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Vanize is one of the bands that I grew up listening to, being a huge fan of German Metal. I think they never got the credit deserved, because they had a good run from 1995 to 2006, releasing four good albums. The biggest problem is that their frontman is Peter Dirkschneider, brother of that legendary short guy from Accept who looks a bit like Donald Duck, so the band was doomed to unfair comparisons and fell into ostracism because of that.

So this is Vanize's third full-length, Highproof, originally released in 2000, and features all the elements from the Teutonic school of German Metal. Imagine a rawer and heavier U.D.O. with a little less personality and you should get an idea of what Vanize is all about. The opener "The Final Breath" illustrates this perfectly, as it could be in any of the Accept albums from the 90's and has that characteristic punch present in many of the German Metal acts. "Minute Man" tones the pace down a bit, offering a true headbanging experience with heavy and slow riffs. "Double Dealing", "Negative" and "Break Down the Walls" contribute to the consistency of the album, while "What You Give Is What You Get" is another ode to U.D.O., even relying on similar guitar melodies. My personal favorite is "Master and Servant", a more melodic and faster song, with Peter Dirkschneider delivering a respectful performance and Pierre Fienhold tearing everything apart on the drums. The album was produced by Stefan Kaufmann, so you know the production is top-notch and you can clearly hear all instruments at any time. The artwork is a little cheesy, featuring a guy who looks like Danny Trejo wearing metal pants and a bulletproof vest.

If you love those German characteristic choirs and heavy as shit guitar work, Highproof will definitely give you moments of joy. Do you like Accept, U.D.O., Gladiators, Danton and such? Then Vanize is just what the doctor ordered for your daily dose of Metal.