Impaled Nazarene – Absence Of War Does Not Mean Peace (2001)

October 23, 2024

A marked change in the Impaled Nazarene sound happens around this record. There were signs before, with Nihil, in a maturity in the songwriting process. This course continues further with Absence of War… but into a more thrash metal direction. The finished result is then an extra venomous blackened thrash attack, with plenty of blast beats, fast sections and machine gun double bass kicks. Production is a bit crisper, a bit clearer, and it works for the style that the band is going for. Even on tracks like “Never Forgive” when the pace is slowed somewhat, the energy is still 100%.

Still good stuff, but not to the heights of the old shit.