Impaled Nazarene are back! After seven years they managed to record once again a new studio album called Eight Headed Serpent. That's what I call a pretty long creative break - let's see if the long wait was worth it, because I must honestly say that the last albums couldn't convince me 100% due to their relative monotony.
First of all, let's take a look at the external features, i.e. the cover. Here you can find the typical trademarks of the band, gas masks and the nuclear symbol. In the gas masks there are dried up goat heads, very stylish. Also the lettering of the band has not changed, so far you can conclude that nothing has changed here. Good! By the way, the cover was designed by Ritual, who was also responsible for other artwork of the band (e.g. Pro Patria Finlandia).
Musically, we start with 'Goat Of Mendes' with Monika Lewinsky memories from the White House or something like that and then the party starts. High-speed thumping, as we are used to from the last albums, there is no moment to pause, only in the last third of the song the track becomes a bit catchier. The title track sounds a little less bulky, although it is jammed through with full speed, but the melodies are more recognizable and I personally find the bassline pretty cool. 'Shock And Awe' reminds me of the bass of old Sodom in the style of "Never Healing Wound". 'The Nonconformists' and 'Octagon Order' are the first real surprise on the album, the songs sound like old albums á la Latex Cult. Very punky and very casual the whole thing! 'Debauchery And Decay' brings back memories of Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz times through Mika's screams at the beginning, then a riff is brought out that could have been on 'Absence Of War Does Not Mean Peace'. Oh and there is a Celtic Frost-Ugh too!!! In the further course songs from the different creative periods of the band mix. Another song that stands out is 'Triumphant Return Of The Antichrist', here memories of 'Soul Rape' are awakened when Mika roars the chorus. Another trip far into the past is 'Unholy Necromancy', where even deeper demonic grunting is presented.
As a conclusion the band drifts into epic doom realms and presents us with 'Foucault Pendulum' one of the slowest songs the band has ever written besides 'Quasb / The Burning'. Regarding the production, the band presents (as on their previous works) an extremely powerful and well-produced album. Thumbs up for this.
It remains to be said that Impaled Nazarene, in my opinion, have found their way back to their old strength by skillfully combining old stylistic elements with newer song structures. I think that with Eight Headed Serpent they can also convince many fans who can not do so much with the newer albums. Horns up for the new album, let's hope we can see Impaled Nazarene on tour soon!!!
Rating: 9.5 dried goat heads of 10
Sample:
IMPALED NAZARENE Eight Headed Serpent (full album)
