Review by Felix on November 14, 2023.

Patriots of all countries, unite! Here comes “Pro Patria Finlandia” with its great artwork and will make your day - as long as you enjoy lyrics like “after raping (all of your sisters) we shoot them dead”. I cannot deny my patriotic feelings I have from time to time, but the aforementioned line leaves me disturbed. Well, maybe I should not put the focus on national emotions any longer. Let’s scrutinise the music of Impaled Nazarene’s result from 2006 instead.

In all honesty, it’s somewhat disappointing. I. N. is among those bands that have released a lot of albums which do not even come near to their early masterpieces. Their debut was something very special and more or less unique. “Ugra-Karma” hit me in the face because of its cold violence combined with musical excellence. “Pro Patria Finlandia” does not fall victim to the compositional aberration that broke “Suomi Finland Perkele”, because it does not dish up lukewarm rockers. But its harsh, straight and strict tracks have no surprising, alarming, sick or eccentric details. They are more or less predictable and that’s probably exactly the word I. N. do not want to hear when it comes to their music. (Of course, Mika Luttinen tortures his vocal chords again in an unhealthy manner, but that’s also nothing new, right?)

This does not mean that the songs are bad. “Something Sinister”, for example, connects vehemence with a modicum of melodies in a coherent manner. The closer offers one of the best riffs and some lines about Satanic ass cancer for all of us, not bad, I must say. “One Dead Nation Under Dead God” is powered by the restless double bass and it would be a really strong track without the inadequate and energy-killing instrumental section in its mid-part. Yet there are also some pieces that remain on a pretty low level. Their mediocre riffing and the absence of outstanding ideas make them to songs one can listen to without getting skin rash (or Satanic ass cancer), but that’s it. Especially the lack of dynamic is quite annoying. I. N. are not able or willing to integrate effective tempo changes and the lively guitars that show up in “Kut” are rather the exception than the norm.

Imagine a death metal vocalist growling to the songs of “Pro Patria Finlandia” instead of Mika and the result is another “modern” Terrorizer album – if you are of the opinion that’s thrilling, I am sorry to inform you that you are alone in this. Maybe one can label this music as black metal, but to me it sounds like death metal with some punk influences (which we can find on each and every work of the combo). Freely speaking, I am pretty bored. Even little highlights like the crazy solo of “Psykosis” cannot save the album in its entity. Yes, its production makes it sound aggressive, string and possessive, but the song material destroys any hope of a high rating. Dudes of Impaled Nazarene, you can do it better. And you, my dear patriots, can go home.

Rating: 6.1 out of 10