Impaled Nazarene - Road to the Octagon

No one ever knows what to really expect from Finland’s ADHD Black Metal band Impaled Nazarene. Sometimes they are full-on Blackened bleakness, others they leans towards Punk, Death or Thrash but mostly they proudly display their uncompromising Motörhead attitude on their sleeves. On Road to the Octagon, Impaled Nazarene tries… Blackened Grindcore?

Opener “Enlightenment Process” rips wide open with a barely melodic Black Metal riff and hustling pace while “The Day of Reckoning” could make Terrorizer blush.  “Corpses” finds the band trying to slow things down to allow for chunkier riffing but then the groove just gets shot to Hell and they boys seem content on just letting it rip.  “Under Attack” is assaultive with its Black Metal riff and frenetic pace but somehow finds time to squeeze in a rather nifty, but drastically brief melodic solo.  “Tentacles of the Octagon” is an impressive 1:34 but it almost sounds as if the bass can’t catch up to the guitars. “Reflect On This” barely allows time for anyone to dwell upon it, but the Grindcore-esque moments are absolutely killer.  The complex riffing and grinding bass of “Convulsing Uncontrollably” tear it up and Mika Luttinen’s yelling make for a great aggressive anthem.

“Cult of the Goat” finds Impaled Nazarene channeling Marduk while “Gag Reflex” is blistering Blackened Hardcore Punk.  The plan of “The Plan” must have been to try and take Napalm Death-style riffs and speed and toss it into a song built on Motörhead’s platform while “Silent and Violent Type” unfolds into the most chaotic and brilliantly brutal track on the album.  “Execute Tapeworm Extermination” is a blistering blur of brutality and Grindcore and “Rhetroric Infernal” closes the album with an assault of grim yet plodding and twisted Black Metal.

Road to the Octagon is a rough but rewarding ride. The production is killer, most of the songs barely clock-in over 2 minutes and the lyrics feature that controlled insanity Luttinen is famous for. However, it sounds like the Impaled Naz boys spent a considerable amount of time in a bar listening to The Casualties and Napalm Death and then immediately hit the studio to jam out, only realizing after crafting a handful of songs for the album that they are a Black Metal band. So if you like a little Punk and Grind with your Black Metal, Road to the Octagon has it.  Impaled Nazarene is still the obscene gesture of Black Metal and Road to the Octagon might put a little more oomph in that middle finger salute.  Recommended for those that like their Black Metal with a pair.  

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Release Date: November 20th, 2010
Label: Osmose Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Enlightenment Process
2.  The Day of Reckoning
3.  Corpses
4.  Under Attack
5.  Tentacles of the Octagon
6.  Reflect On This
7.  Convulsing Uncontrollably
8.  Cult of the Goat
9.  Gag Reflex
10.  The Plan
11.  Silent and Violent Type
12.  Execute Tapeworm Extermination
13.  Rhetoric Infernal


Total playing time:  33:03

December 18, 2010

Reviewer: Rottenbucher