NWOBHM legends Vardis are back. Oh yes. First with a remaster of their last album from the old days – Vigilante. After the album was originally released in 1986, Vardis shut up shop and were no more. But now almost thirty years later the band is back together, gigging and recording. I understand a new album is due soon though between now and then there is the newly remastered Vigilante to enjoy.
The original release was a bit of a low key event it’s reasonable to say. Main man Steve Zodiac unearthed the tapes and set about a restoration job and now our ears can enjoy it once more. For an old fan from the old days like me it’s a special treat indeed to have my aural senses assaulted by the uniqueness that is Vardis. A monster, monster sound with Zodiac’s unmistakeable style. It’s barking heavy metal, it’s NWOBHM, it’s boogie, it’s punk, it’s rockabilly, it’s everything merged and fused.
Think somewhere between Budgie and Motorhead with a bit of The Dammed and The Cramps at a breakneck speed with a melodic overtone and you might be somewhere close to putting a peg on them. Get your ears around Vigilante and they will thank you.
The jangling riffola of Learn How To Shoot Straight kicks off proceedings. Great. Big, big booming drum intro to Running before the equally big, big guitar comes in. I Must Be Mad has quite a hook it’s so dammed catchy. All eleven songs grab the attention in a way only a Vardis recording can. Zodiac’s guitar is marvellous from start to finish. Squeezing out that unmistakable, different style. To use one of the song title – a Wild Sound.
Vardis should of course have been huge though one of many who never were. Something this eclectic (though still most firmly heavy) and energetic deserves a place in any rock fan’s collection. Zodiac’s guitar style worth listening to on its own but backed up with a booming drum/bass combo Terry Horbury and Gary Pearson it’s a huge overall aural experience. If you remember from the NWOBHM days and feel all nostalgic or just want to get in to some proper (but different) metal then you could do far worse than pick up a copy of Vigilante and reward yourself.
As Zodiac himself says in the liner notes: “We believe this record is our finest studio moment to date. It retains that energy only found in a genuine chemistry between rock ‘n’ roll musicians.
Check it out and you’ll see (or rather hear…….) that is true.
Vardis have gigs here and there coming up including festival appearances such as headline appearance on Friday 25th July at The Rock & Blues Festival at The Coney Grey Show-ground. Pentrich, Derbyshire UK.
Catch them if you have the opportunity – a proper band from the good old days doing their stuff again. A classic remaster, live shows and a fresh album on the way. Vardis baby!
>> TREAT YOURSELF TO VARDIS VIGILANTE – JUST CLICK HERE….. <<
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