It’s been a long road out of Álftanes, Iceland, for rock band The Vintage Caravan. In a country more known for glaciers and geysers, life is understandably hard for an aspiring rock band without access to labels and press outlets available in other countries (indeed, the band relocated to Denmark in 2014 for this very reason). However, it is testament to the band’s drive and determination (and talent) that they’ve carved out a unique niche for themselves in the world of rock music. Their sixth album, Portals, continues their upward trajectory and is another sure step towards global domination.
Formed by two schoolfriends, The Vintage Caravan were drawn together by a love of riff-heavy bands and cite the likes of Led Zeppelin, Cream, Rush, and Mastodon as influences. It’s to the band’s credit that although you can hear strands of their idols in their sound, they resemble no one but themselves and that becomes immediately obvious in opening track ‘Philosopher’. Washing over the listener like a soothing balm with keys gently wafting through the air, it doesn’t take long for the band to start clobbering us with some monstrous riffs, and it is this flitting between the lithe and heavy that will characterise the album. It’s a vitally important aspect to the band’s modus operandi; not only do the quieter moments create a foil for the louder, they also have a hypnotic effect and place us in an altered state as the music ululates between the two. In fact, the ambient interludes that pepper the album (titled ‘Portal I – V’) act as wormholes that pull us into other dimensions and makes Portals a journey through space, rather than a simple listening experience.
For an ageing rocker such as I there’s something refreshingly retro about The Vintage Caravan. Songs like ‘Here You Come Again’ offer a tantalising glimpse of how rock and metal could of evolved had a tyranny like grunge not happened. Yet, while the band often look back for inspiration, there’s a vim and vitality that places them firmly in the present, and no matter the age of a band or from what era the music originates, you have no choice but to concede that ‘Current’ is a great, great, great, great song. Twisting and turning and wending its way towards rocky closer ‘This Road’, Portals recalls an age when you could experience an album as a cohesive whole (rather than a collection of singles) and that’s exactly how Portals is pieced together.
As all the heritage bands start shuffling off towards the great gig in the sky, a burning question is who will be tomorrow’s stadium fillers, The Vintage Caravan provide the answer.
- Portals is released via Napalm Records on 26th September 2025.
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Track List:
1. Philosopher
2. Portal I
3. Days Go By
4. Portal II
5. Here You Come Again
6. Current
7. Give And Take
8. Portal III
9. Crossroads
10. Alone
11. Portal IV
12. Freedom
13. Riot
14. Electrified
15. Portal V
16. My Aurora
17. This Road
