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The tour of Vengeance is still in full progress and more dates are coming up. The recordings of the upcoming new album "Soul Collector" is finished and sofar the release date probably will be Jan 29 2009.
In the meantime Vengeance welcomes new guitarist Timo Somers who replaced Len Ruygrok. Vengeance and crew would like to express their gratitude and wish Len all the best in the future.
The band will planned soon a new photo shoot and in the beginning of November Vengeance returns to Italy where they will be supported by Houston. Feel free to join the Vengeance Streetteam and sign in for the Vengeance newsletter. You will receive all infos such tourdates , facts , note from the road , reviews and all other hot news. Thx to all the fans and all the people who visited the shows and support Vengeance. CU all on the road. You be better to Rock!
American review cd Back In The Ring
By Mike Korn
It's true that I spend most of my time listening to extreme or "serious" heavy metal. But that doesn't mean I can't crack open a brew, kick back and head bang with down and dirty, no-messin' hard rock. In fact, it often comes as a welcome relief from the usual Satanic torment and overwrought bombast I gladly abuse myself with.
Enter the Dutch band Vengeance - the veteran Dutch band Vengeance. That is Vengeance as in, the "had a record out in 1982" Dutch band Vengeance. I vaguely remember hearing the name in the early 80's and the band actually was on a major label at one point, but they faded from my memory until now.
I don't think I'll be forgetting them any more. Wow, this is some cranked up, high-energy heavy metal rawk that smells like classic AC/DC mixed with the best of hair bands like Whitesnake and Cinderella. The vocals are snarling, the guitars bite and wail and the hooks sink in deep. It's not something you're going to spend hours pondering (like the other band I've reviewed this issue, Antiquus) but you will get maximum satisfaction from these dudes if you seek commercial metal that hits you in the mush like a UFC fighter. I hope these guys manage to stick around this time!
Track by Track Review
Back in the Ring:
The bell rings and the band hits you right away with a strong body blow. This is great crunching AC/DC style rifferama that sounds like it could have come off the Aussies' underrated Flick of the Switch. Vocalist Leon Goewie sounds somewhat like Bon Scott, but even more like Krokus' Marc Storace. He's got fire and energy to spare!
No Mercy:
If the title track was a stiff shot to the breadbasket, Vengeance lands a haymaker with this rowdy rocker that comes across fast and ferocious. The chorus is awesome and will have you banging away furiously! This is by far the album's best and heaviest track...the only negative is that the rest of the disc has a hard time measuring up to it! Check out the cool twin guitar break that separates the band from obvious AC/DC clonedom.
Mind Over Matter:
This one shows a bit more of the hair metal side of Vengeance. It's still pretty hard-hitting but Gouwdie's vocals cool down to a moodier shade and the tune is more atmospheric. The chorus is again catchy, but now the backing vocals add a layer of melody to the tune.
Captain Moonlight:
"Quirky" is the word for this one, which starts with an odd combination of a techno beat and bluesy guitar soloing. It's got plenty of crunch and the memorability saves the track, but I certainly could have done without the silly "dit-dit-doo-doo-doo" backing vocals. They sap a little of the toughness out of the otherwise strong bluesy rocker. It's certainly different from the opening AC/DC barrage of "Back In the Ring."
Holy Water:
Meaner than a badger with his paw in a trap, this grinds along in a mid-paced fashion. The song is simple, heavy and effective and Goewie again shows his vocal versatility without losing his rough edge. "Is there anybody out there? / Where angels waste their time / And God is out of sight"
Bad Attitude:
This isn't too different from "Holy Water," except it's a little faster and it reminds me of the unjustly forgotten Badlands. It's not anything earth-shattering but a pleasing slab of tasty blues metal.
Had Enuff:
This tale of an affair gone sour features one of the album's poppiest choruses, with a touch of Whitesnake feeling to it. Fortunately, they keep the guitars cranked up and feisty so they avoid the cloying sweetness that kills a lot of this type of material. There's a kind of melancholy vibe to this tune.
Now and Then:
Things started to take a wrong turn here. The cheesy synths and the backing vocals reduce this to glam metal piffery. Vengeance does way better with gritty stuff like "No Mercy" and "Holy Water." In combination with "Had Enuff," the disc is starting to lose some steam. Also, there's too much cowbell!
Cowboy Style:
This is more like it. The intro is frankly goofy, but when the sleazy AC/DC style guitar kicks in, the cut takes off. There is a funny semi-country feel to this and the "Ay-yi-yippy, ay-yi-hippy, ay-yi-yippy-yippy ay" singalong is not just silly but really memorable as well. A greasy slide guitar solo adds more of that Southern-fried charm. This would have been a huge FM radio hit in the 80's, I'm thinking.
Rip It Off:
The name here is kind of ironic, because this song really does rip off several more notable tunes. The "For Those About To Rock" intro is blatant and the main verse riff is one we've heard many times before. But the band's guileless cheek and high energy overcomes the plagiarism...barely. It's a fun song but I was hoping that another cut in the vein of "No Mercy" would wrap this up.
Eveline:
Stick around for a minute and you'll hear this brief acoustic ballad, definitely in the vein of similar schmaltzy cuts from Cinderella, Whitesnake, etc. This will cause girls to grab their guys and the lighters to ignite, but it's short enough to not become annoying and it does show another side to the band.
We hope to see you all on the road because Vengeance still continues the intensive and impressive ‘’25th Anniversary Tour’’ on the best rockstages and festivals throughout Europe. You be better to Rock !
On wednesday December 12th 2007 Vengeance had a great kick-off of the 25th Anniversary Tour at 013 in Tilburg.
Starting with an incredible intro on an amazing screen Vengeance entered the stage when both guitarists and bassplayer stepped together on the same time through a paperwall and then Leon Goewie was there right behind them on sticks.
From start to finish the band was in good shape and off course it was as usual a great big party with some extra's during the incredible live show.
The warmig up was up to Roadkill , a heavy metal band who just released their new EP "Dark Side" , and who will support Vengeance on almost every show in Holland. The oreange appriciate Roadkill very well so the party can go on with the band who celebrates their 25th Anniversary and just released their new Live CD "Same , Same...But Different" which was official presented in 013
. It was the beginning of a magnificient tour and where the crowd went crazy during songs such as "Take It Or Leave It", "Rock N' Roll Shower", "Back In The Ring" , "She Is The Woman" , "No Mercy" and off course in the encore "Arabia".
Explosive performances with great support off Roadkill. Especially the show in "De Groene Engel", where frontman Leon Goewie climed in top of the venue, walked on the ballustrades high above the audience to sing "May Heaven Strike Me Down".
In the encore of all shows Barend Courbois (bass) and Hans In 't Zandt (drums) gave an incredible bass/drum solo followed by Arabia. Both guitarplayers Peter Bourbon and Jan Somers played supurbly and so every show was a blast.
Also during the show in "De Nieuwe Nor" the people were surprised when all members of Roadkill joined the stage at the end of Vengeance's show to sing along the classic song "Rock N' Roll Shower". The crowd went completely crazy and it was the perfect end of the beginning of an incredible tour.
After the start of the 25th Anniversary Tour in December last year Vengeance is back on the road for much more shows continuing their incredible tour.
Lots of festivals and clubshows are coming up in Holland , Belgium , Germany , Switserland and Italy.
Further Vengeance went into the studio for their recordings of the upcoming new studio album.
Discography Vengeance:
Vengeance ( CD 1984 )
Prisoners of the Night ( Single 1984 )
You Took Me by Surprise ( Single 1985 )
Only the Wind ( EP 1986 )
We Have Ways To Make You Rock ( CD 1986 )
May Heaven Strike Me Down ( CD 1986 )
Looks Of A Winner ( Single 1987 )
Take It Or Leave It ( CD 1987 )
Rock 'n 'Roll Shower ( EP 1988 )
If Lovin' You Is Wrong ( EP 1989 )
Arabia ( Single 1989 )
Arabia ( CD 1989 )
The Last Teardrop ( Best Of/Compilation 1992 )
As the Last Teardrop Falls ( Single 1992 )
The Last Of The Fallen Heroes ( CD 1994 )
Planet Zilch ( Single 1997 )
Back from the Flight 19 ( CD 1997 )
Rock 'N' Roll Shower (1984-1998) (Best Of/Compilation 1998)
Crazy Horses ( Single 1998 )
Wings Of An Arrow (Best Of/Compilation 2000 )
Back In The Ring ( CD 2006 )
Same, same... but Different ( CD 2007 )
Soul Collector (new album coming up !)