Review by Chris Pratl on June 1, 2019.

Thy Messenger is the latest in a long line of Vader offerings that offer much of the same old, same old – pure, unadulterated Polska death/ thrash metal. This is one of those bands that I literally order anything and everything of when it's released and have since the debut, The Ultimate Incantation, way back in '92. They've never let me down, which is a rare feat in itself. 

Within the span of 13-minutes and change, Vader manages to rip into their own cemented style of metal with all of the subtlety of a Panzer tank plowing over a Warsaw field and razing everything in its wayward path. The songs here aren't long opuses that Piotr and company just blindly put out that lull after the four-minute mark and meander along repetitiously; everything is perfectly-poised and timed for the proper 'in-and-out' attack that is both necessary and appreciated. 

While all four of the originals on here are top-notch Vader that you've come to expect and love, the cover of Judas Priest's “Steeler” is one for the books. It's a modern take on an old classic without losing the original momentum and feel. That said, every track is a winner here, especially “Litany” and “Despair,” both of which embody the Polish masters' overpowering essence throughout and leave me desperate for a looming full-length. This band, quite literally, rarely missteps. You can make your case for them not deviating at all from a formulaic, standard sound, but that's what keeps them honest and makes for interesting music each and every time as long as the ideas are fresh and don't stagnate. 

My dearly-departed mother used to tell me, “There are two kinds of people in this world – Polish, and those that wish they were.” Vader makes me proud to be of Eastern European stock each and every time. 

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Chris Pratl on June 1, 2019.

Thy Messenger is the latest in a long line of Vader offerings that offer much of the same old, same old – pure, unadulterated Polska death/ thrash metal. This is one of those bands that I literally order anything and everything of when it's released and have since the debut, The Ultimate Incantation, way back in '92. They've never let me down, which is a rare feat in itself. 

Within the span of 13-minutes and change, Vader manages to rip into their own cemented style of metal with all of the subtlety of a Panzer tank plowing over a Warsaw field and razing everything in its wayward path. The songs here aren't long opuses that Piotr and company just blindly put out that lull after the four-minute mark and meander along repetitiously; everything is perfectly-poised and timed for the proper 'in-and-out' attack that is both necessary and appreciated. 

While all four of the originals on here are top-notch Vader that you've come to expect and love, the cover of Judas Priest's “Steeler” is one for the books. It's a modern take on an old classic without losing the original momentum and feel. That said, every track is a winner here, especially “Litany” and “Despair,” both of which embody the Polish masters' overpowering essence throughout and leave me desperate for a looming full-length. This band, quite literally, rarely missteps. You can make your case for them not deviating at all from a formulaic, standard sound, but that's what keeps them honest and makes for interesting music each and every time as long as the ideas are fresh and don't stagnate. 

My dearly-departed mother used to tell me, “There are two kinds of people in this world – Polish, and those that wish they were.” Vader makes me proud to be of Eastern European stock each and every time. 

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Chris Pratl on June 1, 2019.

Thy Messenger is the latest in a long line of Vader offerings that offer much of the same old, same old – pure, unadulterated Polska death/ thrash metal. This is one of those bands that I literally order anything and everything of when it's released and have since the debut, The Ultimate Incantation, way back in '92. They've never let me down, which is a rare feat in itself. 

Within the span of 13-minutes and change, Vader manages to rip into their own cemented style of metal with all of the subtlety of a Panzer tank plowing over a Warsaw field and razing everything in its wayward path. The songs here aren't long opuses that Piotr and company just blindly put out that lull after the four-minute mark and meander along repetitiously; everything is perfectly-poised and timed for the proper 'in-and-out' attack that is both necessary and appreciated. 

While all four of the originals on here are top-notch Vader that you've come to expect and love, the cover of Judas Priest's “Steeler” is one for the books. It's a modern take on an old classic without losing the original momentum and feel. That said, every track is a winner here, especially “Litany” and “Despair,” both of which embody the Polish masters' overpowering essence throughout and leave me desperate for a looming full-length. This band, quite literally, rarely missteps. You can make your case for them not deviating at all from a formulaic, standard sound, but that's what keeps them honest and makes for interesting music each and every time as long as the ideas are fresh and don't stagnate. 

My dearly-departed mother used to tell me, “There are two kinds of people in this world – Polish, and those that wish they were.” Vader makes me proud to be of Eastern European stock each and every time. 

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Adam M on January 11, 2016.

The Maledict brings a furious approach to the table. This is angry music that is vented in both aggressive and tasteful. The early songs on this album have a more gentle edge at times, but the majority of the music is quite intense. The music here has a dark atmosphere that pulls itself over you slowly, but surely.

It’s interesting to listen to a heavy band like this attempt major dynamics, but when they do, the music remains compelling nonetheless. The first few tracks are separated by the crushing Fast Until the End. This is neat because it’s the other two tracks that are gentle at times. The death metal aspect of the band has a blackened portion that adds to the overall atmosphere the band conveys. Still, this is a death metal release at its heart. The music has a fiery edge that is welcome to behold. Yet, it has songs that utilize other elements beside the simple blast beat to be effective. See the third track Frozen for an example of the varied approach that this band is capable of bringing to the table. There are spoken vocals that are made use of effectively in this track. The band gets back to the standard death metal fare for a large majority of the remainder of the album, however. The riffs are chugging, yet captivating enough in their magnitude. The guitars are scathing and addictive. The music fails to do anything overly interesting, however. It is standard fare to some extent and this is a small flaw present here. Still, the music moves along with certainty and, well, dread.

The vocals typically take on a growled type that is reminiscent of the early Swedish death metal bands. This is appropriate for the music present, but there is nothing special about them or the other instrumentation here. When all is said and done, Dread is a solid slab of metal that is dark and disturbing in equal measures.

Rating: 8 out of 10