VIGILHUNTER – Vigilhunter

Every now and then, a new group comes along that makes you proud to be a Metalhead and helps reinforce the notion that Metal will be in good hands for many moons to come. Italian-based Vigilhunter is one such band set to lead the way. Headed up by vocalist/guitarist Alexx Panza, Vigilhunter comes from rather nondescript origins, but their overall notoriety should change with their decision to partner with High Roller Records.

Vigilhunter’s style is a fabulous blend between Crimson Glory, Queensryche, Savatage, and Rhapsody of Fire … but collectively heavier than them all. Panza can hit inhuman high notes with the best of them, making you wonder at times if his rocky mountain oysters have been clamped into an iron-clad vice-grip … nonetheless, an outstanding effort at the microphone if you enjoy higher octave vocals.

What makes this self-titled debut special, however, is the extended musical jams present in virtually every track. And for the sake of originality, most jams and leads emerge with the thump of Mirko Negrino’s bass play, which is truly outstanding. The band incorporates the bass as a primary instrument instead of just one component of the rhythm section. Think of the intro to “Jet City Woman” by Queensryche or “Wrathchild” by Iron Maiden and you’ll have a good idea of how Vigilhunter incorporates the bass guitar into their compositions. As a listener it’s refreshing, invigorating, and captivating, and definitely a strength of this album. But make no mistake, from start to finish the musicianship all around is impressive and easy to soak in. Quite simply, Vigilhunter will kick your ass!

There are a couple “dings” that take a few notches off this release’s pedestal … those being the production quality, which is unfortunately a bit muffled, and the audible Italian accent that you can hear in Panza’s vocal presentation. The vast majority of vocalists that hail from non-English speaking countries somehow “lose” their speaking accent when they sing (how that happens is a bit of a mystery), but Italian vocalists seem to not be able to shake the Italian out of their English when at the microphone.

Overall, though, this debut from VIgilhunter is a very strong album that should appeal to Traditional, Progressive, and Power Metal enthusiasts alike. And, if you enjoy extended Metal musical jams, be sure to check this one out!

Album Tracklist

1. Loading…Error 403
2. Disconnected
3. Titan Glory
4. Shadow Rider (Vigilante)
5. Curse of the Street
6. Sacrifice For Love
7. So Cold…It Burns
8. Outburst of Rage
9. The Downfall

Band Lineup

Alexx Panza – Vocals & Rhythm/Lead Guitars
Mattia Itala – Rhythm & Lead Guitars
Mirko Negrino – Bass
Marcello Leocani – Drums