Vader (band)
Vader is a Polish death metal band founded in 1986.
Biography
Vader stands as one of the best known European death metal bands. Vader play a style of death metal different from that of their American counterparts, but their approach is nonetheless firmly based upon the template created by Slayer. For example, many bands of this genre tend to play guitar solos and lead parts which do not adhere strictly to traditional musical principles (such as being in key) and are filled with tremolo-bar abuse, creating a rather dissonant sound. Vader, on the other hand, whilst often playing in this style, occaisonally diverge and play diminished, augmented, and even minor scale solos. Vader is also different in that vocalist Piotr Wiwczarek's vocals do not follow the standard sound widely considered acceptable for death metal. While his vocal approach remains extreme, it is a much more throaty approach, with far more personality, giving him the ability to sound out words far more clearly than most death metal bands.
Forming in 1986, Vader released their legendary demo Morbid Reich in 1990, remarkable not only for the quality of the demo given the equipment available behind the Iron Curtain, but also that the demo sold 10,000 copies, easily one of the most successful heavy metal demos of all time. The songs from Morbid Reich would appear later on their full-length debut album in 1993 entitled The Ultimate Incantation on Earache Records. After several set backs and facing a changing music scene, Vader along with other prolific Death Metal acts continued to press on in the face of grunge and rap metal, with Vader ultimately triumphing in 1998 with their signing to Metal Blade Records where they have prospered ever since. Vader is also very active in releasing live tracks and full live albums unlike most "new metal" bands, proving that their brand of punishment does not waver when the spotlight is on.
Despite popular opinion, the band did NOT derive their name from the Darth Vader character.
Line-up
- Peter (Piotr Wiwczarek)- Guitars, vocals
- Mauser (Maurycy Stefanowicz) - Guitars
- Novy (Marcin Nowak)- Bass
- Daray - Drums
Former members
- China - Guitars
- Simon - Bass
- Shambo - Bass
- Jackie - Bass
- Doc (Krzysztof Raczkowski) - Drums (died August 20, 2005)