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Impaled Nazarene
Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz
(Osmose - 1993)
This is one of those metal albums with a long twisted name as the genre-descriptor such as sado maso punk stench crust black metal (or whatever they call this). Clocking at 30 minutes with 17 songs, this is their first cd - and what a sick wall of sound it is. It's made up of simplistic holocaust black metal mixed with a few heavy slower sections, a couple of dark keyboards and a variety of sounds and vocal effects. Some sounds include a really messed up orgy with a goat, chicken, baby, satan, devil and the rest of the farm. Vocals are mostly black or death metal growls but also: demonic-roars, grunts, toilet-gurgling growls, tortured screams and so on. Musically, this is nothing but exclamation marks delivered with extremely dull riffs, unhelpful changes in tempo and too many interludes or interjections (one exception is Body-Mind-Soul - a good Immortal-esque track). Well you get the picture, this is ultimate perversion and raw extremity in black metal. Not my cup of tea; I'll take my goat sex extremely rare thank you very much.
Ugra Karma
(Osmose - 1993)
This time, Impaled Nazarene focus on unrelenting speed and raw black metal. But while Immortal's Pure Holocaust had depth that you could sink into behind a wall of sound, Ugra Karma is a consistently boring collection of tracks that you could sleep through. The majority of the songs incorporate a constant hyperblast drum beat layered against slow, repetitive riff patterns. The vocalist settled down on a particularly good raspy snarl, but this is the only good thing here. A couple of slower exceptions are still very uninteresting and one track makes use of a terrible drum machine. It's albums like these that make me appreciate Immortal and Marduk more, proving it difficult to create interesting hyperblast metal. A sleeping pill for Satanists.
Suomi Finland Perkele
(Osmose - 1994)
A big improvement in production over previous albums, increasing the energy that comes out of the speakers and allowing the bass to come through this time. Although this release is an aberration according to the band, this is actually their most varied and interesting album, even containing a few good tracks. The songs range from a good Borknagar like gothic track (Blood is Thicker than Water), to mediocre blizzard black metal, a hybrid of black and punk (a taste of things to come), a doom track, and their usual hyperspeed bouts of boredom. The word was that this was a melodic album, and it may be so relative to their other releases, but that's not saying much. There are slower, melodic and even catchy tidbits, the drumming has improved, and the vocalist provides a range of abrasive vocals. However, all this doesn't save the album - the majority of the tracks are boring.
Motörpenis MCD
(Osmose - 1996)
5 songs - 8 and a half minutes. Very crusty bass, bouncing punk-style riffs, abrasive roaring guitars, and the usual raspy snarls and screams. Overall this has an in-your-face sound that is both brutal and silly. One thing I can say for sure is that their instrument handling has improved a lot but this really isn't my thing.
Latex Cult
(Osmose - 1996)
Continuing the direction of the previous MCD, Impaled Nazarene move towards a raucous punk sound but also go back to their original raw brutality. In other words, this is brutal hyperspeed old-school black metal mixed with punk; now how much more energy can you ask for? Blast beats take up 98% of this cd, consisting of about 30 minutes and 14 songs. It's way too simplistic and boring for me, but I can see certain people getting to love this album as it is done well and they have honed their sound to a powerful bludgeon. Most of the music has an obnoxious, in-your-face, punk feel rather than a deeper, cold black metal sound. Vocals are spat out maniacally in a half black rasp, half scream, and the instruments are handled well. However, even if I would enjoy this style, the forgettable riffs, repetition and sameness throughout the songs would ruin it for me. Try this out if it sounds like your thing; I'd stay away from it.
Rapture
(Osmose - 1998)
People have accused this album of being Latex Cult part II, but I beg to differ. Like Slayer in a way, Impaled Nazarene have a base in punk, but they are progressing into their own hybrid genre of metal. They now straddle the border between black and death with traces of hardcore punk. Witness the explosion of teeth grinding death metal that stomps on your eardrums right at the start of the album. Try to soothe your lacerated inner ear as the vocalist snarls and screams blasphemy with bloody, sandpaper vocal cords. And, if your body recovers from the punishing blast beats, you will realize that this band has finally acquired some talent. Although there is still a repetition problem, actually present are some good riffs and song structures, backed by a clear production. Personally, I can't stand the hardcore punk element that gives songs a shallow and dull, obnoxious sound though. That leaves six good tracks (1,7,8,9,12,14) - not enough to warrant a purchase. If they continue this improvement trend and get rid of more of the punk in the next album though, it should be good.
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