VYPERA – Race of Time

Vypera hail from Sweden and dabble in hard rock and heavy metal that harken back to the eighties in terms of sound and style, which is usually a very good thing in my book, but sadly, this sophomore effort of theirs is a bit disappointing in that it lacks those loud, boisterous, and infectious tunes that will make you lose your mind and forget where you are. Granted, these five gents are certainly competent musicians who lack neither confidence nor know-how, and the whole affair is tightly executed while still retaining a raw edge, but there is an abundance of unremarkable compositions here. The vocals are too uneven to these ears too and occasionally seem off point or lacking in power and charisma, which is frustrating, but there are a couple of tasty treats for you here in the shape of ‘Daytona’, ‘Vicious’, and ‘Riding on the Wind’ – three instantly appealing cuts that possess good hooks, muscular riffs, and a nice melodic pull.   

In the overall perspective, Race of Time comes across as a bit of a letdown, and I was hoping for something a little more impressive and consistently engaging than this, but the disc is not without its merits or strong moments.