Lord Vigo - We Shall Overcome Review

Sometimes it’s a hell of a confusion in my mind. Band names are confused, songs are somewhat misplaced in time and place, information about albums and bands are forgotten, a hell of a confusion. But the worst confusion I make is with bands names and their styles. Yeah, I don’t know why sometimes I have a fixed idea about a band and its style. From where I’m standing Lord Vigo would be a Black Metal band. Maybe I confused it with Lord Belial – this one a Black Metal band that was reviewed some time ago. Or maybe I read the name somewhere and I kept it wrong for no reason. Who knows.

Ok, then. Let’s put the play to play. And what have I found? May I say music very different from Black Metal? Should I say that? Am I allowed to that? Ready or not, here I go. It would be so easy and temptating to say that the impression about “We Shall Overcome” I got was very similar to the last review about Galaxy. There are many musical resemblances. However, as temptating as it might be I have to say that besides the may resemblances there are the same number of differences. The general mood I felt was the 1980s influences in both albums. However, one was the Pop Prog Rock and this latter is more of an European Heavy Metal. By European Heavy Metal I mean bands as Picture, Magnus, or even Krokus, bands whose imagery was heavier than the music. Lord Vigo have many elements in common with all those bands. Keyboards are the key to their music, but them here aren’t supposed to sweeten the music but to add new and different layers of sounds. That’s what the fan will find with album opener “Blessed Are the Meek” whose occult thematic call the eyes as a resemblance. But don’t get me wrong, the music here is consistent and heavy. The thing is that melody sometimes take the lead. That’s it. Another resemblance? The lead guitar phrases following the vocal melodies or reinforcing them. The feeling is that the track could be heavier it it weren’t for the keyboards, but on the other hand, it’s satisfying. “Natural Habitat” starts strong showing another facete of Lord Vigo and getting near the Doom Metal references the press release mentioned. It’s not that slow and cadenced Doom Metal, but that of an occult thematic with lots of sorrow in the melodies. That’s mostly the spirit of the album. I especially liked the dirty guitar tones which sound to be not so produced.

I guess my fan might be misled for what I wrote here. Lord Vigo do sound less heavy than their imagery, but that’s not a bad thing at all. I worte that only to my dear understand the band’s music. This is the Doom Metal I appreciate more. It’s vigorous and at the same time melodic. Though well produced – it’s possible to listen perfectly to all instruments – the instrumentals’ tones are a highlight as they sound dirtier than the usual. That’s very appreciated.

Lord Vigo “We Shall Overcome” will be released on July 01st via High Roller Records.

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