Vertebra â The Same Review
By Angry Metal Guy
By: Nameless_n00b_601
Thereâs no shortage of bands trying to bottle the lightning of Deathâs progressive era. Between groups like Horrendous, Paranorm, or even not-quite-cover-band Gruesomeâwhose recent take on Human with Condemned Identity is the bandâs most exciting effortâthere are plenty of impressive takes on Chuck Schuldinerâs revered late-â90s output. Enter Vertebra: a Brazilian act that formed in the mid-â90s, Vertebra disbanded before releasing a debut album. Now, in 2025, they have re-emerged from the sands of time with a mission to finally finish what they started. Their long-overdue debut release, The Same, promises a slab of progressive death/thrash which balances âraw edgesâ with âmelodic awarenessâ in a way that âdefies the passage of time.â Can these reunited rockers craft a collection of tunes that innovates and stands alongside their clear inspiration? Or has their time apart left us with a batch of songs that feel, well, The Same?
Vertebraâs take on death/thrash is firmly rooted in the sound of albums like Symbolic and The Sound of Perseverance, but itâs supercharged thanks to the dynamic guitar work of Arildo Leal and Fernando Luzardo. The duo rarely stays in one mode for long, shifting between acrobatic riffing and soaring melodic leads, often favoring the harmonic minor. This is the scale that classic Death melodies like âLack of Comprehensionâ are inâit sounds âEgyptianâ for lack of a better descriptor. Whether itâs Kreator-tinged thrash gallops (âOblivionâ), aggressive death metal tremolos (âArchitecture of Perspectiveâ), or proggy suspended-chord riffs (âFanatic and Picturesqueâ), the two guitarists glide between styles with confidence, driving these constantly evolving compositions. The Same also features significantly more lead and harmony work than classic Death albums, which largely relegate leads to dedicated solo sections. Those are present here as well, and theyâre impressive and reminiscent of James Murphy, especially, but Leal and Luzardo present a much more fluid take on leads, weaving them in and out of standard riffs (âHumanityâ) and sweeping melodic sections (âBlessed Are the Forgetfulâ). Occasionally, this can distract from the effective simplicity of certain moments, but overall, their distinctive approach is one of Vertebraâs key strengths.
That same sense of urgency and exploration extends to Vertebraâs rhythm sectionâsometimes to the detriment of the songs and, by extension, the album as a whole. Drummer Cristiano Hulk (yes, really) brings a rock-solid, Bill Andrews-esque backbone to the material, but itâs bassist Tiago Vargas who often takes center stage. His hyperactive, âlead bassâ approach recalls a blend of Steve DiGiorgio and Geddy Lee. Rarely does Vargas follow along with the rhythm guitars, instead opting for dexterous, serpentine basslines that give an Atheist flair to much of the record. Often, this accents the part nicely and provides a bit more instrumental nuance to any given section, but when it doesnâtâduring a big chorus (âThe Sameâ) or melodic section (âFanatic and Picturesqueâ)âthis highlights The Sameâs biggest issue: a lack of definitive, memorable hooks to contrast with its rapid pace. A Death song like âSpirit Crusherâ works as well as it does because its simple, primary chorus riff provides both a breather and release from the adventurous parts which surround it. Vertebra has no shortage of solid riffs and interesting sections that usually transition fluidly in and out of each other, but lack emphatic or iconic moments that make each song stand out.
This places The Same in an interesting predicament, where all of its tracks are remarkably consistent and varied in their own way, but as an album, Iâm hard pressed for individual moments that beckon repeated listens. Vertebra succeeds with numbers like the sprawling âBehind the World,â the Masvidal-inspired âOvercoming the Void,â and mid-tempo prog-ripper â95 Eyes,â but much of the track list struggles to leave a lasting impression, even after a week of listening. Part of the issue lies in Arildo Lealâs vocal delivery. His high-pitched, raspy bark is serviceable in verses and suits the style (a less favorable description might claim it sounds like Dave Mustaine doing his best Quorthon impression), but it falters in the choruses, many of which rely on simple, repeated phrases (âBehind the World,â âHumanity,â or âThe Sameâ). This puts more pressure on the songwriting to carry the weight, but it can get lost in the albumâs relentless pacing.
The Same is a frustrating record to evaluate. Itâs clearly good but missing the extra âoomphâ of something great.1 Vertebra demonstrates a thorough understanding of the ins and outs of what makes late-â90s Death engaging and puts its own unique spin on the material with oodles of instrumental embellishments. As a debut, itâs strong and satisfying in its way, but it doesnât quite rise to meet the standard set by its peers. If Vertebra ever produces a follow-up, maybe next time they can focus on making sure the songs donât sound The Same.2
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s CBR MP3
Label: Xtreem Music
Website: xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-same
Releases Worldwide: July 29th, 2025
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Angry Metal Guy
