In The Studio With VESTAL CLARET!

Vestal Claret is no stranger to the pages/readers of Mental Funeral. Their Ritual and Rehearsal compilation CD being reviewed in MF 5.5 back in 2007. Vestal's NWOBHM meets Christian Death approach to heavy metal won me over immediately. In 2009 via my cassette label NoVisible Scars I released "The Lost Loved Ones" Ep. Which was sadly the bands last hooray. It was alway's a shame Vestal never recorded a full-length. With Phil(vox) and Simon(guitar/bass) going their separate way's. Phil focusing more on Hour Of 13 and Seamount and Simon with King Of Salem. Check out King Of Salem's great 80's metal/70's rock influenced LP "Prophecy" http://www.kingofsalem.com/

Well, after 4 years of silence Vestal Claret have reunited to complete their unfinished debut!

Last night(March 12) I got a chance to listen to the pre-production for the debut full-lenght entitled "Blood Bath" from Vestal Claret. Even in it's un-mixed form it's sounding fantastic. Lot's of great riff's and predominant bass playing! Real HEAVY METAL through and through! Dark and heavy for sure! Die hard followers of the band will recognize the full length is comprised of material from the the "Two Stones" demo(2006), "Ritual And Rehearsal" compilation(2007), and "Lost Loved Ones" Ep(2009). For the most part the songs are still true to the original recordings. Some shortened a bit and twiqued. slightly. All greatly benefited, hugely, by Simon's studio owned UP Recording(http://uprecording.com/) production. I was also treated to hearing the two songs("Hex of Harm" and "Allowance of Sin") for the upcoming 7"that will preview the upcoming full length. You can listen to "Allowance of Sin" at the bands Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/vestalclaret

The band has assembled a slew of "guest" musicians for collaboration. Tony Truglio(Liege Lord),

Andy Beresky (Black Pryamid), Ryan Adams(NightBitch), Martin Mendelssohn(Altar Of Oblivion),and

Tim Schmidt(Seamount) to name a few. Hence "Blood Bath" will be appear as both a double LP

and double CD hopefully by early summer. Label(s) announcemnet's to follow.

Vestal Claret will also be recording, accordling, for a split cassette release with long running

German black metallers UNGOD for NoVisible Scars http://nvslabel.blogspot.com/

First half of an interview with Phil Swanson from Oct 2009.

http://mentalfuneralzine.blogspot.com/2009/06/phil-swanson-interviewupwards-of.html?zx=3ef141829dd908ec

Continued in MF #6. Out, in print, before the end of the year.

Mental "Bill" Funeral"