With ‘Epic’, Vltimas once again parade what should be an unstoppable force: a so-called stellar all-star lineup drawing pedigree from I Am Morbid, Terrorizer, Cryptopsy, and ex-Mayhem. On paper, this reads like extreme Metal royalty. In execution, however, the album proves that legacy alone does not equal legitimacy.
The record pushes further into an experimental and modernized Extreme Metal framework, but the results are largely misguided. The songwriting feels fragmented, as if multiple visions are competing rather than converging. Riffs are abundant yet strangely disposable, atmosphere is forced rather than suffocating, and the aggression rarely lands with the impact expected from musicians of this caliber.
David Vincent’s role remains the album’s most divisive element. His vocal delivery, while still authoritative in tone, feels increasingly detached from the music’s intent. Instead of anchoring the chaos, his presence often disrupts it, reinforcing the sense that ‘Epic’ struggles with identity. One is left thinking that Vincent’s voice and vision are far better served within his other projects, where his style feels purposeful rather than shoehorned.
Technically proficient yet emotionally hollow, ‘Epic’ comes across as an experiment that went wrong: overproduced, overthought, and lacking genuine menace. What should have been a defining statement from an elite collective instead sounds like a high-budget exercise in restraint.
Vltimas – Epic
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