Vandenberg – Sin

A few years since their initial reboot and I still can’t believe there is an incarnation of Vandenberg that is actively recording and touring. Sure, only namesake guitarist/songwriter Adrian Vandenberg remains from the band’s ’80s heyday, but don’t confuse this for a nostalgia-fueled cash grab. Their comeback album, 2020, rocked my socks off in more ways than one. The songs were stellar, Vandenberg could still play up a storm, and new singer Ronnie Romero sounded right at home, as he tends to do so on this retro brand of metal (see his stints with Michael Schenker Group and Rainbow for reference). In other words, the bar was raised high.

Fast forward a few years and much has changed. Not only has the world reverted to some semblance of “normalcy” (depending on who you ask) since the hysteria of 2020, but Romero has exited both Vandenberg and MSG for that matter. This, however, did not stop Vandenberg, who replaced Romero with former Yngwie Malmsteen and Candlemass singer, Mats Levén. Considering Levén sang on what is arguably the last worthwhile Malmsteen outing (1997’s Facing the Animal), I was curious to see what a collaboration with another guitar virtuoso in Vandenberg would bring. It has since brought us Vandenberg’s fifth album, and second since the 2020 reboot, Sin.

As much as I enjoyed 2020, it feels like a warmup in comparison to Sin. On this latest outing, Vandenberg and the gang are absolutely locked in, determined to give their listeners only the best in old school metal and hard rock. Vandenberg’s ability as both a guitarist and songwriter remain untouchable, and the rest of the band reflect this in their own respective performances. Levén’s vocals are a dead ringer for Vandenberg’s old boss, David Coverdale, in his ’80s prime. The combination of his gutsy, soulful delivery with Vandenberg’s heavy handed riffs and ripping solos make for pure magic on Whitesnake derived cuts like “Light It Up”, “Walking on Water”, and “Hit the Ground Running”.

Many of these songs can be described as brainless, hedonistic, or just flat-out fun, and there’s nothing wrong with that, especially considering the production absolutely nails the ’80s metal atmosphere. Whereas 2020 towed the line between old school and new school akin to latter day Priest and Accept, Sin is an unabashed display of retro romanticism. This denim and leather-clad energy is further flaunted on Blackmore-tinged slabs of mystical metal like “House On Fire” and “Burning Skies”, as well as the slow burning heavy blues of “Out of the Shadows” and the title track. Consider the dreamy AOR ballad “Baby You’ve Changed” to be the Aqua Net doused cherry on top.

If Sin is “outdated” or “passé”, Vandenberg didn’t get the memo. They also don’t give a shit, because when they’re still making music of this caliber, why should they care about your opinion? There is virtually nothing about this album that wouldn’t appeal to lovers of tried and true traditional metal and hard rock. It’s loud and proud and tailormade for the old school crowd (I’m a real Dr. Seuss, ain’t I?). If you dig your metal on the melodic and meaty side, buckle your seatbelt because Sin is in!

8 out of 10

Label: Mascot Records

Genre: Heavy Metal/Hard Rock

For fans of: Whitesnake, Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group