with the line-up changes, the core sound is still very much intact, with Chalice probably being the closet the band have had to a singer with Carl Albetert’s tone and delivery, and while they have never released a weak album, this might very well be the strongest since “Welcome to the Ball”, with every song worth a listen. Welcome back.
