VOLTURE shocking its prey HA5-5019-1-0

Shocking the System: Volture’s ‘Shocking Its Prey’ (HA5-5019-1-0)

Today’s entry spotlights a razor-sharp release from the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal (NWOTHM) movement. We are looking at the 2011 mini-album Shocking Its Prey by the American band Volture, released on Heavy Artillery Records with the catalog number HA5-5019-1-0.

Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Volture features Ryan Waste (best known as the guitarist for the thrash crossover giants Municipal Waste) handling bass duties. This project allowed him and guitarist Nick Poulos to fully indulge their love for classic early 80s heavy metal. The sound is a pure, unadulterated tribute to the glory days of the NWOBHM and US power metal, defined by galloping riffs, twin-guitar harmonies, and the piercing, falsetto-heavy vocals of Brent Hubbard.

The 6-track EP is a high-energy affair from start to finish. The self-titled opener Volture sets the pace with speed and aggression, while Heavy Metal Machine is a quintessential anthem of the genre. Other tracks like Night Walker and Heathen’s Revenge showcase their mastery of the classic metal aesthetic.

This specific entry represents the standard black vinyl pressing. While there were ultra-limited colored variants (silver and white), this black vinyl edition was still strictly limited to just 300 copies, making it a scarce item in its own right. HA5-5019-1-0 is a fantastic snapshot of the 2010s metal revival, capturing a band that sounded like they stepped straight out of 1983.