VEKTOR

The band logo and intriguing cover art immediately bring to mind VOIVOD, as do some of the deeply pondered futuristic/science-fiction lyrics and the occasional nods to otherworldly musical angularity. But more than anything else, VEKTOR's "Black Future" is simply a progressive thrash metal album whose arrangements are intricate, yet rarely verbose. In other words, equal amounts are on offer for the unashamed thrash-head and the cerebral-metal buff, a rare achievement in the world of 21st Century thrash metal.

At nearly 70 minutes "Black Future" is a lot to digest and you will without a doubt end up stuffed, but it is nonetheless a tasty multi-course meal. That the Phoenix band is a mere five years old and sound like journeymen mad scientists says a lot about the creativity and depth of "Black Future". The mostly epic length songs do indeed travel down long, windy roads peppered with detours, which in this case only means that the opportunities to bang one's head are presented in a variety of forms. From time to time you may not realize that you've been jamming along to the same track for the duration; not necessarily a bad thing, just par for the VEKTOR course.

In a stroke of good fortune for the ADD-addled, "Black Future" is chock full of ripping thrash riffs and jackhammer rhythms, sometimes amidst moments of light-picking quietude and acoustic beauty ("Forest of Legend" and the 13-and-a-half minute "Accelerating Universe"),not to mention periodic, galloping bursts of trad-metal. We're not talking seemingly endless jaunts into ethereality though, simply smartly incorporated periods of contrast, which you'll need to catch your breath after break-necking through songs like the title track and the fiery (and gleefully askew) "Asteroid", both made even more celestially schizoid with David DiSanto's ear-piecing Schmier (DESTRUCTION) screams.

As is the case with most Heavy Artillery releases, high volume is necessary for maximum enjoyment. As it turns out, the future seems quite bright for VEKTOR.