VADER „“XXV””

Music: Death Metal
Country: Poland
Web site: www.vader.pl


Cool Songs: Silent Empire, Reborn in Flames, Sothis, Inarnation, Back to the Blind, Chaos

“XXV” is a career perspective by Poland’s longest standing death metal outfit, VADER. This two-disc album features tracks from the start of the group’s career, back in the mid-eighties, all the way up to their 2006 release, “The Beast.” Although VADER has existed for over twenty years, they began more as a thrash group, which the group alludes to in the CD’s liner notes. These liner notes explain that the track “Chaos,” which was released by Poland’s first metal label—Carnage Records—in 1990 was the start of the group’s new image and sound. I can only assume this marked their journey into death metal territories.

The album’s liner notes are a major marketing point. Each track contains various comments about the track, what album each track came from, how the song was significant for the group’s career, and other interesting facts. The notes are particularly helpful in identifying which album VADER pulled each song from, considering many of the tracks come from EPs and demos. For the Polish fans that do not read English so well, VADER lists each paragraph in Polish below the English-written notes.

“XXV” is no mere compilation, though; all the tracks were recently recorded. The fuzzy noise of their demos is no more, and many of the tracks feature add-ons such as guest musicians. VESANIA’s Siegmar provides keyboards and samples on many of the tracks. Other guest artists include Seth of SEVERE TORTURE , who brings additional vocals on “Blood of Kingu” as does Roman Kostrzewski of KAT”Wyrocznia.

Siegmar’s keys and samples instill a dark atmosphere not seen with mere drums and guitars. The martial drums and keys on the intro “inVADERS” help establish this dark cinematic backdrop. Another place where the keys make a noticeable improvement is before the first verse on “The Silent Empire,” one of the better tracks of VADER’s long and storied career. “Reborn in Flames” begins with keyboards that sound like Siegmar lifted them from DIMMU BORGIR.

VADER’s “XXV” is definitely a good buy for long-time fans and newer fans of the group. The track listing is a “best of” in every since, lifting the best tracks from “The Ultimate Incantation” to “The Beast” (plus various demos and EPs). This should give the listener a good idea what albums to pursue from this perennial death metal act. The booklet, re-recordings and rare material should also find appeal to long-standing VADER fans. The special edition even contains a DVD portion. Polish readers and death metal fanatics take notice: This album is a piece of death metal and Polish metal history. I highly recommend it!

note: 9/10

Tracklist

Disc 1
1. inVADERs (intro)
2. Chaos
3. Vicious Circle
4. Crucified Ones
5. Dark Age
6. Reign-Carrion
7. Silent Empire
8. Sothis
9. Incarnation
10. Reborn in Flames
11. Blood of Kingu
12. Carnal
13. Fractal Light
14. Red Passage
15. Black to the Blind
Disc 2
1. Kingdom
2. Wings
3. Xeper
4. Cold Demons
5. Final Massacre
6. Reign Forever World
7. Epitaph
8. Dark Transmission
9. Fear of Napalm
10. Wyrocznia (Kat cover)
11. Tyrani Piekieł
Total playing time 01:35:05

Line-up

Peter (vocals, guitars)
Daray (drums)
Mauser (guitars)
Novy (bass)

Special guests:
SIEGMAR (Vesania) – keyboards & samples in “inVADERs (intro)”, “Dark Age”,
“Silent Empire”, “Sothis”, “Blood Of Kingu”, “Carnal”, “Kingdom”, “Dark
Transmission”
SETH (Severe Torture) – vocals in “Blood Of Kingu”
ROMAN KOSTRZEWSKI (KAT) – vocals “Wyrocznia”
PIERŚCIEŃ (Dead Infection) – vocals in “Fear Of Napalm”
HAL (Dead Infection) – bass in “Fear Of Napalm”