Poland’s death metal giants Vader dominated Warsaw on February 14th, 2020. When the group announced the tour, we knew we had to be there. This exceptional run, which also included Abysmal Dawn, Hideous Divinity, and Vitriol, had to be documented in its fullest as it’s one of the best death metal treks we’ve seen in a while. Vader were there to introduce a few new songs, including their latest single, “Shock and Awe,” taken from their upcoming album Solitude in Madness, which is expected to arrive later this year via Nuclear Blast. 

While fans were full of pierogies, kielbasa, Żywiec beer, and all sorts of Polish cuisine, they still had it in them to mosh and headbang throughout Vader’s set. Warsaw holds a variety of shows, but nights when they highlight a Polish act makes the experience more special. The New York crowd was able to mentally transport to Poland to see the group as they fueled the room with adrenaline.

Vader made their near three-year return well worth the wait. The last time the band performed in New York City was at Webster Hall’s Marlin Room, which no longer exists. Look out for more Vader this year, and hopefully, we will see them again on their next official album touring cycle. 

Setlist:

“Silent Empire”

“Despair”

“Black to the Blind”

“Grand Deceiver”

“Triumph of Death”

“Reborn in Flames”

“What Colour Is Your Blood?”

“Sothis”

“Litany”

“Shock & Awe”

“Carnal”

“Dark Age”

“Wings”