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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Treading water, September 22, 2004
Vader are a great band, don't get me wrong. It just seems like lately they have been treading water with regard to their songwriting and not really progressing. On this effort, the songs all have great beats and there are some memorable riffs here and there, but the last few albums have sounded as though the band keep doing variations on the same main rhythm and sticking to safe territory. Purists will like this as it means more of a time tested formula that obviously works well for Vader. The 5th track on the disc is a kind of an exception. The band experiment with a new sort of vocal style and song structure and is definitely a highlight of the disc. Also, the last track opens with a clean guitar intro done in such a way I haven't heard Vader use before. Other than that, It's another pummeling offering of backbeats and blasts from one of Poland's premier death metal acts. Enjoy.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Toothless beast, August 2, 2005
To say I was looking forward to this CD would be an understatement. Poland's Vader are probably my favorite Metal band hitting the boards today. 2002's 'Revelations' album is a classic of its kind, on par with Slayer's 'Reign in Blood in my opinion, and worthy of any metal fan's respect, no matter which avenue you venture down. However, Vader have found them in a conundrum that if something drastic doesn't happen they could very easily wear themselves thin.
Remember back in 1986 when Slayer released 'Reign in Blood' and people freaked out - they rightly-so went loopy over this record? Well, RIB was such a ferocious thrash metal landmark that instead of trying to carbon copy it they went in the opposite direction, recording the slower, doomier-dare-I-say-it melodic 'South of Heaven' instead, winning them even more fans who snubbed their noses at the 'noisy' RIB. After the release of 'Revelations' Vader were in the same boat, and though they recorded the competent 'Blood' EP I was expecting this talented foursome to pull something, well, different, out of their hats than this.
Don't get me wrong, it's a great metal album, a perfect combination of Slayer-esque thrash meets 'Schizophrenia'-era Sepultura death metal, but it could have very well been recorded during the 'Revelations' sessions. Album opener 'Out of the Deep' could very well be 'Epitaph', the opener of their 2002 classic. In fact, any song featured on 'The Beast', no matter how well played or brutal or ferocious, 'Firebringer', 'I Shall Prevail', 'The Zone', sounds pretty much like, well, Vader. And while this is certainly no bad thing - 90% of bands in the scene today wish they were this good - I would have likened to see a little risk or bravado thrown into the mix.
As it stands Vader is a much loved and respected death metal band, but, going by 'The Beast', if they remain stagnant they may get left behind.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Vader OWNS, July 16, 2005
To everyone out there that says The Beast sucks, you suck. This is a great album by a great band. Album highlight I Shall Prevail. If every album by every band sounded the same as its predecessors, music would majorly suck. This album slays, go buy it. \\m//
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