After the EP Iron Times released earlier this year, polish death metal powerhouse Vader are back with their latest effort The Empire. As always, Vader guarantees a strong death/thrash sound that moves forward without remorse.

My first impression of The Empire was “Hell yeah, bring it on!” and then “Wait what, that was it?”. The album is only 33 minutes long. Such as disappointment. Don't get me wrong – I like what I hear, but I would have appreciated about two more tracks to wrap up the album.

The Empire does not bring surprises. Vader know their brand, they know what they stand for, and they do this better than anybody else. Their music is good – that's a no-brainer. And it is a huge accomplishment for a band that has been around on this planet for a longer time than most of us.

To wrap it up: death metal fans, rejoice! A new Vader album means a solid chunk of good, heavy riffs to enjoy. The only thing that disappointed me is that The Empire is only 33 minutes – it's over before you realize.

Tracklist

1. Angels of Steel

2. Tempest

3. Prayer to the God of War

4. Iron Reign

5. No Gravity

6. Genocidius

7. The Army-Geddon

8. Feel My Pain

9. Parabellum

10. Send Me Back to Hell

Label: Nuclear Blast Records

https://www.facebook.com/vader/

Score: 8/10