Search - Vader :: De Profundis

Distinct Death Metal Benchmark

organgrinderlv | Sin City, NV | 12/19/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Vader is one of those hardworking bands that has been relentlessly putting out albums for years; and while they have noticeably changed styles (some would say sold out), few could deny that this is the apotheosis of thier influential career to date. This is solid, melodic death metal of the early 90's style that has more strange turns and memorable hooks than one might expect, in a sense comparable to the minimalist but hardly simple songcraft of Slayer at the height of thier reign over thrash. The vocals here are nothing to write home about, although the lyrics are more intelligent than many of thier peers (this is not that hard to do considering the competition). The music on this album (at least on tracks like 'Blood of Kingu') is flawless, and is often considered a standard by which many death metal imitators are compared to.To fans of newer Vader: there are blast beats here but they are not as fast and not as frequent. The emphasis of rhythm here is more on strange accents and memorable riff hooks, without the stereotypical 'groove' that so many mall/hardcore kids love. Guitar lovers: if you love well crafted riffs this album is nothing short of genius; if you worship Krisiun-style speed-induced solo work, look elsewhere."