Artist......: Verdalack
Album.......: Force from the Grave
Year........: 2025
Genre.......: Metal

Type........: Album
Label.......: Hells Headbangers Records
Language....: English

Source......: WEB
Encoder.....: libFLAC
Quality.....: 1073kbps avg. / 44.1kHz / 2 channels

Tracks......: 8
Playtime....: 00:29:29
Size........: 237.66MB

R.Date......: 2025-07-27
S.Date......: 2025-07-25
Url.........: http://play.qobuz.com/album/i7xo9ypw77xrc

01. Axehead                                         3:36
02. Heretic Flights                                 3:09
03. Desecrater                                      3:19
04. Blood Eagle                                     3:57
05. Final Assault                                   4:21
06. Force from the Grave                            4:47
07. Into the Flames                                 2:57
08. Rites of Hell                                   3:23

Soaring out of the gutter with a nuclear howl and
barking their radiation down a puke splattered alley
for a half hour beyond Tokyo, Japan-based speed
metalpunk quintet VERDALACK introduce themselves as a
blunt instrument of aggression and an anthemic force
on this inspired debut full-length album. Though
youÆve probably heard similar concoct of wild heavy
metal noise and punk-inflected speed metal these folks
do well to leave a dent with æForce From the Graveæ,
not only for the sake of the hammer that anchors their
action but all that they do to grip the listener by
the ear and shout down their throat. The level of
cacophonic metalpunk hurl ripping through this debut
does a lot to sustain interest here but there is a
solid heavy metal album firing off amidst the kicking
roar of it all.

Verdalack formed back in 2022 between former members
of speed/thrash metal band Assault Attack whoÆd been
active in the late 2010Æs and eventually produced two
mediocre demos. In addition to the two guitarists and
vocalist from that previous incarnation theyÆd brought
in folks from Significant Point and Military Shadow
and re-recorded their previous bandÆs debut demo
æRites of Hellæ (2022) soon after. The suggested
inspiration for this band has changed slightly beyond
their past lives as the core of mid-80Æs speed metal
tropes still manifests as basal activity but on newer
material theyÆve incorporated the unnerved spirit of
Japanese hardcore punk/metalpunk as well as some of
the Priest inspired attitude of 80Æs United States
power metal. In fact IÆd assume the name of the band
comes from a late album track on Tyrantæs classic æToo
Late to Prayæ, using the same form of word referring
to a specific Slavic vampire mythos. Though we can
generally consider this a speed metal band the
character of this debut primarily comes from their
punkish, barking attack and some choice breaks into
traditional heavy metal guitar work.

æForce From the Graveæ leads with Verdalackæs new
found strength via opener ôAxeheadö bringing anthemic
heavy metal into a blunted metalpunk, or, late 80Æs
Japanese hardcore punk infused trample and it reads
something like Loud Night or Speedwolf if they were
bigger on revivalist speed metal like Vulture and
prone to whip out leads more often. There is a certain
level of chaos conjured by vocalist Villain (Military
Shadow) both in terms of his full-chested bark and the
number of echoic effects applied and thisÆd end up
being one of my favorite characteristics of this
record in that he uses a NWOBHM/speed metal derived
sense of melody much of the time, not exactly a æWhere
Legend Beganæ sort of affair in terms of
characterization of songs (and riffsà) but I figure
any fan of English Dogs or Warfare (U.K.) will
appreciate when and where he goes over the top.

On a quick pass through you could probably get away
with accusing the band of rinsing-and-reusing the
general modus of the album opener for a somewhat samey
~half hour record but the variations do eventually
show up (re: HallowÆs Eve-meets-Exploited burner
ôBlood Eagleö) and all songs task the band with
keeping the momentum kicking hard no matter where
their sub-genre ratio swerves. ôDesecratorö is
probably the most machined through and simple example
of Verdalackæs ideal here though youÆll generally find
better heavy metal songs the deeper you step down into
their crypt. In fact Side B kinda smokes the shit out
of Side A in terms of guitar slinging, speed metal
anthemic metalpunk action starting with my favorite
piece here ôFinal Assaultö, a song which appeals to me
for the unruly 80Æs battery positioned behind it, the
solos which develop over the course, and the sheer
militance theyÆve applied in representing the song, as
titled. Otherwise the title track (ôForce From the
Graveö) replicates a similar formula but works in an
early Voivod riff to start before barreling through
the shrieking corridor of the song, leaning into power
metal apropos leads towards the end.

If youÆre well equipped with decades of knowledge per
Japanese hardcore/metalpunk and speed metal the
novelty might not be as potent but IÆd felt Verdalack
manage some convincing action for the majority of the
full listen, maybe losing some steam around the title
track. The bandÆs ouevre is limited to pretty simple
alchemical forms (80Æs metal and hardcore punk) in
exchange and thatÆll be enough to carry most folks
through but the last couple of songs which cap off the
album only ping in mind for the sake of the vocalist
upping the shrieks here and there. I will say that IÆd
appreciated theyÆd given us an official best version
of ôRites of Hellö as it must be one of the earliest
songs theyÆd written for Assault Attack in the
~2010Æs.

The big deal here for my own taste really boils down
to the right ratio of heavy metal capability (have
riffs/can shred) matching up with some real
interest/taste in exaggerated forms of 80Æs hardcore
and this isnÆt limited to the riffs alone but also the
rusty-ass sound design applied. It may be a blunt,
overly focused record but that ends up being the right
stuff when carrying the 80Æs underground in mind. That
authentic hammer handed bark-and-shriek through is a
big part of Verdalackæs appeal, I mean theyÆd do well
to switch things up more often the second time around
but the energy of this stuff is convincing enough.
IÆll definitely remember who they are when they
reappear.