Tibi et Igni

The tenth full-length studio album from Polish death/thrash metal legends Vader, “Tibi Et Igni,” proves that few if any extreme metal acts can dish out the violence with the speed and urgency as Vader and reasserts their status at the top of the genre.

This deep in their career, it’s nearly impossible not to know what you’re getting on a Vader release and there’s absolutely no signs of experimentation or extreme genre shifts on this one. This is classic riff-heavy death metal with a strong thrash metal influence that has always been their forte, and it continues here with absolutely stellar work throughout this that might be the best they’ve ever done in their career. Not only are the riffs heavy and impart a fiery soundtrack that indeed reflects the hellish vibe from the cover art and song-titles, as if the entire album was recorded amidst hellfire and brimstone, but the fact that there’s the ever-present speed that is so important and vital to their sound in their career simply makes the material that much more devastating and impacting. The riffs slice with that ever-present thrash speed with a fluidity and technical precision that marks their previous work quite well, and the sense to know how to compose them into serviceable and damaging tunes remains at the forefront of their attack as they go from chaotic barn-burner tempos that forsake any sort of technical skill for blinding intensity to deep, tight chugging that brings about more of their death metal roots with the patterns and rhythms to atmospheric, lighter sections that offer a sense of melody and refresh the attack.

While this does offer up the kind of experimentation in regards to the riff-work, there’s a strong amount of variety to be displayed here, merging the fiery, dynamic set of tremolo-picked patterns against tight, mid-tempo chugging for an altogether impressive set of riff styles to work with. Really, this seems to be the entire form of deviation on the album. With that range of attack throughout this album, there’s always some riff right around the corner to incite a sense of euphoria or excitement in the listener with that classic attack waiting to be unleashed in the coming seconds. That does provide this one with a feeling of familiarity at times where it delves into a utilization of the ever-present Vader attack with the riffing falling into familiar patterns that have long been a staple of the band or the drumming forced into a familiar pattern due to the way the song is arranged to make it sound like the band’s past catalog, and naturally the vocals still sound like that ever-present growl that has long permeated the band’s work. Still, those looking for experimentation on a Vader record are looking up the wrong band for the only difference in releases is the quality of the riffing and this is no exception so that familiarity to the music certainly doesn’t hinder this in the slightest.

Beyond the dynamic guitar work throughout this, there’s still a lot to like with the rest of the music. One of the better elements found within is the devastating drumming on display, which is just as powerful and dynamic as their past works while displaying absolutely savage patterns filled with numerous strong qualities. The most consistent part to be found here is the fast-paced thrash punches that move through the album with a grace and dexterity that affects the speed of the tracks so well it generates the speed far more directly than the riff-work, hitting hard to generate a thunderous series of rhythms at that high-speed thrash pace during the bands’ customary short blasters. When it comes to dealing with the slightly longer songs, the area for more arrangements offers the chance to blast away with more of those hard-hitting thrash paces or provide a mixture of technically-complex mid-tempo sections or utilizing start/stop rhythms into the general structure for these efforts, and all together these efforts produce an absolutely pummeling drumming attack that makes this stand-out quite well from their collection.

Along with the dynamic riff-work, the drumming here effectively captures that outstanding and pounding thrash energy felt in the rhythms that are featured here. Beyond the drumming and the guitars, there’s some fun to be had in the typically hard-edged vocals found here which continue to add that deep, throaty roar that complements the furious energy exceptionally well. Churning and chugging away with abandon, the bass-lines are their tight, thrashing best thumping along here in tune to the raging rhythms quite well. For a nice surprise, several tracks also manage to include a few small keyboard notes that act quite like atmospheric accents placed in the middle of the track as background music for the raging inferno-style tracks they’re used in, and really makes the album stand-out quite well in the Vader cannon.

Even with this band generating some of the most consistent styles in this genre, there’s a lot to like with this album. The most impressive aspect is the production for it manages to on to the areas of their sound that worked in the past while offering a really enjoyable tone that’s unique to this one. Throughout the album, regardless of the speed, intensity or duration of the particular riff there’s the distinct and unmistakable feel of dark, hellish tones in the mix. It seems purposeful due to how it permeates the whole record and wouldn’t really be the case if this was a fluke, so all the more likely this was intentional for this record which works amazingly well here. There’s enough of a similarity to their past works that enables this one to seem as a perfectly cohesive part of their catalog yet has an amazingly warm, more breathable sound here. The guitars don’t have a mechanically cold, ethereal vibe as per usual but more of a spacious, more natural-sounding affair that offers a rather refreshing take that makes the material here even more appealing due to the insanely infectious sound it’s all wrapped together with.

As well, the production highlights the consistency of their music quite well and focuses a lot on expanding their traditional works. This features their familiar blend of styles including the tight, vicious shorter thrasher filled with blistering drum-work and blasting patterns collide with frantic razor-wire riffing that rages through the intense up-tempo paces that swoops and dives through the barreling speed-metal, a style that appears quite often on their albums. Along with that, there’s the traditional charging thrash effort with rattling riff-work, tight speed-metal patterns and furious drumming that takes the chaotic riff-work through intense, frantic patterns, such that usually appears in such albums. Rife with multi-tempo epics and slow, sprawling mid-tempo chugs, these all come off quite well throughout this one.

There’s no real difference between the two halves to this, it’s all consistent through and through. Intro ‘Go to Hell’ sets the stage with quiet, eerie hellish ambience and tortured screams that gradually turns into a series of rattling riffing, frantic drumming and rather dexterous arrangements speeding through the blasting drum-works throughout here for a savage, brutalizing offering. The unrelenting ‘Where Angels Weep’ showcases technically-complex rhythm changes that match the battering drum attack aligning itself with the tight guitars that weave their intense patterns throughout the frantic solo section and on into the blistering finale that signals the pinnacle of their tradition for the short, violent thrasher. ‘Armada on Fire’ continues that with tight riffing and pounding, relentless drumming slowly converge on a steady mid-tempo thrash pace with charging rhythms and razor-sharp leads with technical riffing leading into the scorching, full-throttle solo section with a steady, melodic chug before churning through the thrash riffing and pounding drum-patterns into the final half for a third spectacular effort in a row. Suffering against these, ‘Triumph of Death’ is a little sluggish as crushing riff-work and pounding drumming turns into charging, mid-tempo crunch patterns with fiery riff-work and dexterous drumming as the dynamic leads propels the speed into the extended solo section augmented by tremolo-picked riffing for a stellar thrash segment into the finale, which does come up a little short against the others. Fortunately, this is saved by ‘Hexenkessel’ as the eerie fade-in with triumphant guitar patterns and keyboards marching through before a tight chug-based riff and stellar drum-patterns settles on a pounding mid-tempo chug with rolling drumming and simple chugging riff-work with a devastating series of tremolo-picked riffs into the solo section with blasting drumming and atmospheric keyboards before the mid-tempo chug rolls back through the majestic finale, not only making this the album’s central highlight but also one of their best tracks of all time here.

The second half continues on much like the first, showcasing the consistency here. ‘Abandon All Hope’ continues the amazing streak here as barreling drumming and furious speed riff-work turn into tight blasting drumming with thumping chugs and fiery tremolo riffing throughout the mid-tempo pace as speedy tremolo-picked riffing through tight thrash paces and unrelenting speed riffing throughout the dynamic and extended thrashing sections for an exciting blast throughout here. The workable but unspectacular ‘Worms of Eden’ features a screeching guitar intro and rolling drumming give way to fast, intense blasting drumming and thrash-influenced tremolo riffing with fluid rhythm changes as the tight, pounding drumming leads through the solo sections with fiery leads and relentless energy into the blasting finale which is hardly all that bad but really doesn’t stand up to their better efforts here. One of their better epic multi-sectioned thrashers, ‘The Eye of the Abyss’ uses quiet, eerie guitar reverbs and keyboard flourishes before gradually blasting away with thumping drumming and swirling guitar-work that forms a tight, frantic tempo with intense, thrash-paced chugs and razor-wire riffs that carries through the solo section graced with urgent drumming and melodic guitar trinkling that meshes with the cinematic keyboards blaring away against the final half for another stand-out effort. It’s back to the up-tempo and speedy thrashers as ‘Light Reaper’ features rolling technical drumming and tight, frantic thrash guitar patterns race through intense blast-heavy sections as the tremolo-picked rhythms and thrash riffing mesh with the blaring, pounding drumming through the solo section full of fiery melodies and tight chugging that carries through the intense final half in a solid, furious stand-out. Finally, ‘The End’ utilizes gradual build-up riffing and dexterous drumming that weaves into a mid-tempo plod with chugging riffs, thumping double-bass rolls alongside thumping bass-lines and clean vocals alongside the mid-tempo march against the crunchy guitars as the heavy chug carries through the solo section and into the final half to end this on a somewhat down-note.

This band has been at the top of their game for a while now, and there’s certainly no stopping them anytime soon with their remarkable ability to create music of this caliber and this consistency at this stage in their career. There’s a drive and fury placed over these tracks which rivals the intensity of bands just barely starting their careers, and is certainly among the top reasons why this one is so enjoyable. Heartily recommended to all death metal fans or fans of the style in general, while those looking for a perfect introduction to the band can certainly use this as a starter course.

Holy hell. This is one of the best albums of the year, and in my top three Vader releases along with Litany and De Profundis. What makes it even better is that each of those albums has its own flavor: Litany for increased death elements, DP for thrash, and now Tibi Et Igni for its epic scope.

2014 seems to be the year of symphonic metal. At some point the bubble is going to burst as things do when a new trend sets in. In the meantime, Vader is the latest to successfully adapt its elements into their sound. Despite the misgivings of some, this is not a detraction for fast and hard Vader sound fans have come of love over the years.

The trademark tremolos are as wicked as ever, often punctuated with memorable fills and crunchy palm muting. While some lesser releases have suffered from track to track with lack of invention on these riffs, the hooks here seem endless. In fact, there is no filler speak of at all. The marching guitars, relentless drums, and highly aggro-theatrical vocals make each track a unique entity. Many have already been citing Hexenkessel as the centerpiece to the action, and for good reason: “Oh God... Why have you forsaken me..Damn you and your helpless angels! Your heart is as cold as this land,where I am dying now. Hope to see you in Hell!!! RUN! RUN or die...” Try not to get pumped to this album.

Triumph Of Death is another personal favorite. There is a Seasons in the Abyss-era Slayer feel to it, but without feeling like a cheap imitation. Fitting considering the content. The songwriting is rock-solid across the board. The chorus is anthemic and lends itself well to what will definitely be crowd-pleasing moments in concert. Even on my first listen I found myself chanting “To the grave!” by the second chorus.

Coming full circle, the new symphonic additions add a whole new level to the evil. It is used sparingly which makes it feel less tacked on. They are not trying to compete with Dimmu Borgir. You have your straight thrash tracks that do not use it at all, and then the songs that use it effectively for intros and interludes. Go To Hell opens the album with a lengthy passage that perfectly sets the tone, then the guitars take hold with thrash-style solos that say “we haven't forgotten where the fuck we come from.” The Eye of the Abyss and aforementioned Hexenkessel also use some absolutely epic strings to accentuate the carnage.

Buy this album today. Do not walk...RUN. Run or die.

Good ol' reliable Vader, churning out high quality no frills thrash-infused death metal albums since 1992, with the arguable exception of 2004's slightly lukewarm 'The Beast'. They have become quite like your favourite hamburger joint. Not fancy, but oh so delicious. Their last service 'Welcome to the Morbid Reich' was one of the better in the bands history setting quite a bar for their new offering 'Tibi et Igni' (roughly 'You and Fire').

'Tibi et Igni' rests firmly on the classical Vader recipe with partly chugging/partly tremolo riffs found in the borderlands of thrash and death metal, the main riff of 'Triumph of Death' brings Exodus to mind, as the juicy bulk meat. Many of the tunes are built up around a main riff with a few leads and solos giving the necessary variation to avoid boredom and stagnation. Said solos are heavily thrash-inspired, (Slayer often pops up as the main influence), without becoming too creaky. Overall, like Vader's former outputs, it is not a particularly technical offering we are given in 'Tibi et Igni' with 'Worms of Eden' as a slight exception. The flavours of the drums are rather anonymous and do ever really become an integral part of the meat when the tempo goes up and the blast beats come out. Every now and then the double bass drums make an entrance for extra flavour, but to a less extent then on some of their previous offerings. Apart from that, the drums never really break out to verge on journeys of their own. They stay firmly in the meat and so with honours. Fundamentally, we are served our favourite Vader meat the way we always liked it. After a few chews though, it becomes apparent that something is slightly different. Something has happened to the seasoning.

Vader has been lurking in epic waters before, but on 'Tibi et Igni' this side of the band has really broken out. The intro to opening track 'Go to Hell' gives a slight hint, but on fifth track 'Hexenkessel' all hell really breaks loose. The bombastic epic feeling of said tune's intro is carried throughout the song and builds up to a climaxing chorus which is then followed by a cool down. In fact, all songs before 'Hexenkessel' serve as a build-up to said climax and the following tunes gives a necessary relief. Not the outstandingly best track per se, 'Hexenkessel' still becomes somewhat of the focal point of 'Tibi et Igni'.

The epic feeling is once again found at the latter part of the album on 'The Eye of the Abyss'. Even though not as strong a song as 'Hexenkessel' it has an interesting unpredictable structure which gives a nice slab of variation to this service. With the exception of the closing track aptly titled 'The End', 'Tibi et Igni' roams in the up- and mid-tempo regions. The latter has been somewhat of an Achilles heel in the past, particularly on 'The Beast', but comes better off on this album for instance the mid-section of 'Armada on Fire'.

On top of the meat we have the familiar trademark vocal cheese of Peter's. The well pronounced and barking growls are one the most distinct features of Vader's music and leave no surprises this time around. Beef and cheese, forget the salad, is served together in a classical bun. Where many bands go for the in-your-face whole wheat production that tends to blur the nuances in favour of a messy flavour explosion, Vader has the good sense to choose a light airy production that gives all flavours their necessary chance to breath. Initially this gives the more direct tracks a kind of neat edge, but without it the more epic tracks would become too much of an audial blur.

To put it simple, 'Tibi et Igni' gives us the expected meaty, juicy death/thrash burger with a rather different epic seasoning. Although their last more direct recipe had the higher peaks and was a true monster of an album, this new approach to the classical formula works really well and the composition makes the 42 minutes feel a lot shorter. Vegan hipsters will of course frown upon this, but for those who prefer the simple and tasty over the experimental and weird this is a recommended listen.


Originally written for www.metalcovenant.com

Some things in metal music are pretty much expected and accepted standard these days: the music is loud, the music is fast, the music will invariably piss off your family and assorted religious groups, and Vader will always deliver a right cross to the throat in the most simplistic form possible. Tibi Et Igni is, of course, no exception to this coveted rule. This now becomes a question of why Vader can seemingly do no wrong, and the answer is because the band is just that brilliant.

What can be said about Vader that isn't evident in the long and epic career they have? Poland's pride delivers yet another 40-minute slab of death metal with all of the tempestuousness and volatility you'd come to appreciate from them. The opener, "Go to Hell" pretty much sets the stage for what is to come, and not a single second of it is less than Vader's standards. Pitor's vocals are some of the best of the genre, with that familiar friend growling and barking horror over raucous, lightninng-fast riffs straight from Hell. What has impressed me about Vader since 1992 is how the band manages to create some of the finest death metal music this side of the Florida keys without giving way to over-production or boring, repetitive nonsense for the sake of a legendary name. Much like fellow DM legends Master, Vader follows a formula befitting the lineage of pride the band has behind it.

"Triumph of Death" is one of the single best tracks I've heard the band do in a decade, and with as much as I hail pretty much everything they've ever done that speaks volumes for me. Its catchy and very "metal" chant of "to the grave...to the grave...still marching on!" can very well be the extreme version of Judas Priest with all of its stylish bravado that is perfectly devoid of pretension and infringement on past ideas. I will go as far as to say this is the best Vader album in the last ten years, even edging out Welcome to the Morbid Reich by the slimmest of hairs; it's simply amazing from start to finish. There are, of course, those that would say that Vader's sound is stagnant, that the band doesn't go anywhere new or "take chances" with its music. I dare to say that Vader takes a chance each and every time a new CD is released; by not acclimating to the Hot Topic crowd as one of our Los Angeles-area bands has seen fit to do over the last decade-plus they walk out on there on that ledge and keep the product familiar, yet widely innovative and interesting. I can't ever accuse Vader of being dull or "samey" in its output. The familiarity that is the band's signature sound in the vocals and the guitar tone is hardly a recipe for hum-drum complacency.

With every caustic shredding opportunity that presents itself in tracks like "Hexenkessel" or "Abandon All Hope," which is also about as close to black metal as the band gets without crossing that ever-thickening line. By all accounts, this is the most evil and lyrically dark record I've heard this year, and upon each added listen it gets more evocative and sinister, and that guitar tone is just as dim and overpowering as it's always been. Even when "The Eye of the Abyss" begins with its serene, symphonic Phantom of the Opera music you know the bombastic delivery isn't far away; what I can only call the best power metal effort I've heard in the last 20-years gets summarily decimated under the heavy boots of brutality and angry chord changes in what might well be the band's "slow" track on the album. It doesn't come much better than this, folks. Seriously.

Vader never fails to influence, impress and engulf me, and I cannot recommend Tibi Et Igni enough. Buy this yesterday and become one with the flames sure to spill over you as you find the most vivid visions of the underworld that you'll ever hope to see while still upright and lucid.

(Originally written for www.metalpsalter.com)

Vader’s integrity remains intact on their newest album Tibi et Igni. After over 20 years of doing this shit, you’d think they would have lost some steam – but nope, they’re chugging along like a goddamned locomotive from Hell driven by a drunk, belligerent and pissed off Beelzebub with a can of Texas Driver in one hand and a machine gun at his side for any victims who may by chance get out of the locomotive’s path.

In terms of songwriting, this listens like any other Vader album, replete with chugging, flailing guitars and Piotr’s commanding, savage and yet intelligible bellowing – there’s really no other band like Vader on the scene, and here they continue along just sort of carving their own little niche in stone – each album I hear from them gets more iconoclastic and unique to the genre. Songs like “Go to Hell” and the horns-throwing thrash of “Triumph of Death” are among the more standard numbers on here – while they’re good, the album has more engaging picks in its stockpile of mass-destructive weaponry. “Hexenkessel” is a massive chugging thrash-fest with propulsive, involved riffing and energy through the roof. “Worms of Eden” starts off with a cornucopia of guitar leads diving down into the chasm of hellish riffing the band throws at us – a career-defining song that pretty much sums up the band in a three-minute nutshell. “The Eye of the Abyss” is up there with the best tracks Vader has ever done with its epic song structure and killer riffs. “Light Reaper,” following that, is the fastest and most balls-out track on the whole album – a killer fucking tune.

This album features a heightened thrash influence on Vader’s usual brand of chugging, war-hammer death metal, but really it’s just in the aesthetics – for Vader has always pretty much been a big old cauldron of heavy, thrash and death influences, but here those influences are more pronounced due to the cleaner production and the influx of epic orchestral flourishes here and there – which only accentuate the head-smashing riffage; they do not detract or neuter it. The production isn’t as heavy or thick as some of their old albums, but its brighter sound adds some clarity to the sound that wasn’t there before, and you can hear every inch of them kicking your ass with their nimble, aggressive guitar attack.

The alchemical melding of heavy metal, thrash metal and death metal makes this sound incredibly individual despite the band pretty much doing the same thing on every album. They know what’s good about metal – its tried-and-true dedication to the classic sounds. You don’t have to innovate; you just have to find a way to make the influences sound good and fresh again, and sell those influences with aplomb and theatricality in spades – that’s what metal is about in the end. Vader have mined the well and found this secret, and are milking the fuck out of it.

By doing so, they reinforce the strengths of metal on a larger plane – its dedication to the obscure and the arcane and the way it never quite goes out of style, plugging on for years and years with no buckling to trends at all. The way a band like this, around for over 20 years now, can consistently release great material that never deviates from their hellish vision, is a testament to what’s great about metal as a whole. No other genre could pull something like this off. For that Vader is a national treasure – go get this album and revel in their Satanic might.

Poland's Vader has to be the most consistent band in all of metal. Having formed in 1983 and released their first full length album in 1992, they have not released a bad album yet. In fact, the mere announcement of a new Vader album sends a buzz through the metal community like no other band. What is it about this band that creates this atmosphere? What is it about this band that makes the metal world stand up and take notice every time they announce a new album? Could it be that their brand of thrash infused death metal is just that fucking good? Why yes, yes it is. Their eleventh full length album, Tibi Et Igni (loosely translated as You and Fire) is another dose of fine metal from this unstoppable band.

What makes this band so special is main man Piotr Paweł Wiwczarek (known simply as Peter). There has been numerous members come and go, including the much beloved drummer Krzysztof (Doc) Raczkowski who passed away in 2005. Peter has been the mainstay here and it is obvious that it is his influence that has carried this band over the years. Consistency is hard to achieve for any band, let alone one that has had a virtual revolving door of members. Vader has been able to achieve excellence with each release and this one is up there with them all. This album is a monster death/thrash album loaded with crushing riffs and some of the most amazing solos in metal today. You can tell this album is going to be something furious with the opener "Go To Hell" that starts with an eerie and epic intro then the thrash riffs burst forth and just pummel you with their brutality and speed. Peter's vocals are just as evil as they could be and drive the song to that level of ferociousness that you expect from him. The tremolos that drive up to the solo are just as evil as the main riffs and the short but killer solo is just amazing. A taste of what's to come.

The songs on this album are well written and there is not a one that could even be close to being called filler. Instead they each have their own identity and shine on their own. "Where Angels Weep" is just over two minutes of serious pounding and riffing that will have you in a neck brace when it's over. The same with "Abandon All Hope", which is another short beast of song that comes in, whips your ass, and leaves you wondering what hits you. Then you have a song like "Triumph of Death" that is an all out thrasher that relies on the riffing that the overall catchy melodies of the song rather than an all out speed fest. This song has elements of thrash as well as traditional metal with some of the best solos on the album. This is possibly one of the best songs Vader has ever written. "The End" is another song in that same style, not super fast but instead it just crushes you with the riffs and a pounding rhythm.

"Hexenkessel" is a song that sees Vader spreading out into epic territory. This is possibly the most atmosphere ever present in a Vader song. This has elements of thrash, death, and heavy metal but is all epic. The riffing here is just insane and the melodies that are placed into this song makes this one of the most unique songs that this band has released. Dare I say Vader experimented here a bit? Yes, they did and the result is a catchy song with all the elements that you would expect in any metal song no matter what the genre. There are even some keyboards in there to add to the atmosphere. Peter's vocals come off as if he were narrating a story in the first person. "The Eye of the Abyss" is another song that goes into epic territory with an eerie keyboard intro leading to some monstrous heavy metal riffing and vocal choirs. After that it's all business with tremolos as well as thrash riffs just driving this song. And, again, the soloing on this song is absolutely godly. Just the sound of the guitars on this album is enough to make my hair stand on end. That, coupled with the overall production of this album makes this album perfect to listen to.

As Peter said on "The End", "This is not the end....not now." I don't think it is. This album and the previous, "Welcome to the Morbid Reich," are two of the best albums this band has released and to do so at this point in their careers says a lot about this band. I will say it again, this is the most consistent band in all of metal, regardless of the genre. This album is essential for any and all metal heads....period. Get this album...and that is not a request!!


http://elitistmetalhead.blogspot.com/

The list of bands whom you can bet your house on to release, at the very least, music of the same caliber or style they have always done, is very short. You have Motorhead and AC/DC in the obvious category. In the more modern era, you have Skeletonwitch, Cannibal Corpse, and yes of course, Manowar. However, as time has gone on, the list has expanded. One more band should be on there. Poland's death metal champs Vader. In their 31 year career, I'm pretty sure they have never wavered from the style of extreme metal, be it thrash or death. The results have always been almost the same. Average if not exceptional death metal. With this new release, Vader do no different. And to be honest, that's perfectly okay. "Tibi Et Igni" is more of the same for Vader, and I could not be any happier with that.

"Welcome To The Morbid Reich" was really one hell of an album. It was one of 2011's best metal releases, and a lot of people, myself included, did not believe it would be possible for a band like Vader to top it. They've always released some good music, but for them to release something that good that deep into their career was an exceptional feat. Going into "Tibi Et Igni", I expected the album to falter, if I'm being totally honest. I expected the sophomore slump to overcome another veteran metal band, and for them to release something strikingly average. But, again, I was quickly proven wrong.

"Tibi Et Igni" is a very straightforward death metal record. It's not experimental, nor is it something so revolutionary. . It's riffs, upon riffs, tight drumming, and unique vocals. The premise of this is like a pie. The pie being the album of course. You have the pie crust, the drumming that holds it altogether. You have the riffs, the best part, and the part everyone eats first. The topping is the vocals, which is an added on bonus to the pie you've been presented. The pie is extremely tasty, but not because any one of these ingredients or factors is doing more than the rest. It's all very equal.

Towards the end of the album there is the track, "Worms of Eden", It starts off with this divebomb from hell, a la Kerry King or Jeff Hanneman, and leads into this just ripping death thrash blitzkrieg. I feel like the entire album sort of is able to be explained through this one track. Not many albums are like that. From the opening of "Go To Hell", you are being held down, assaulted, and brutally savaged by monstrous riffs, excellent drumming, and altogether good death metal music. There are no interludes, there are no brief moments of respite. Arguably the most amount of respite comes from either the introductory music, which sounds almost like a fantasy film soundtrack, or the opening of "Eye of the Abyss", which is along the same lines, and the best track on the album. Even in its most reserved moments, the album still is extravagantly brutal and calculated, and never is there a second where you feel a sense of boredom or want to skip to the next track. In music, and death metal especially, this is almost a rarity. No filler, just straightforward from the beginning to "The End".

Overall, "Tibi Et Igni" is as explosively brutal and immensely enjoyable as a death metal can be. A lot of people would write off Vader as one trick ponies. I personally would hate to see the day Vader releases a progressive orchestral doom metal album. It would be unnatural. Vader's sole purpose is to produce the heavy, pounding, and headbang inducing metal we all crave from time to time. You can't always eat pie, or pie becomes boring. If you eat every so often, you'll enjoy it much more. And if you pick the right pie, you'll be extremely satisfied. If you haven't had pie like this in some time, I suggest you get a plate and fork, and dig in.

Post-pinnacle album releases are generally among the most difficult to critique, and at least for myself, Welcome to the Morbid Reich has proven the best of Vader's material since formation. That's not to imply I don't love a lot of their older records, quite the opposite, but not only was that album my favorite metal of 2011, it attained this zenith of phenomenal songwriting, menacing atmosphere, rhythm to lead balance, and brutal indifference to arbitrary technicality despite the high level of proficiency pumping through the lifeblood of all the band members. It was as a grand conflagration/conjunction of everything I'd ever appreciated about the Poles, spawned some 20 years or more deep into their career, and a reaffirmation of what it is I so cherish about death metal as a perpetual follower of the form. It was also far more of a true 'death metal' record, at least in mood, as opposed to its own predecessor Necropolis, which clearly favored the death/thrash tag that is so often applied to their output.

Tibi et Igni, long awaited now, even if that's only across the span of three years, potentially deserves its hybrid categorization even more. While a massive Slayer influence is no stranger to the band, never has been, it's boldly flagged across this album alongside compositional cues to Dark Angel, Kreator and other extreme speed/thrash acts of the 90s, in both higher speed tremolo picked hellish 'chase' sequences and the mid-paced headbanging riots that spew forth from tunes like "Triumph of Death". While these were not exactly absent from Welcome..., they're far more obvious, pronounced due to the general punch of the rhythm guitars here, which are still as smooth as the prior works in terms of clarity, but have a bit more of a haughty bluntness to them. That said, this is still threaded with the presence of brief and effective orchestral set-ups as you'd find on its direct predecessor or Impressions in Blood, and the lead work very closely matches the thoughtfulness, restraint and catchy qualities which have maintained Welcome to the Morbid Reich in a monthly, sometimes weekly listening rotation for me years after its birth. So when I say that there's no surprise, Tibi et Igni is another goddamn great Vader album, it really IS no surprise...

For Peter is a master of his craft, THIS craft, and by 2014, deserves the status of 'death metal royalty' far more than many of his better-known American and Swedish peers. He is hands down one of the most competent guitar/vocal dual taskers in his medium, and along with Spider, metes out a strong and varied array of slashers, thrashers, spry bursts hinging on a black metallic efficacy, along with the formidable chugging that performs so flush with Peter's grainy, constipated vocal barks. Once again, we've got some new additions comprising the rhythm section, with Brit James Stewart tackling the coveted drum seat now vacated by Paweł Jaroszewicz, who hard recorded Welcome to the Morbid Reich and is now involved with fellow Polish punishers Hate. Stewart is easily the measure of most of his forebears (though most will retain an emotional attachment to the late Doc), with an ease to his blasting and grooving that fits the breadth of Vader's ambitions, though I think some people might not like the actual mix of the drums as much as earlier efforts. Personally, I found them clear and consistent, but in terms of beats and fill choices he doesn't exactly amplify the record's intensity. I'd say the same for the other new blood, bassist Tomasz 'Hal' Halicki (Abused Majesty, Hermh), whose lines are fat, functional and worthy to support the guitar duo, but not entirely interesting when they're not given some space of their own...and even sometimes when they are.

But, hey, as important as the percussion has always been to Vader's incessant sense of momentum, it's the guitars that have always made or broken their material (far more often the former), and here they blaze within a large margin of success. Tracks like "Hexenvessel" and "Go to Hell" are just stunners, the first for its tasteful weave of atmosphere and taut heavy/death/thrash measures, the second for the brazen heraldry of its intro, and the ensuing, apoplectic carnage. When first hearing that single, I wasn't too fond of it, but it has since grown on me in bounds. As for the rest of the material, there are probably a half dozen riffs which just don't hit me all that hard, partly because they are derivative of others the band has unleashed in the past (a typical complaint against Vader which is not wholly untrue), and also because...yeah, the notes just don't always add up. At other times, though, they'll launch into a slightly unexpected progression that shows they thought this through and made a conscious effort not to take the obvious path in every songwriting decision. As far as its overall strength and capability with me personally, I'd place this somewhat below the last three original studio full-lengths, which resonated with me considerably more.

Welcome to the Morbid Reich was a 'statement', both cyclic and evolutionary, cleverly adapting the title of the band's old demo and thrusting it boldly into the future-now. It was this arching, evil, and expressive triumph. Tibi et Igni, as mighty as its components, seems more like a 'holding down the fort' sort of effort. It works on all tempos, but it feels more brutal and obligatory than so incredibly inspirational as some of its forefathers. I mean it's apples to apples here. I'm biased, to a degree, because there is not a single Vader album I dislike. Even the oft-maligned Revelations or The Beast are discs I break out on occasion, because they are unquestionably the most consistent band in their scene and probably in the entirety of death metal. I doubt they've written anything I'd attribute with a perfect score, but they're often so far up the pantheon that I've built a shrine regardless. Tibi et Igni ('for you and the fire', though my translation is hazy) takes a few measly missteps, like the bonus cover of Das Ich's "Des Satans neue Kleider", which I could have lived without, though I like the original and admire Peter's eclectic tastes as always. A few of the originals could be better, but on the other hand, I'm sure I'll be spinning this through the summer months (at least) and it's got enough arterial spray and memorable meat to it that it mandates a purchase by nearly any Vader or death metal fan.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com