VINDICATOR - There Will Be Blood (Retrospective Review)

Written by: Blackie Skulless

Around the time I would have just begun discovering metal, Ohio thrashers Vindicator grew into their sound following the release of a full-length titled There Will Be Blood. Through the years of digging up underground thrash, I’d somehow overlooked them in the mix of the Municipal Waste and Violator types of the time. While having far more in common with the latter, this outfit’s first record pulls away the cleaner layers. The end result would be a stripped-down tongue-in-cheek thrash record with a teutonic inspired edge without feeling too extreme.

From the get-go, you can tell that Vindicator knows how to run fast with an idea without taking themselves too seriously. The frontman going by “Marshall Law,” and song titles like “New Clear Assault” or “Thrash And Destroy” are a pretty good (v)indicator that they’re here for a good time. Simple, somewhat by-the-book song structures carry the majority of the disc, sticking with speed as the backbone for the thirty-minute runtime. A raspy snarl not unlike Mem V. Stein of earlier Exumer records coat the surface from end to end, blending nicely with the rusty but still sharp rhythms.

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With that said, you’ll find moments that help There Will Be Blood stand out. For one, the repeating hooks of “Vindicator,” “New Clear Assault,” and the title track do a stellar job of creating an earworm for the listener via catchy choruses. Moreover, the likes of “Fresh Outta Hell” leave a nastier impression, while others may focus more on a spooky narrative. “Gore Orphanage” comes to mind, a strong ditty about an actual place in Ohio, while “Hallow’s Eve” paints a similar aesthetic with a bulkier center. Both tunes are definitely some of their strongest work, and dial back the horsepower when necessary.
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Sometimes, this is all a thrasher can ask for. In a world where this style is in abundance, I’ll often find myself looking for records that add a little nuance to the formula. However, it’s always a good time to discover something that doesn’t go that route, but still feels like it has an identity of its own. If you’re out there for something mind blowing and innovative, this may not be it, but if you’re looking for a solid dose of what we’re all familiar with, this is just the ticket, at a perfectly swift runtime too.

Vindicator - There Will Be Blood was released August 15th, 2008. Find it here!

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