Review by Chris Pratl on June 1, 2019.

Thy Messenger is the latest in a long line of Vader offerings that offer much of the same old, same old – pure, unadulterated Polska death/ thrash metal. This is one of those bands that I literally order anything and everything of when it's released and have since the debut, The Ultimate Incantation, way back in '92. They've never let me down, which is a rare feat in itself. 

Within the span of 13-minutes and change, Vader manages to rip into their own cemented style of metal with all of the subtlety of a Panzer tank plowing over a Warsaw field and razing everything in its wayward path. The songs here aren't long opuses that Piotr and company just blindly put out that lull after the four-minute mark and meander along repetitiously; everything is perfectly-poised and timed for the proper 'in-and-out' attack that is both necessary and appreciated. 

While all four of the originals on here are top-notch Vader that you've come to expect and love, the cover of Judas Priest's “Steeler” is one for the books. It's a modern take on an old classic without losing the original momentum and feel. That said, every track is a winner here, especially “Litany” and “Despair,” both of which embody the Polish masters' overpowering essence throughout and leave me desperate for a looming full-length. This band, quite literally, rarely missteps. You can make your case for them not deviating at all from a formulaic, standard sound, but that's what keeps them honest and makes for interesting music each and every time as long as the ideas are fresh and don't stagnate. 

My dearly-departed mother used to tell me, “There are two kinds of people in this world – Polish, and those that wish they were.” Vader makes me proud to be of Eastern European stock each and every time. 

Rating: 9 out of 10