Vegas “Never to Wake” LP

Another one that I've written about a number of times now is the debut full-length outing from unpredictable international hardcore-and-then-some act Vegas: First released in 2004 as "Wake" by Superhero Records, then again in 2008 as "Never" by Frequency Deleted Records, and now as "Never to Wake"—an expanded, limited edition LP—by Hellfish Family. Everything I've said about the material over the years still stands, though I must say that somehow its raw ferocity seems to gain momentum with age!? For those who may continue to remain uninitiated, the core of the band's attack is heavily influenced by Integrity's brand of metallic hardcore, complete with short, intense bursts of raging shouts/screams and explosive solos; while their darker, more experimental side was likely a key factor in vocalist T's later excursions with the Roses Never Fade project I covered (again) last week.

In addition to striking, all-new artwork, this reissue grows to 19 tracks/45 minutes, shuffling the tracklist and converting the bulk of the song titles to German. Other alterations include dropping "Final Incision" and the dark ambient outro from the original tracklist in favor of the comparable "Slithering Closer", an unexpected cover of Depeche Mode's "Photographic", and five live tracks recorded at Antiknock in Tokyo (significant as the location where the legendary G.I.S.M.—a key influence on Vegas—played their final show). I'm typically not a fan of live recordings, but I must say that these tracks sound surprisingly killer, and make a fine addendum to the studio material. As with most live situations there's a certain degree of rugged density to be expected from the sound quality, but you can make out a significant amount of detail, from the scorching leads to the samples, and the basslines actually become more prominent, which is awesome.

In keeping with the band's mysterious nature, they've requested that no audio files be posted alongside the write-up, so... if you require further evidence, do some legwork on your own. And be aware that this LP is a one-time pressing of just 300 copies, which will likely be gone sooner than later, so curious parties should take action while the opportunity still exists.

Get It

Hellfish Family
Deathwish Inc.
Goodlife Recordings
RevHQ