Vessel of Light Takes Listeners On Intense Journey On "Last Ride"

Vessel of Light's new album, "Last Ride," is a dark, intense journey through the minds of twisted, psychopathic protagonists obsessed with sinister urges to inflict torture and suffering on their victims, backed by an apropos soundtrack of massive, doom-laden riffs that perfectly complement the ominous, dirge-like lyrics.

"Last Ride," out this Friday (Oct. 23), is the third full-length album by the heavy rock band and its most fully realized. Vessel of Light is led by Bergen County native/guitarist/songwriter Dan Lorenzo (ex-Hades, Non-Fiction) and vocalist-lyricist Nathan Opposition. The formidable rhythm sections consists of Lorenzo's former Hades band mates Jimmy Schulman on bass and drummer Ron Lipnicki.

From the outset "Last Ride" intrigues. The album starts with the title track, with Lorenzo's churning riff blasting from the speakers. Lorenzo is a riff master, having produced infectious grooves for more than 30 years. On "Last Ride" he twists, turns and stomps - check out the huge riff on "Disappearing Pact," the punchy "Carving Station," the crunchy "Web of Death" and the propulsive "The Death of Innocence."

Lyrically, it's safe to say that Opposition is preoccupied with evil urges and death. The key is it's not's gratuitous. It's very real. He sings with power and conviction about acting out obsessive urges, specializing in suffering ("Torture King"), a criminal mind with lifeless eyes ("Carving Station"), and being haunted by "Voices of the Dead." Opposition also gets inside the listener's head with a hypnotic vocal style that complement the entrancing guitar, bass and drums.

Schulman and Lipnicki shine on the slow burn of "Torture King," Schulman's thick bass lines and Lipnicki's lone cymbal crashes providing the building blocks to one of the album's many highlights.

Vessel of Light captivates throughout "Last Ride," taking the listener on a deep, trippy voyage through the hidden human psyche with riffs for miles that leaves you wanting more. Indeed, let's hope this isn't the band's "Last Ride" and that we hear more from Vessel of Light soon.