Old World Vulture – s/t

Band: Old World Vulture
EP: Old World Vulture
Shot of choice: tequila

Old World Vulture is a instrumental post-rock band based out of Toronto. The band is comprised of Mike Costanzo (guitar, loops, sampling), Devin Hughes (synths), Jamie Hunter (drums), and Anthony Perri (bass). Released earlier this year, their debut EP is quite impressive. The EP starts off with Godspeed You! Black Emperor-esque intro, “Destroyer,” but then quickly sets the tone for the rest of the EP with “Bastard Engine,” leaving those comparisons to GY!BE behind. Old World Vulture showcase heavy guitar riffs, resonating bass lines, and striking rhythms, all anchored by synth melodies.

After “Bastard Engine,” the synth melodies become somewhat reminiscent of Mogwai or Explosions in the Sky. The band embraces those melodic soundscapes, but juxtaposes them well between spurts of frenzied rhythms and plenty of fuzz. The time signature changes within each song are exciting and their contrasting of sounds set their style apart from comparisons in the post-rock instrumental genre; those comparisons simply do the band an injustice. The EP is dynamic and driven, each track melding perfectly into the next.

In just 6 tracks that together clock in around 24 minutes, Old World Vulture proves that they don’t need vocals to hold attention; they simply let the music speak for itself. The band has only been around for about two years, but their debut EP shows promise for their future. The wait for more should not be too long, as Old World Vulture is currently working on a full-length to be released sometime in 2011.