Vhol

Vhol

Deeper Than Sky

Profound Lore

When their debut album was released in 2013, Vhol was a surprise to many with preconceived notions of what a new band comprised of two ex-Ludicra members would sound like. The project began when John Cobbett of Hammers of Misfortune and Aesop Dekker of Agalloch reunited with the desire to make music again, and the lineup gelled with the addition of bassist Sigrid Sheie (also of Hammers of Misfortune / ex-Amber Asylum) and YOB mastermind Mike Scheidt on vocals. Despite an extensive history of past projects, Vhol is a unique new musical group in which each member re-discovers their old-school metal roots. With their new album Deeper Than Sky, Vhol present something totally next-level, taking the sounds of their debut even further into the outer realms of sonic exploration yet remaining within the old-school speed metal paradigm. Of particular note is Scheidt, known as one of metal’s premiere vocalists today, who delivers his best vocal performance to date on this new album.

Vhol

S/t

Profound Lore

VHÖL began as an idea by guitarist John Cobbett (Hammers of Misfortune) and drummer Aesop Dekker (Agalloch, Worm Ouroboros) to create music together. The two shared the stage for a number of years in the now-defunt Ludicra, and wanted their new collaboration to incorporate influences from both metal and hardcore punk—from the likes of old-school bands such as Discharge and classic Judas Priest. When the time came to find a vocalist, Cobbett and Dekker immediately thought of Mike Scheidt of YOB; without a second thought Scheidt committed his singular vocal talents to the project. Sigrid Sheie of (Hammers of Misfortune, Amber Asylum) rounded out the lineup on bass. Despite the members’ pedigrees, VHÖL is its own beast distinct from anything black metal or doom metal—don’t think “Ludicra Part Two” or “Ludicra with Mike from YOB on vocals.” Yet their signature styles are all over the group’s self-titled debut, a pummeling, face-melting attack that doesn’t let up for one moment. Raw and primal, the album pulls from a diverse set of influences for a feeling of both savagery and epic beauty.