LED BY VULTURES – Led By Vultures

Led By Vultures is the latest project by multi-instrumentalist Brian Tichy. He has worked with rock legends such as Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Foreigner, Billy Idol, and Gene Simmons. Led By Vultures also includes Shane Hawkins, son of late Taylor Hawkins, on drums; and Brent Woods on bass guitar. Their self-titled debut album will be released through Deko Entertainment on August 28, 2026. According to the press release, keyboardist Derek Sherinian co-wrote and played on a few tunes as well. Parental advisory is not needed to enjoy the album.

A Promising Start and Onward

The self-titled album kicks off with the first single, “Get It Right,” a raunchy and hard-hitting number with so much frustration and anguish captured perfectly with the raw and unpolished instrumentation. There’s an old-school, garage band feel throughout the entire album that works to the band’s favor. “Massivity” is an upbeat track with a funky groove and sizzling guitar licks. Saxophones would’ve been a great addition to the song to spice things up even more! “Below the Clouds of Jupiter” is slightly more melodic and bright-sounding compared to the previous tracks. It’s bluesy and jazzy, and overall, the song has a really good feel.

“He Who Greets With Fire” has a dirtiness with its muddy and heavy distortion. In an underground setting, the song would be a hit. No commercial appeal, but there’s passion, energy, a good backbeat, and tasteful guitar work. The title track is a chaotic and almost speed metal type of song. It has a rebellious nature with the fast-paced drumming, blazing guitar melodies, and frantic lead vocals. “Waves” is a heartfelt ballad that could’ve been a triumphant finale for the album with its uplifting spirit and soaring melodies.

Loses Steam at the End

The album’s biggest crime is that it’s too long. The first eight songs are bangers and as mentioned earlier, “Waves” is a soothing ballad that could’ve ended the album on a positive note. It goes down from there with “Psyched to Be Psycho,” which suffers from repetitiveness and blandness. While “Get It Right” works because of frustration displayed through the musicianship, “Psyched to Be Psycho” takes it a step too far with the end results being a song that sounds like it was written by a pubescent 15 year old. “Say No More” is an instrumental with a clever title, but it sounds like everyone is playing their instruments with no purpose nor a clear story to tell. They were just jamming for the heck of it. “Better Left Behind” sounds so different from the rest of the album and it’s so depressing that it closes the album on a sour note. The group that recorded “Better Letter Behind” lacks the energy that was captured so vividly at the start of the album with “Get It Right.”

Final Assessment

Maybe it’s because of the garage band feel of the record, but Led By Vultures, for the most part, gives off a free-spirited energy where they weren’t trying to please anyone but themselves. That’s what makes the record a fun listen. The songs are entertaining and the musicianship is excellent. For those who are interested in raw and raunchy rock ‘n’ roll, give Led By Vultures’ self-titled album a chance!

Album Tracklist

1. Get It Right
2. Massivity
3. Straight to the Bottom
4. Below the Clouds of Jupiter
5. He Who Greets With Fire
6. Lunatic Fringe
7. Led By Vultures
8. An Evening of the Odds (CD only)
9. Waves
10. Psyched to Be Psycho
11. Say No More (CD only)
12. Better Left Behind

Band Lineup

Brian Tichy – lead vocals and guitars
Shane Hawkins – drums
Brent Woods – bass guitar

Guest Musicians

Derek Sherinian – keyboards

Check out the music video for “Massivity” from Led By Vultures’ self-titled debut album!