
Vardis
Vigilante
Hoplite Records
2014
Just when I thought that fewer & fewer people care about music quality & actually support the 80s music in our time, the re-release of “Vigilante” comes. This re-release will also give us the chance to say a few things about Vardis in general.
Vardis, is a power trio, which came to life in 1977. In fact, the band is the “reformation” of Quo Vardis which had been active from 1973. The band comes from the UK, that’s why it can also be label as a NWOBHM act. It’s true that Vardis was part of the NWOBHM movement, but their sound was more rockin’ with lots of rock & roll, classic rock & hard rock elements. There’s a misunderstanding and most people believe that the NWOBHM movement consisted of only heavy metal acts but that is half true. After all, there’s a fine-line between hard rock & heavy metal music, and that ‘line’ was thinner & finer especially at that time-period. Vardis managed to release 4 studio albums till they broke-up in 1986.
“Vigilante” is the band’s latest work which came out in 1986. This is the first time the album has been released in CD and digital format. It has also been re-mastered and the sound is way updated & louder. It’s very good indeed. If you happen to own the vinyl or have a ‘digitalized version of the vinyl tracks’ then a small comparison is enough to make you understand that the sound on the re-mastered version is way better in every aspect.
The new version of “Vigilante” also features a bonus track, “Who Loves Ya Baby”, and an 8 page booklet as well as some rare photographs of the band. The track list is different than the one of the vinyl. I would also want the booklet to have some lyrics as well. I think that it would have been more completed on the whole.
Musically, Vardis are rockin’ the town with all of their heart. All the tracks are ideal to be played live and that was Vardis’ overall purpose. They wanted their music to have a free, lively feeling and be straightforward, simple but also captivating and catchy at the same time.
Vardis have re-united after 27 years and are planning to give some selected live shows. They are getting ready for some new music as well, but I think the frontman Steve Zodiac can tell us more about that. So check out the interview here.
Vardis, is a power trio, which came to life in 1977. In fact, the band is the “reformation” of Quo Vardis which had been active from 1973. The band comes from the UK, that’s why it can also be label as a NWOBHM act. It’s true that Vardis was part of the NWOBHM movement, but their sound was more rockin’ with lots of rock & roll, classic rock & hard rock elements. There’s a misunderstanding and most people believe that the NWOBHM movement consisted of only heavy metal acts but that is half true. After all, there’s a fine-line between hard rock & heavy metal music, and that ‘line’ was thinner & finer especially at that time-period. Vardis managed to release 4 studio albums till they broke-up in 1986.
“Vigilante” is the band’s latest work which came out in 1986. This is the first time the album has been released in CD and digital format. It has also been re-mastered and the sound is way updated & louder. It’s very good indeed. If you happen to own the vinyl or have a ‘digitalized version of the vinyl tracks’ then a small comparison is enough to make you understand that the sound on the re-mastered version is way better in every aspect.
The new version of “Vigilante” also features a bonus track, “Who Loves Ya Baby”, and an 8 page booklet as well as some rare photographs of the band. The track list is different than the one of the vinyl. I would also want the booklet to have some lyrics as well. I think that it would have been more completed on the whole.
Musically, Vardis are rockin’ the town with all of their heart. All the tracks are ideal to be played live and that was Vardis’ overall purpose. They wanted their music to have a free, lively feeling and be straightforward, simple but also captivating and catchy at the same time.
Vardis have re-united after 27 years and are planning to give some selected live shows. They are getting ready for some new music as well, but I think the frontman Steve Zodiac can tell us more about that. So check out the interview here.