Photo by Katy A.D.It's about damn time we heard something new from Vektor, and now, on the heels of a jaw-dropping tour announcement, it makes perfect sense that Philly's weirdest and most wonderdully innovative thrash band (and occasional target for religious loonies) has seen fit to grace us with a new tune. Taken off the upcoming album Terminal Redux, "Ultimate Artificer" is lean and mean, and starts off in a more straightforward thrash vein than one might expect (given the troupe's reputation for face-shredding guitar acrobatics) but halfway through, Vektor shifts into weird-as-fuck space-prog mode. It rules.Watch 'em play "Ultimate Arbiter" and, obviously, more than a few other space-age belters on their next North American tour, where they'll be slaying stages across the country as direct support for none other than Voivod, the godfathers of progressive thrash! It's a match made in hesher heaven, and the addition of Eight Bells's heavy experimental sounds rounds out the most interesting heavy metal tour lineup we've seen in ages. All we need now is a guest appearance from VHÖL to push things into hyperdrive…Voivod, Vektor and Eight Bells Tour Dates2/06/16 — Providence, R.I. — Fete Ballroom
2/07/16 — New York, N.Y. — Gramercy Theatre
2/08/16 — Philadelphia, Pa. — The Trocadero
2/09/10 — Morgantown, W.V. — Mainstage
2/10/16 — Pittsburgh, Pa. — Altar Bar
2/11/16 — Asbury Park, N.J. — Stone Pony
2/12/16 — Lancaster, Pa. — Chameleon Club
2/13/16 — Washington, D.C. — Black Cat
2/14/16 — Richmond, Va. — Strange Matter
2/16/16 — Raleigh, N.C. — Kings
2/18/16 — Charlotte, N.C. — Neighborhood Theatre
2/19/16 — Sanford, Fla. — West End Trading Co.
2/20/16 — Ybor City, Fla. — The Orpheum
2/21/16 — Atlanta, Ga. — Masquerade
2/22/16 — Knoxville, Tenn. — The Concourse
2/24/16 — Chicago, Ill. — The Abbey Pub
2/25/16 — Cudahy, Wis. — The Metal Grill
2/26/16 — St Paul, Minn. — The Amsterdam
2/27/16 — Omaha, Neb. — Waiting Room
2/28/16 — St. Louis, Mo. — Firebird
2/29/16 — Louisville, Ky. — Zanzabar
3/01/16 — Valpariso, Ind. — Big Shots
3/02/16 — Columbus, Ohio — A&R Music Bar
3/03/16 — Ferndale, Mich. — The Loving Touch
3/04/16 — Toronto, Ontario — Mod Club
3/05/16 — Hamilton, Ontario — This Aint Hollywood
2/07/16 — New York, N.Y. — Gramercy Theatre
2/08/16 — Philadelphia, Pa. — The Trocadero
2/09/10 — Morgantown, W.V. — Mainstage
2/10/16 — Pittsburgh, Pa. — Altar Bar
2/11/16 — Asbury Park, N.J. — Stone Pony
2/12/16 — Lancaster, Pa. — Chameleon Club
2/13/16 — Washington, D.C. — Black Cat
2/14/16 — Richmond, Va. — Strange Matter
2/16/16 — Raleigh, N.C. — Kings
2/18/16 — Charlotte, N.C. — Neighborhood Theatre
2/19/16 — Sanford, Fla. — West End Trading Co.
2/20/16 — Ybor City, Fla. — The Orpheum
2/21/16 — Atlanta, Ga. — Masquerade
2/22/16 — Knoxville, Tenn. — The Concourse
2/24/16 — Chicago, Ill. — The Abbey Pub
2/25/16 — Cudahy, Wis. — The Metal Grill
2/26/16 — St Paul, Minn. — The Amsterdam
2/27/16 — Omaha, Neb. — Waiting Room
2/28/16 — St. Louis, Mo. — Firebird
2/29/16 — Louisville, Ky. — Zanzabar
3/01/16 — Valpariso, Ind. — Big Shots
3/02/16 — Columbus, Ohio — A&R Music Bar
3/03/16 — Ferndale, Mich. — The Loving Touch
3/04/16 — Toronto, Ontario — Mod Club
3/05/16 — Hamilton, Ontario — This Aint Hollywood