REVIEW: Vader, "Thy Messenger" (EP)

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 31/05/2019

Label: Nuclear Blast

This is a great EP and perfectly executed; clean, sharp, but it also has enough dirt and grit to satisfy the old school fans. A coup de grace.

“Thy Messenger” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Grand Deceiver
2. Litany
3. Emptiness
4. Despair
5. Steeler

The Review:

This five track EP is a welcome return from Poland's best death/thrash export. 2016's “The Empire” was the last studio offering from these veterans and as main-main Piotr stated, if the band went for releasing a full length album then it would not be ready until the end of the year, so instead they have put out this nasty little short sharp shock. Indeed, the EP is becoming a favoured format for some bands- it allows fans a solid taste of material without being overly lengthy and allows a band a reason to get out and tour or just give a reminder they are still around. In this modern digital age, attention spans are not what they were and grabbing a listener's attention is even harder than before.

From the opening blasting of “Grand Deceiver” to the closing cover of Judas Priest's “Steeler”, this is a band firing on all cylinders and ready to take on all comers. The riffs are all there as is the almost rock n roll feel present in Vader's best material- they have a kind of Motorhead vibe to their delivery- even if Vader are as precise as they come in delivery. The EP includes a re-working of their classic track “Litany” which of course benefits from the state of the art production and clarity of sound. Yes, it's clean and sharp, but it also has enough dirt and grit to satisfy the old school fans.

The more mid paced “Emptiness”, with its traded leads and rolling bass drums is almost akin to the Gothenburg sound, but it retains considerably more bite and swing than many of those bands. The one and a bit minutes of “Despair” is punk infused death/thrash and a reminder that straightforward riffage and carnage are Vader's forte. The aforementioned “Steeler” by Priest closes this impressive and focused EP. It will leave Vader's legions of fans satisfied that the band are forging ahead at full speed and still very much a going concern. This is a great EP and perfectly executed. A coup de grace.

“Thy Messenger” is available HERE

Band info: facebook