Polish extreme metal veterans, Vader, have released their new EP, titled Thy Messenger, via Nuclear Blast. The effort contains four of the five songs that were recorded over a week-long period in January and February at Hertz Studio in Białystok, Poland under the supervision of the Wiesławski Brothers. Watch a lyric video for the band's cover of Judas Priest's "Steeler" below.

The band comments: "We decided to record the new EP because we knew that the full length new album won’t be released before the end of 2019. We’re back on the road in June and we plan to have some newtunes ready for our fans throughout the summer. We’re due to start the recording process for the new Vader LP in April in England. For the time being we’ve named the album …And Then There Was Only Pain, and it should be completed by the end of May - when Thy Messenger EP is due to be released worldwide.

"The EP includes three new tracks - mostly really vicious and aggressive tracks, even for Vader.  'Emptiness' is more groovy in the main riff but really heavy at the end. All the songs are fast and short, but pretty intense, I guess.  We’ve also added a new version of our classic title track from Litany. It is 20 years since we recorded that album at the Red Studio. 'Litany' - as a song - and many more from that album have never been performed live. This album is still one of the fan favourites in the Vader discography and in 2019 we will resurrect this whole record as part of our live shows this autumn. Another bonus is the absolute classic cover of 'Steeler' which was always one of my all time favorite Priest songs."

Order the EP here.  

The cover art was painted by Wes Benscoter, who previously worked with Vader on the De Profundis LP and has collaborated with such bands as Slayer, Kreator and Sinister. A new full Vader album will be recorded later this year for a tentative fall release.

Tracklisting:

"Grand Deceiver"
"Litany"
"Emptiness"
"Despair"
"Steeler"

"Steeler" lyric video:

"Grand Deceiver" lyric video: