Review by Felix on June 2, 2021.

It may be that Vulture are a bright star in the speed metal sky for some people in the German metal journalists. It may also be that I just can't recognise the quality of their music. To me, it all sounds like relatively calculated speed or traditional heavy metal that has been heard a thousand times before and of course offers all the antics of this style. For example, there are some shrill, high-pitched screams, supporting background vocals (which sound extremely bland and expressionless here), scratchy guitars and choruses that are more or less trimmed for catchiness. Everything suffers from predictability, nothing is really heavy, rebellious or raw.

The first song that actually shows a certain sharpness is 'Flee the Phantom'. At this point, however, half of the record is already over. Moreover, despite its biting nature, this track also doesn't quite manage without a short melodic solo and, worse, the solid chorus isn't able to crown the piece. Unfortunately, not a single track convinces me at all, everywhere mediocrity rules with an iron fist. Of course, one can enjoy the transparent, relatively warm sound of the album. The production does justice to the band's style and their very backward-looking attitude. Unfortunately, this doesn't make solos great that would have already been considered antiquated in the days of the NWOBHM. Thus, for example, 'Below The Mausoleum' presents nothing but cultivated boredom despite minimal Mercyful Fate echoes. In the end, it's naturally all a question of taste and I don't want to be unfair. Everything is certainly right here in terms of craftsmanship. The band seems to be well attuned to each other, compositionally they also avoid putting together song fragments that don't belong to each other and for fans of the riff-emphasised but still melodic direction this may all be okay.

Towards the end of the album, Vulture make us sit up and take notice. While their songs otherwise hardly appeal to me and have little to no atmosphere, the restrained beginning of 'Multitude Of Terror' briefly creates a somewhat haunting atmosphere. Even when the song turns into a typical headbanger, there is no loss of quality and at least a level is reached that is not light years away from the last Iron Angel album. The closing 'The Court Of Caligula' also raises the final score thanks to its good melody in the chorus, but that's not so hard... In short, it is not forbidden to refer to the 80s. It's even much better than some modern nonsense. But without the extravagance of bands like early Agent Steel or Nasty Savage and beyond the compositional class of Paradox or Flotsam and Jetsam at the beginning of their career everything remains just as interchangeable as the clichéd cover. Therefore this work is recommended only for people who want to be eaten by vultures soon anyway.

Rating: 4 out of 10

Review by Michael on May 8, 2021.

German speed metallers Vulture from the tranquil town of Detmold (or as they called it in the booklet of their previous release - Deadmold, fantastic pun!!) will soon release their third opus Dealin' Death on Metal Blade Records.

First of all, once again very gloomy cover impresses, and again emphasizes the quintet's penchant for cutting weapons of any form. I would like to take a look at the kitchens of these gentlemen. The whole thing is based on the film "The Pit and the Pendulum" with Vincent Price based on the short story by Edgar Allan Poe. Visually definitely worthwhile.

Musically, at first glance (better the first listen) not much seems to have changed compared to the two strong previous albums. After a short intro 'Malicious Souls' and 'Count Your Blessings' start with aggressive speed riff attacks and pummeling drums, but in the course of the songs you notice that the band is much more playful and melodic than before. By the way, in 'Malicious Souls' the band also bows to Johannes Brahms very briefly - cool riffs from the "Hungarian Dance No.5". The first remarkable change can be discovered in 'Gorgon', which surprises the listener with a piano intermezzo and very varied vocals. Here, NWOBHM influences sound through in the chorus, which were not yet recognizable on the last albums. 'Star-Crossed City' starts with a cool riff and remains a very catchy song in the further course. 'Below The Mausoleum' is another very casual song in which the band uses some lunatic guitar riffs and very melodic vocal lines. In 'Multitudes Of Terror', on the other hand, the band again and again shows Slayer influences, without renouncing their typical speed metal. 'The Court Of Caligula' is by far the slowest song on the album, again with a melodically sung chorus and hypnotic drums (I can't think of which band the drumming reminds me of, who knows what I mean, please message me!!!)- very catchy and the riffs keep reminding of Iron Maiden. A quite worthy conclusion of a good album.

Who stands on speed metal with high vocals (as a reference Exodus, old Agent Steel, Exciter or Evil Invaders are mentioned) should definitely check out this album.

Rating: 8.7 out of 10 Deathly Pendulums

Review by Rosh on August 20, 2023.

So, Spiritus Mortis are apparently the first Finnish doom metal band, and when you listen to them, it's pretty believable based on how they epitomize the hard-rocking stoicism typical of early doom and heavy/doom metal. And although it took 14 years after their first demo to put out, Spiritus Mortis is the complete package - ballsy traditional doom done right. It's an authentic listen that feels all too underrated when compared to Candlemasses and Pentagrams, especially because its structure is very similar to other doom albums in the same league, such as Count Raven's "High On Infinity". The formula at play is essentially enthusiastic and potent rockers balanced against the doomy and mysterious serenades, which is pretty standard for traditional doom, but the exemplary execution of this standard formula is what makes Spiritus Mortis such an underrated record, because it does these things with as much class and valor as far more well-known doom releases.

Usually, I tend to think of albums with 14 tracks as being collections of songs rather than cohesive album experiences, but the way Spiritus Mortis is divided into suites of songs does actually make it feel like a well-crafted helping of unapologetic heaviness. There's only two interlude tracks and 12 actual songs, which means the interludes are well-placed and the tunes are varied, putting forth a plentiful array of enticing riffs. "Beyond" has an unmistakably bludgeoning staccato attack to it unheard since "Lord Of This World", which commands a formidable presence, and "Death Walking" progresses nicely from a warm riff, that sounds like sipping the foam head of a satisfying stout beer in musical form, to a blood-curdling, maniacal chorus. "Rise From Hell", though, is the centerpiece of the album, lurching forth with a menacing riff rivaled only by Trouble's "Psalm 9" or Candlemass' "Bewitched." This, along with "Forbidden Arts", and "...In Me" is the way mid-tempo doom should and must be pulled off, actually thriving on not being too slow. It's what this incarnation of Spiritus Mortis does when they're not playing uptempo songs like "Baron Samedi", which are another part of the reason I describe this album as being "balls out."

Stellar tracklist aside, though, I think another thing I like so much about Spiritus Mortis is how every member of the band is a hero. I would've loved to hear more albums with this singer, he's got a very throaty roar complimented exquisitely by his pronounced Finnish accent. The riffs, meanwhile, are not only superior to Count Raven and Reverend Bizarre's due to the tutelage of Trouble/Pentagram, but the guitarist also makes fantastic use of pedals that reminds one steadfastly of doom's relationship with psychedelic heavy rock. Then there's also the way that the bass lends equally towards enhancing both the guitar and drums, creating a muddy wall of sound when the guitar takes rests unheard since Saint Vitus' 1984 self-titled album, and making the percussion feel all the more walloping and infectious, actually reminding me of the classic combo of D.D. Verni and Sid Falck in Overkill. After all, this is ballsy doom we're talking about, not your Warnings and Pallbearers who play the melodramatic equivalent of the black album. Disses aside, though, I rarely praise every member's performance on an album, but Spiritus Mortis seriously delivers on all fronts.

Ultimately, this debut full-length of Spiritus Mortis is basically Finland's answer to Relentless by Pentagram. You have a band who is one of the oldest in the scene with a slew of demo material finally recording their debut full-length over a decade after formation, whilst the regional doom scene had already taken off. Way too underrated considering what a killer package of muscular, aggressive doom metal it is. Piss off if you think doom metal is supposed to be mellow or something, and listen to this album, "Lunar Womb" by The Obsessed, and "Black Night" by Iron Man!

Also, in "Sweet Oblivion", he's saying "I'm coming my God!" during the chorus, but you'll probably hear it as "I cum in my cunt!" And even if you didn't, you can't unhear that now.

Rating: 9.7 out of 10