First things first”¦if you love death metal, then you love VADER. It’s a simple correlation. So with the release of every VADER release comes the interest and curiosity of every death head out there. To the relief and happiness of many fans, Impressions in Blood is better than its predecessor, The Beast. After a symphonic keyboard intro, that familiar blasting, grinding fury of VADER comes out immediately. However, it’s not until the third track, “As Heavens Collide,” that the band really get things going. The track has a great slamming riff that comes in the middle section. The following track is undoubtedly VADER at their catchiest as they proclaim that “God is Dead/Dead/Helleluyah!!!” There is an absolutely devastating riff that also kicks in the mid section of the song. “Field of Deads” has a cool drum outro that segues into the mid-tempo, plodding “Predator.” These veterans pull everything off with total ease and mastery. The fury, blasting speed, wailing guitar solos, and abundance of killer VADER riffs continue for the rest of Impressions in Blood. The handful of symphonic intros add some spice to the tried and true VADER mix. However, there’s just seems to be something missing overall. The material, as a whole, doesn’t quite match up pound for pound with their best work such as Litany. Fear not though for Impressions in Blood is still a good album with plenty of fire to offer. (Candlelight USA/Regain Records)