The Vintage Caravan
Arrival
Nuclear Blast
Release Date: Out Now
Review by Matthew Clewley
Nuclear Blast has a habit of signing some of the best upcoming talent from across the world, bringing addictive freshness to the metal genre. The Vintage Caravan has only been a professional project since 2009 after forming in 2006, and since then they are nicely growing a dedicated following. With their previous release ‘Voyage’ still around and about for a listen, then you would know to expect from ‘Arrival’. With heavy influences pointing at classic bands like Cream, Black Sabbath and King Crimson, they bring the 60’s and 70’s era of progressive rock and early metal back onto a brand new disc.
The opening track to ‘Arrival’ is ‘Last Day of Light’ that consists of heavy use of percussion as well as outstanding progressive rock vibe from bands like Rush. ‘Monolith’ impresses with the heavy riff and the oddly relaxing vocals. The album continues down its root of classic rock groove that has an impressive psychedelic aspect to it that just oozes top class instrumental playing all throughout ‘Arrival’. After the insanely catchy ‘Babylon’ comes another taste of lengthy prog rock with ‘Eclipsed’. It’s mesmerising and incredibly addictive, and adds to the balanced mix of short and long songs on ‘Arrival’. The juicy bass riff starts off ‘Shaken Beliefs’ that reeks of that special Cream that was applied along with nice feel good chorus.
Another fantastic prog song on this album is ‘Innerverse’, a very relaxed and calm listen that jumps straight off the rampant vibe of ‘Sandwalker’. Lyrically, ‘Innerverse’ is splendid, adding to the appreciation and the soothing vibe that this song radiates throughout. ‘Carousel’ returns to join the shorter and catchy songs that ‘Arrival’ contains. The last song, which expectedly had to end with a lengthy epic, starts off with a gentle riff that progresses into a calm yet exciting instrumental that eventually builds up, ‘Winter Queen’ is a pleasure to listen to.
The Vintage Caravan are something special, they capture classic prog rock yet make it sounds incredibly fresh. ‘Arrival’ is triumphant and perfectly balanced when it comes to its music, sandwiching the meat and veg of the 4 minute headbangers in-between the filling buns of the 8 minute epics, making the best club sandwich my ears will ever taste (yes, they can also taste audio). ‘Arrival’ will join the selection of the best albums to come from 2015, possibly even the last few years, it’s such a epic, fresh and modernly distinctive sound that it’s incredibly difficult not to like this album.
