Review by Felix on June 27, 2024.

This album is intended for those of us who thought that old school speed metal has died long ago. Perhaps these pessimists were right, but at the latest with this release this genre is back from the dead. And how! Well, the outro, a melodic solo guitar piece, seems to have the sole purpose of ending this album. It could be a leftover of "The New Order". In any case, it sounds very similar to the playful and relaxed guitar tracks on the second full-length of Testament. Therefore, it contrasts with the remaining powerful tracks and can be taken as a mere blemish.

Let´s turn our attention to the songs that define the music of Revenge. First of all I am surprised about the voluminous sound. Every single snare beat is like a detonation, the well observable (double) bass drum increases the force of the tracks. The excellent guitar sound plays its part, too. The high-pitched singing that displays welcomed tendencies of moderate insanity is temporarily supported by gutsy back vocals. To cut a long story short, the right conditions are in place.

The opening title track goes straight ahead and pushes us back into the seats. The drums set the pace and the formidable riffing energizes you. Although the verses are already excellent, the chorus marks the culmination. One day in the distant future, I will wake up in a better world and this song will certainly be a chartbreaker.

The following tracks almost reach the same level of intensity. The longer this album lasts, the more they move between speed and heavy metal without entailing any loss in quality. Revenge are not afraid to offer a song like "Renegade" which would fit to Judas Priest, specifically the chorus. It might not be among the highlights, however, it is worth hearing. But overall, I can state that the average speed is high, not least because of tunes like the furious double bass driven "Wail from the Crypts" which features a hymnal chorus. Or let us take "Sadistic Perversions". It kicks ass due to its fast-paced guitar runs as well as the vehement solo. "Riding in Hell" is of the same kind while scoring with sharp riffs. One could go on and on listing the songs, Revenge´s joy of playing is everywhere apparent and makes me feel twenty years younger at least. Therefore, "Vendetta" isn´t meant to gather dust on the shelf.

One last note: my edition comes with a bonus DVD that features mainly four live shows and a documentary. Due to my minimal Spanish language skills, I don´t want to evaluate the documentary. The image quality of the live shows can´t be described as professional while their stage acting is nothing unusual. But one must not forget that the visual bonus acts just as an addition.

Rating: 7.8 out of 10