VADER - The Beast
October 7, 2004, 20 years ago
(Metal Blade)
Polish death metal stalwarts Vader have succeeded in carving their own niche and no matter how you access The Beast, the trials and tribulations of actually making it out of Poland are against the odds. In other words, Vader command your attention and deservedly so on lead-off track 'Out Of The Deep' which carries the torch of their glorious last full length Revelations. The Beast is a more simplified offering, utilizing the tools of the trade, without any unnecessary flair. But the album is poorly sequenced and you are urged to focus on the latter half for full effect, which begins with 'The Sea Came In At Last' displaying a different twist at death, kinda like Kreator's 'Some Pain Will Last' meets Immortal's blastbeats. What follows is a vicious three-pronged offensive in 'I Shall Prevail', 'The Zone' and 'Insomnia', frontman Peter Wiwczarek sustaining a Tom Araya-like presence as he gargles with glass and you begin to sense his pain and extreme mannerisms. A very tasteful acoustic intro to 'Choices' closes off the record until a blistering primal scream finishes you off. One may argue that in some ways Vader have painted themselves in a corner, but honing the simplistic elements of death metal have led the voracious four-piece down the correct path of poison. Granted, keeping their ideas fresh and inspiring will be a challenge.
