The Empire Vader 2016 Nuclear Blast Records Vader are a Death Metal band from Poland that are widely known for their distinctive and unique taken on the genre. Vader are a band that has had a solid and consistent output since their debut, The Ultimate Incantation, released in 1992. Vader are also well known for the seminal Death Metal albums, 1995’s De Profundis and Litany, released in 2000. The Empire is Vader’s 13th studio album and the follow up to 2014’s fantastic Tibi et Igni, if you don’t count the 2015 album of covers, Future of the Past II – Hell in the East. Vader plough forward with The Empire as you would expect, it clocks in at less than 40 minutes and Vader get the job done. Once more, Vader have held a stable line-up containing Peter on vocals joining Spider on the guitars with Hal and James making up the rhythm section of bass and drums. As has been the trend with all the recent Vader albums, The Empire has been produced by the Wieslawski brothers who have produced every Vader album since 2006’s Impressions in Blood. The Wieslawski brothers know exactly what Vader want and are able to accommodate everything that Vader desires and it is no wonder that each of these Vader albums since 2006 have an extremely similar sound coursing through them. Because of this, you know exactly what The Empire is going to sound like and Vader once again deliver the goods. For the second time this year, an album contains a reference to the Winged Hussars. The Empire opens with single from the album, Angels of Steel and sets the pace for the rest of the album. Angels of Steel blasts forward at true Vader pace with its tenacious blast beats and rhythmic growls leading the way. It would be wrong to refer to The Empire as a concept album, but there is an overly strong running theme of war throughout, from the fantastic opener, Angels of Steel, through Prayer to the God of War, the sublime headbanger Iron Reign, the allusions made to Star Wars in the Galactic Empire themed Genocidius and the pure blast beat onslaught of The Army-Geddon all make The Empire another great addition to Vader’s already decent catalogue. As stated above, Vader are masters of their craft, they have their own unique take on Death Metal with no other band sounding like them, even during closing track to The Empire, Send Me Back to Hell, contains an opening riff that wouldn’t be out of place on Slayer’s Hell Awaits has been given the distinct Vader sound and it takes a close listen to realise this about the opening riff. The Empire is easily one of the best Death Metal albums released this year, if not the best. The Empire will sit happily in a back catalogue by a band that never fails to impress. Vader are consistent if nothing else, maybe sometimes they lack that killer touch that other bands have that will be the only thing stopping The Empire from possibly reaching the top ten albums of the year. However, don’t let that put you off purchasing the album, in fact, if you’re a Death Metal fan, go and buy it, it’s fantastic and you won’t be disappointed. 8/10 Adam
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December 2016
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