Metal Maniac

I have an old story with Impaled Nazarene. I’ve been listening to this band for over seventeen year, when I first heard Suomi Finland Perkele. I immediately fell in love, if we can say that, with the band’s music. Slutti’s insane vocals were something new for me and “Blood Is Thicker than Water” caused and still causes eargasm for this humble reviewer. So, I never gave up on them, always supporting the band by buying the albums and the DVD. Still generally about Impaled Nazarene, I highly recommend their live album Death Comes in 26 Carefully Selected Pieces, in my modest opinion, one of the best live albums ever.

Initially, I’d like to point out the band’s label, Osmose Productions about Impaled Nazarene latest release: “Vigorous And Liberating Death” continues the band’s brutal legacy, featuring 13 brand new songs. 16 pages high quality booklet on laminated mat paper with lyrics, photo. First run of 2000 come in transparent red jewel case.” I couldn’t agree more, this album is a continuity of what Impaled Nazarene has been doing since its birth: brutal, fierce, furious and agile black metal with punk influences and no compromises.

As I mentioned before, “Vigorous And Liberating Death” is obviously a Black Metal album, but, like usual, Impaled Nazarene is heavily influenced by punk and also “flirts” with Thrash and Speed Metal and this “diversity” makes Impaled Nazarene’s releases, including “Vigorous And Liberating Death” not to get boring at all.

Something else that I love on the band, besides the crazy Slutti vocals, as I already mentioned, is the guitar work. It just makes you want to headbang, to go freaking insane. You know those songs or bands that even though their music is violent, but yet it, in a way, calms you down? This is exactly what Impaled Nazarene does to me. I’ve read once someone saying one thing that is quite obvious, but yet completely true: “Impaled Nazarene is Impaled Nazarene”. You know what to expect, but yet it’s so hard to define them, because their music is so unique it should be a genre in its own.

As for the “Vigorous And Liberating Death” production, it is not over-polished and neither garage-like either. It’s just right for the music that Impaled Nazarene plays. I don’t think Impaled Nazarene fans care so much about crystal clear production for audiophiles, but we don’t want to listen to a lousy sound either. So, from my unpretentious perspective, you won’t be disappointed by it either.

To end up: if you’re already an Impaled Nazarene fan, you’ll not be disappointed by this album at all. “Vigorous And Liberating Death” is indeed a great album, but if you are to start getting to know this band, I’d probably recommend Pro Patria Finlandia for the new albums and Suomi Finland Perkele for the earlier material. If you like them, you’ll definitely enjoy “Vigorous And Liberating Death” as well.

The only downside for me and this is quite common when it comes to the regular full-length Impaled Nazarene’s albums (except for “Manifest” and “All That You Fear”) is that “Vigorous And Liberating Death” is short, clocking just a few seconds under 34 minutes.

Grade: 9,5/10

Band: Impaled Nazarene

Album: Vigorous and Liberating Death (2014)

Label: Osmose Productions

Track list:

1. King Reborn

2. Flaming Sword of Satan

3. Pathological Hunger for Violence

4. Vestal Virgins

5. Martial Law

6. Riskiarvio

7. Apocalypse Principle

8. Kuoleman varjot

9. Vigorous and Liberating Death

10. Drink Consultation

11. Dystopia A. S.

12. Sananvapaus

13. Hostis Humani Generis

Impaled Nazarene is:

Slutti666 – Vocals

Repe Misanthrope – Drums

Arc v 666 – Bass

Tomi UG Ullgren – Guitars

Official Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ImpaledNazareneOfficial