FB1964: Ventus Metallum

German heavy metal outfit FB1964 debuted back in 2013, although the band are now a core trio of Frank Badenhop on guitars, Mirko Gätje on bass and Hanno Kerstan on drums. Now, you’ll notice from that list that there are no singers mentioned in the ranks, instead FB1964 bring onboard a whole host of guests to fill those shoes. On this occasion they’ve also done likewise with the lead guitar spots and it has to be said that it’s refreshing to see not just the vocal duties but also those six-string cameos pretty evenly distributed between men and women.

Now, when this album landed at SoT for review, I must admit that my heart sank. I mean, it’s bad enough when long established big name acts wheel out their covers albums, so do we really need one from a lesser light of the metal scene? Well, judging by Ventus Metallum, yes, indeed we do. Unlike so many outfits tackling their favourite songs by other acts, FB1964, while infusing something of their own into them, have simply concentrated on delivering these 12 songs as they were intended and as best they can - and let me tell you, their best is pretty damn well excellent. Now, there are too many people involved across this album to mention them all, but rest assured that not one performance slips below top-notch. Add in a stellar, energetic sound across this whole endeavour and that the core FB-trio hammer everything into place with a real sense of purpose, and what should have been a futile exercise in navel gazing actually becomes a huge wallop of fun.

The biggest name singers involved arrive in the shape of Doro, who does a strong job of the unenviable task of handling a number originally by the late great Ronnie James Dio on “Don’t Talk To Strangers�, while Tim (Ripper) Owens shows his power on Sabbath’s “Die Young� - and Dethy Borchardt’s guitar solo on the latter is also worth a shout out. YouTube sensation Raphael Mendes (where he sings covers of Iron Maiden songs) answers the question - what if Bruce Dickinson had been Thin Lizzy’s singer on the Thunder & Lightning album? - in such a style that you wish it had really happened! This guy, it has to be said is a real vocal powerhouse, even if he’s pretty much the double of the ‘Air Raid Siren’ throughout. Silent Winter’s Mike Livas steps up for a storming version of Fates Warning’s “Guardian�, where the guitar solos from Eric Wirsing and Eric Maldonado both impress, while it’s singer Paul Eyssette (Heavylution) who romps home on “Lost In Hollywood� - I mean his vocal here rivals the Graham Bonnett original!

Burning Witches front-woman Laura Guldemond gives an impassioned performance on a hard hitting version of Avatarium’s “The Fire I Long For�, with Ally Storch handing the guitar solo, whereas it’s Lluvia Dominguez whose vocals completely transform WASP’s “Sleeping In The Fire� in the best possible way. And I could go on, but you get the idea.

You just have to look through the CD booklet of this album to see the love and care that’s gone into this exercise, every band covered having their logo emblazoned next to their respective song, while there are vintage magazine covers, flyers and the like also celebrating the outfits being represented. Add in photos of all of the musicians involved and every aspect has been thought about. What’s most important is the reverence, care and energy poured into all of the songs, and as someone who is pretty much a mega-cynic when it comes to covers albums, I have to admit that Ventus Metallum is the real deal.

Track Listing
1. Free As The Wind [Anvil]
2. Holy War [Thin Lizzy]
3. Angel Of Mercy [Hammerfall]
4. Lost In Hollywood [Rainbow]
5. Guardian [Fates Warning]
6. Don't Talk To Strangers [Dio]
7. Book Of The Dead [Bloodbound]
8. Samarithan [Candlemass]
9. Veteran Of The Psychic Wars [Blue Öyster Cult]
10. The Fire I Long For [Avatarium]
11. Sleeping In The Fire [W.A.S.P.]
12. Die Young [Black Sabbath]

Added: May 20th 2024
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: fb1964 @ bandcamp
Hits: 420
Language: english

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