The Killer

Have you ever listened to The Crown? Specifically, “Crowned in Terror” with Tomas Lindberg doing vocals? What you didn’t realize is that you were simultaneously listening to the album “The Killer” by a less famous melodic Swedish death group called Impious.

Now I realize that Impious has been around since 1994, and were death/thrashing their own way a scant four years after The Crown was birthed, but the similarities between the two albums are so apparent that you’d have to have slippery dildos jammed in your ears not to hear them. Or unlubricated dildos. It doesn’t really matter. From my minimal research, it looks like both albums were recorded in Studio Mega and released a few months apart. Hmmm, maybe that accounts for why I’m getting a “Crowned Impious Killer in Terror” feeling here. Maybe these dudes were just on the same wavelength, or maybe one band was sneaking into the other band’s recording sessions and writing down notes on kicking ass. Maybe they carved holes into the walls of the bathrooms at Studio Mega so that they could watch each other urinate… maybe not.

As a result of the “Crowned in the Killer” phenomenon, it’s pretty easy to review this album. There’s guitar acrobatics, high-pitched growls, drums that are generally speedy when they aren’t Gonzalez, and bass that (insert what you would say about an instrument that no one cares about here). It’s pretty damn good, but lacks that special something that took songs like “Under the Whip” and “Death is the Hunter” to new-classic status. What Impious lacks in quality, however, they make up for in quantity. “Crowned in Terror” has a few great songs and some filler, whilst “The Killer” has a lot of good songs with less filler. More “The Killer”, less “The Filler,” hardy har har.

Both albums start shit with an overlong intro (totally astounding evidence, I know – what fukin “nu thrash” album doesn’t have a too-long intro?), and right from the get-go you know these boys are fast – rumor has it they don’t wear underwear ‘cause it slows them down. Songs like “Burn The Cross” and “The Deathsquad” will run you up one side and down the other. But when they go a bit slower, that’s when the impiety reigns. “Needles of Sin” is a great tune, and “The Hitman” shall splatter ye. And the rest ain’t bad neither. “Sick Sex Six” sounds like they wanted it to be on the radio. Good luck, gang.

Last but not least, let’s talk lyrics and booklet. The booklet appears to be the product of some sort of effort, as it seems to mirror the lyrical content talking about a killer and killing and stabbing and the devil and shit. Sometimes the art is cool, sometimes it looks pretty silly. Same for the lyrical content. “Sick Sex Six” has some bad bad lyrics. But good effort nonetheless.

I think I’ve solved the mystery of why these bands sound so much alike. Impious and The Crown just switched members back and forth during the recording sessions to create an incredibly complex jumble of musicians on each song, thereby blurring the boundaries between the bands to create a SUPERGROUP. An OMNIGROUP. A GROUP GROPE. Whatever. Impious managed to outlast The Crown, so I guess they win. The Crown’s crown is theirs!

6.5 Killers in Terror out of 10.

Originally posted on: www.globaldomination.se

The first time I heard this band was on a Sepultura cover cd and they covered Inner Self. I thought they were pretty good, so I decided to check them out and sooner or later, led to me getting this cd. I'm glad I did.

The cd opens with an intro, which generally I'm not a fan of, but its ok, since its a build up for the Burn the Cross. This track is a mix between death metal & thrash. Not quite like Dew-Scented, who are more thrash than death, this is more death, but still thrashy. This is a fast paced song, but I'm not all that fond of the chorus, where the words are echoed in the background, burn the cross (cross cross cross cross). Ok you get the point. Dead Eyes Open kicks your ass next and there is traces of some The Crown in here. Its highlighted by fast drumming & some decent guitarwork.

Skipping ahead a few tracks, we come up to song 6, Sick Sex Six, which is a more clever title than blatantly calling it 666. Its a slowed down song, which is a first so far on this cd. It even has piano at one part, before there is a guitar solo, which is held to a slower speed, so it doesn't throw the song off balance. Soon after this though, the band goes back to the fast songs, with The Hitman. I can see bits & pieces of other Swedish bands in this song, though its still an ok song. Again, the pace slows down for the solo, so its not just all a big speed drill & blasting, but the speed does come back after the solo.

Overall, this is a good cd and its got some good headbanging moments. Its somewhat similar to The Haunted, but I prefer it much more over the haunted. Traces of other Swedish bands show up over the cd, but not in a sense where it seems like they are ripping them off or anything. The guitars are great, with some cool riffs & solos. The drumming is wicked, but the bass drum is sometimes lost in the background, but that only happens in some songs. The bass is there, but only heard a few times. The vocals are sort of death/yelling, but not that tedious like Carnal Forge, but they don't really offer anything new. This cd is worth it if you like bands like The Crown, The Haunted etc.

best songs imo: The Deathsquad, The Hitman, Digital Devil.