Vëlla – Entity
Release Date: 9th December 2022
Label: Art Gates Records
Spotify
Genre: Metal, Metalcore.
FFO: Wage War, ERRA, Parkway Drive.
Review By: Jason James
Portugal’s Vëlla are set to release volume 2 of their Entity series, following on from volume 1 released earlier this year and 2020’s Coma.
Members Pedro Lopes (Vocals), Mario Lopez (Guitar), Caesar Craveiro (Bass), Paulo Adelino (Drums) and Oz Vilesov (also Guitar) are shooting for a place in the overabundant Metalcore scene with this release. With an impressive touring schedule and future festival dates booked, they seem to be timing everything correctly for maximum impact on the world stage in 2023.
Entity (Vol. 2) is a continuation of their past releases. Lots of frenetic double pedal drumming from Paulo underpins juicy guitar work from Oz, Mario and Caesar while Pedro growls, screams and harmonises over the top. Like a lot of frontmen in this subgenre, he switches between clean vocalisation and sounding like a demon belching forth incantations with ease. The tracks on Vol.1 and Vol. 2 are well crafted and punchy. The guitars are multi-layered with big riffs and wailing solos. The drumming helps you to understand why drums led soldiers into war in times past.
My favourite track on the EP is track 2, Of Fear, (It’s worth noting that every track on Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 begins with the word ‘Of’). This track to me is the best representation of what this band is trying to do.
But to be honest, as much as this was a pleasurable listening experience, I didn’t hear anything here that would set Vëlla apart from a throng of other bands in a scene that is full to bursting with talent. This is not a slight against them, and they do have the potential to evolve and grow into something great. For me personally at the moment, I don’t feel they have that spark, that soupçon, that (dare I say it) x-factor that could lift them above their numerous contemporaries. They are more than capable of finding it, but at the moment they are more of an also-ran than a contender. But it’s early days and it will be interesting to see how they mature from here on out.
(3 / 5)
