Album Review: Vindicator – Sleeping With Evil [EP]

Vindicator – Sleeping with Evil
Release Date: January 29, 2014
Independent Release

Vindicator is back with a new EP offering called Sleeping with Evil and let me just say that this sweet ass piece of sonic ear candy has me asking this question: “How is this band not fucking huge?” I’m for reals here people. In 2012 the band put out a sonic masterpiece with “United We Fall” but Sleeping with Evil has taken Vindicator to a new level. Vic Stown & Co plays with all of the depth, gusto, and passion that you have to have in order to rightfully pull off this level of thrash metal.

In true old school thrash metal fashion, the EP opens with the intro “The Succubus.” I love hearing intros like this as it builds tension and just has you wondering what lies behind that proverbial slow opening door. Well, behind this door lies a sonic kick to the nads with “Sleeping with Evil.” Listening this band I find myself in disbelief that this band hasn’t been doing this for 30 years. Vindicator does classic thrash like early Testament, Megadeth, and Exodus just as good if not better than any band that’s been doing 3x longer.

Sonically the album sounds absolutely mind-bendingly awesome. I love it when a band pays close attention and dedicates themselves to make a really great sounding record. The sound of this album is so aurally pleasing which is something I can’t say about a lot of modern metal bands. “Hockey Stick Vengeance” is so reminiscent of that classic tongue in cheek trash humor but it was the song “New Clear Assault: End of an Error” that stood head and shoulders above the rest. This time around, I’m also finding lead singer/guitarist Vic Stown to sound less like Dave Mustaine and starting to really find and forge his own voice. This is a significant sign of growth and Stown is quickly becoming one of my new favorite metal vocalists.

Sleeping With Evil is without a doubt one of the best metal release I’ve laid my ears on this year. In addition to the 5 new tracks, the band also tacked on a demo for “Rampage” which totally crushes heads and a live version that sounds some NWOBHM band that was recorded in 1980 in some dank club in the UK. At first I was like really? But then I realized I couldn’t stop listening to it. What a raw yet honest representation of what Vindicator sounds like live and lemme tell you, I want some of that.

I was a fan of Vindicator before but this album made me really fucking love this band 10x more than I already did. Vindicator is the kind of band that reminds me of just why I fucking love heavy metal music so much. The energy, the passion, the sincerity that these guys play with is something you just can’t even avoid seeing and hearing in this band. Vindicator is a band that needs to be talked about and needs to be known. Vindicator very well could be the band to breathe life back into a style of metal that nobody these days seems to be doing quite as good. Vindicator very well could be your next favorite band and actually should be your next favorite band.

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