VADER – Humanihility

RELEASE YEAR: 2025
BAND URL: https://www.instagram.com/vader_band_official/

Polish death metal legends Vader are not merely one of the foremost purveyors of insanely catchy and pummeling tunes of darkness but also exceptionally consistent with respect to delivering outputs that ooze quality and great songwriting chops. They have been around for what seems like forever, yet they have lost none of their momentum nor passion for what they do, and Vader leave most other extreme metal acts bleeding in the ditch – as simple as that, really.

This new slice of agony and abhorrence titled Humanihility contains three razor-sharp tracks that deliver all the Vader trademarks, namely pulverizing riffs that go straight for the jugular vein, a rhythm section that will dislocate your fillings, and thrash metal-influences that pay homage to the gods of old while also carving out a niche of their own. The full-bore brutality of the EP is neither overwhelming nor does anything on the disc ever lose the plot; the compositions are concise and expertly crafted, and they embody intensity and aggression without ever feeling like sensory overload. Tightly executed and performed with plenty of determination and confidence, they are basically the sound of a veteran band doing what it does best, i.e. unleashing a torrent of memorable ideas that channel the excitement of kick-ass death metal.   

Its cumulative effect is inspiring, and the malevolent material on display demonstrates precisely what it is that makes Vader so special. Being sucked into hell is rarely as fun and entertaining as this.