Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Vyndykator - Heaven Sent From Hell - Unisound Records - 2002 reviewed by: Agent of Steel

Track Listing1. Eternal Rest 2. Bloodstained Gallows 3. Rot in the Chamber 4. Tapping the Vain 5. Mr. Murder 6. Flight of the Wombat 7. Deceiver

After 20 years of blood, sweat, and entertaining in underground Metal, you'd think that it's finally time to call it two decades, right? WRONG! Rising from the ashes of an Attacker reunion, Bob Mitchell returns yet again with Vyndykator.

"Heaven Sent from Hell" begins with "Eternal Rest", an eerie intro that slowly spirals chaotically, getting your blood pumping right into "Bloodstained Gallows" in all its down-picked glory as Mitchell belts his lungs out sounding like a mix between Udo, Halford, King Diamond and, well, Bob Mitchell of course (and he hasn't sounded better). "Rot in the Chamber" is yet another Power/Thrash combo. This time, being a bit more melodic but it doesn't stray too far, coming back with thunderous guitar riffs and ending abruptly after a taste of some modern direction. "Tapping the Vain" is the "sludgy", slow song on "Heaven Sent from Hell", with parts that remind me of very early Black Sabbath, while still keeping it progressive as this opus charges forth.

Next up is "Mr. Murder" and the name says it all! After a brief moment of traditional metal bliss and a bass solo (compliments of Steve Ratchen, who is just incredible on this as well), this is the album high-point, for me. Once again, Mitchell screams like a bat out of hell commanding the listener to bang into eternity as this track goes from Traditional Metal to full-blown thrashfest before ending with a screaming guitar solo, then taking it's final bow with some clean picking and yet another skull crushing riff from the 7-string accompaniment of Bill Pena and Rob Oriani. The instrumental, with the bizarre title "Flight of the Wombat", has it all as guitar-leads soar over the double bass work of John Caton, coming to a halt, then greeting you with some very moving bass-work from Steve.

Just when you think it's over, "Heaven Sent from Hell" closes with "Deceiver" from Judas Priest's classic album "Sad Wings of Destiny". Heavy isn't even the word to describe the final track as Mitchell does his greatest Halford impression and Ratchen decides to make the bass lines more interesting, adding his own unique fills here and there to make it really complete.

For those out there that are complaining there are no good Heavy Metal releases anymore, be sure to check out "Heaven Sent from Hell". It has everything from Progressive, Traditional, Doom, Power, and Thrash Metal! Every song smokes and it has solid production--I can't say anything bad about it AT ALL. For now, I'll play this out even more and wait on the edge of my seat for the next one.

--Agent of Steel 7.6.03