Whenever the world needs a hero, mankind looks to be empowered by the hope of salvation from their idols. Whether they be gods, money, or other men, these idols are all worshiped in rapturous rituals designed to lift the worshiper from the drudgery of daily life and into higher spirits. Come to destroy these gods and their rituals is COBRA THE IMPALER; a hero without equal, a god among men, a champion of death, and a monstrous creature to behold. Its primary manifestation Colossal Gods however, is more than a sonic ritual. It is a barrage that buries man and animal equal. An armageddon in not seven but eight stages, amounting to nothing less than a masterclass in modern metal.
A band of brothers and a pantheon of five, COBRA THE IMPALER is headed by guitarist Tace DC (ex-Aborted, Hæster, Horses on Fire) who confesses to a ravenous craving to write heavy guitar-based music combined with melodic vocals. In a time where guitars are increasingly being pushed out of the mainstream and into the grit, this is nothing less than a demonstration of strong will and profound vision. “Being a musician as well as an animation director and illustrator, the fun is to combine both areas of expertise to create a complete visual identity,” explains Tace. With strong references to the world of heroes, gods and monsters, Colossal Gods embodies a spirit of continuous strife and opposition which reaches beyond the explosive quality of the music, seeping into the excellently written lyrics, and all the way down to the separate artworks for each track.
Joining Tace is an ensemble of respected metal heroes from the Belgian and international metal scene, who all have some sort of connection to the designer-axeman. Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth, ex-Soilwork) who played together with Tace on the Aborted-classic Goremageddon, decided to lend his capable hands to this project after hearing the first demos. In the vocal department, Tace teamed up with former-Horses on Fire colleague Mike Def as well as Manuel Remmerie (Majestic Sun, Von Detta) to create the album’s ear-catching vocal lines. Rounding out the line-up is the mighty James Falck (BEAR) whose synergy with the project’s main songwriter is as undeniable as it is evident. Together, these musicians make COBRA THE IMPALER into a well-oiled killing machine, ready to take on anything that comes on its path.
Taking strong cues from the New Wave of American Heavy Metal, COBRA THE IMPALER forges together larger-than-life grooves and spirited guitar leads with enchanting clean vocal harmonies and razor-sharp screams. Effortlessly flowing from breakneck riffs to tasteful melodic breaks, the band makes strong use of stylistic elements from groove, thrash, and classic heavy metal. Like many legendary metal acts from the 90s, COBRA THE IMPALER marries brute force with meticulous attention to detail, amounting to an unstoppable advance and an enticing experience diverse in punishment. All carefully mixed together by Ace Zec (Hæster, Death Before Disco, Customs) who was later added to line-up as the band’s official drummer.
Colossal Gods is an exercise in empowerment as well as a show of subtle restraint. Defiant to the end, COBRA THE IMPALER deliver a blatantly guitar-powered album full of huge riffs and equally huge choruses that instantly nestle themselves in your mind. Proving themselves as masters of melody as well as destruction, COBRA THE IMPALER hits hard while forcing an inescapable headlock, delivering salvation to those who worship, but certain punishment for those who dare to stray.
Colossal Gods will be released worldwide on vinyl, CD and all digital platforms through LISTENABLE RECORDS (FR) in February 2022.