May I have your attention please? Thank you!!
This review is not just about another new album or another new traditional heavy metal release. Neither does this album require multiple listening sessions to discover its good elements nor it is a ‘’grower’’ album. This album is absolutely surprising and a pleasant ‘’slap in the face’’ from the very first listening minutes to the very end. This one will totally grab you and will not let you go until the last song is finished. The most probable thing to do next, is to put it again from the beginning and listen to it again….and again….and again.
But let’s take first things first. VIGILHUNTER is a project from the singer Alexx Panza, who is the vocalist in the latest HITTEN studio albums and also in the 2022 ‘’Souls Of The Innocent’’ studio album by JACK STARR’S BURNING STARR. This project has been ‘’kept on ice’’ for quite a few years but now it seems that the time was right, to be proudly fulfilled and to be offered to heavy metal fans. Apart from the HITTEN singer, who is also playing rhythm and lead guitar, VIGILHUNTER consist of Mirko Negrino on bass, Mattia Itala on second guitar and Marcello “Cell” Leocani on drums.
The most important aspect of this album is that it ultimately revives the much beloved and highly appreciated US Power Metal (USPM) of the ‘80s. For many of us out there, that distinct sound of power / prog metal was the pinnacle of the genre.
It would feel as an exaggeration if I describe some of the songs, such as ‘’Disconnected’’, ‘’Titan Glory’’ or ‘’Sacrifice For Love’’ as some of the best QUEENSRŸCHE songs that QUEENSRŸCHE haven’t written. But this is the sincere impression that I got from these songs, that are coming from the era of the debut self-titled EP or ‘’The Warning’’ of QUEENSRŸCHE. It is not difficult to acknowledge that a great deal of crafted musicianship and an astonishing voice is required in order to achieve such an amazing accomplishment.
Definitely we are not talking just for a band that is a QUEENSRŸCHE clone.
On the contrary, VIGILHUNTER have a remarkable and wide spectrum on their songs. Some songs like ‘’Shadow Rider (Vigilante)’’ are straight US heavy metal songs, while others like ‘’Curse Of The Road’’ with a SAVATAGE like introductory riff and the SKID ROW of the first two albums (self-titled and ‘’Slave to the Grind’’) era vibe, are on the beautiful verge between heavy metal and hard rock.
Besides, in the aforementioned songs but also to rest of the songs like ‘’So Cold…It Burns’’, ‘’Outburst of Rage’’ and ‘’Downfall’’ various influences from CRIMSON GLORY, VICIOUS RUMORS and FATES WARNING are definitely present.
The album in general, is filled to the brim with ‘80s US heavy metal elements.
For me personally, this is a reason for pure enthusiasm and celebration, because the band does it in a very inspiring and genuine way.
To make a long story short, I really feel this is a debut album that has already reserved a spot for my personal best-of 2025 albums list. I am totally convinced that the US Heavy Power Metal afficionados will love this one.
‘’ Vigilhunter’’ will be released on the 28th of March 2025 by High Roller Records and will be available on LP, CD, MC and Digital format.
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Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
