Vardis come with a certificate of authenticity in heavy metal music, having played an integral part in the heroic rise of the NWOBHM during the 1980’s. With their last album released in 1986, is it thirty years too obscure for these silly old fools, or are these grand old punks rocking harder and heavier than everything Djent?
Red Eye proves that you’re never too old to rock and roll. Drawing from the blues and adopting rock, then glamoring it up in to their own sound, Vardis still have the daring charisma that made heavy metal a cultural institution. Although the mastering sounds like the values haven’t been toggled since the 70’s the arrangements play hard ball with the contemporary standards of modern heavy music as well as being genuinely engaging.
Rhythms come through hot and strong and they’re cohesion to the heaviness of the guitar work emphasizes the experienced writing. As blues style verses are performed with the same sangfroid intensity that heavy metal incites in its listeners the tone remains lighthearted, keeping the fun factor in the type of classic rock that sings on six strings.
Vardis come in hard, heavy and rather animal on their new album, punking us kids with actual music. Inspired by real life and having it large, the return of Northern England’s Vardis is something to get excited about but the most succinct way to describe their fifth score is with no bullshit.
7/10
