VARDIS - 200 M.P.H. EP review

VARDIS - 200 M.P.H. EP

Hoplite Records

http://www.vardisrocks.com/

A couple of years ago in a second hand bazaar a vinyl drew my attention. I liked its cover on which you can see a guitarist on stage playing with such passion that immediately is transmitted to the viewer. This made me decide to buy it (along with the cheap price) and the album was “100 M.P.H.” of VARDIS which was recorded live. This was one of the best purchases I’ve made since VARDIS were one of the first bands of the N.W.O.B.H.M. sound and on the album you can feel the passion and the new ideas that this musical movement brought to the heavy metal sound. So, I am really happy to see that such a metal legend from the past (they were formed in 1977) is back and releasing a new EP which I will present to you here…

THE COVER: It is a very simple and straight forward cover. Actually you can see the band logo and the title “200 M.P.H”. I think that somehow it is a reference to the cover of their first live album under the title “100 M.P.H.”.

MUSICAL STYLE:  One of the questions that comes to mind when an old band reactivates is how they will sound and if they have still kept their musical spirit alive (actually these are 2 questions). Well, VARDIS with their EP and the 5 songs that are included here seem to have kept their spirit alive. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that their new EP sounds like coming from the early 80’s. It is a continuation of their debut EP “100 M.P.H.” and their live album with the same title. So, you will listen here to a hard rockin’ heavy metal sound that respects its blues and rock ‘n’ roll legacy. Also in some compositions like the opening track under the title “Jolly Roger” I have noticed some THIN LIZZY references too. In general I can say that this is an album that will be enjoyed by fans of bands like early SAXON, THIN LIZZY and KISS.

CONCLUSION: If you are into the N.W.O.B.H.M. sound and want to listen to something that is original and yet fresh, then my friends you can check this release out. I think that VARDIS should continue creating music, because they still seem to have the ideas and the quality to create nice heavy metal tunes.

*7.5/10

Nick “Verkaim “Parastatidis