Another great drop this week, in the vein of traditional metal or even New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), The Cult of the Vestal Claret, by the titular Vestal Claret, is repping the old school styles pretty hard. You have great base to build off, and they have that old rocking metal sound, with a doom and gloom message about that old tyme religion, devil worship. Fuzzy, dirty, and easy to remember. What’s not to love?!
The Ol’ Goat is well represented here, as every song title is referential to something from the infernal plane, and some pretty cool artwork on the cover, of tombstones deeply etched with pentagrams rising out of a blackened plain. Heavy stuff, man. Here’s a track list, to illustrate the lyrical content:
1. Never Say Never Again
2. Three and Three are Six
3. The Cult of the Vestal Claret
4. Great Goat God *Author’s favorite track at this time*
5. The Deceiver and The Demon
6. Piece of Meat
7. Black Priest
8. Who Are You? (Black Sabbath cover) / The Stranger (Release Copy)*
9. The Stranger / So Mote It Be (Release Copy)*
*Review Copy has different song*
This album is full of gloom and doom, as pertaining to being in a cult who worships a Great Horned god, and its awesome as far as I am concerned. They have great lyrics, easily singable later on after you’ve committed them to memory, and you could easily rock these guys while cruising in your jalopy down the main drag. The guitar isn’t super complex, the bass has some sweet throb and is let loose every once in a while, and the drums are air worthy in every respect. It’s a great hard rock/metal album by a band who clearly loves their music, and doesn’t seek or need to be any more than that. Vestal Claret hits all the notes, dusting off the chapel and altar, and summoning up the black spirit of yore to infect all those who come to chant along.
This album is for those that love their denim and leather, and pentagrams on stuff. Pop it on, crank it up, and rock the hell out! Maybe literally!
Available NOW on iTunes, Amazon Music, Cruz Del Sur Bandcamp, and Cruz Del Sur Music Site Coming Soon on their site)
