Rampaging in with a brief snapshot of exactly what they are, Bristol-based five piece Voltane leave nothing behind in the sixteen minutes or so that ‘Killing Fields’ lasts. Scratch beneath the surface and you will find hefty similarities to, I’d suggest, Exhorder as the band manage to weave the energies of groove metal into a bluesy sway whilst smearing a more extreme vocal cut over the top.
From the blistering barrage of the opening title track to the measured pulse of ‘Joker’s Mind’ and the thrashy chunk of ‘Burning Earth’, there is a warm glow that runs the length of this EP. Much work has been done on achieving the necessarily weighty guitar sound as well as mixing the tracks to provide an organised and well produced experience.
‘Killing Fields’ is short which is a shame. There is a real feeling that the band have just got going and then they’re gone. However, as a statement of intent, this is a loud one and hopefully a live one. In a genre that has been well and truly saturated, Voltane have the potential to scamper over the tired bodies of those that have failed and make their own indelible mark.
8/10
https://voltane.bandcamp.com/album/killing-fields