Impact Approved is a German Melodic Death Metal band, that was conceived in 2018. Building on the triumph of their 2021 debut, Into the Fray, the band released their second studio album, Way of the Warrior, on June 14th, 2024. The album was released with WormHoleDeath Records.
Introduction:
Impact Approved, Way of the Warrior: This review will evaluate every aspect of the album, from its intricate musical composition to its production. Our analysis will provide valuable insights to help you determine if this album is worth adding to your collection.
The First Three Sins of Way of the Warrior
Let’s start by discussing the first three sins of Impact Approved and their album, Way of the Warrior
The First Sin, The Strings/Keys: Features heavy melodic riffs with progressive/djent passages, the void is filled with heavy bass lines and atmospheric embellishments The Second Sin, The Vocals: Involve growls, that inject the music with raw energy. The Third Sin—The Percussions: Delves into a vast world of aggressive drum work with beats, fills and strikes, that sound like a marching army.
The Fourth Sin: Overall Discussion: A musical journey that sounds and feels like the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae
From the moment the listener hits the play button, the opening piece, Way of the Warrior, launches into a thunderous instrumental and vocal assault, leaving no room for indifference.
The listener embarks on their journey with the second piece, Isolation, and the remaining nine pieces, where the music marches like 300 Spartans at Thermopylae.
Building on the triumph of their 2021 debut, Into the Fray, Impact Approved swiftly charted a new sonic course. Their musical ingenuity shines through in their devilmanship compositions, a distinct fusion of melodic death metal, djent, and deathcore that defies genre conventions. This amalgamation of styles promises a musical odyssey, intriguing even the most discerning metal aficionados.
With a run time of under fifty minutes, this is more than melodic death metal; each song is robust, heavy, and loud and a pure headbanging winner from the moment of pressing that play button after the listener reaches the end of Way of the Warrior, that repeat button will come your best friend.
The arrangement of the instrumentation is a testament to their musical prowess, with each component seamlessly blending to create a fully immersive and captivating musical journey. The melodic and progressive riffs, heavy bass lines, and atmospheric embellishments paint a vibrant and dynamic sonic landscape.
The precision in the drum work evokes a sense of power and momentum, akin to a marching army. Simultaneously, the vocals exude a raw, intense energy that propels the music forward, ensuring the audience remains enthralled and engaged.
When it comes to production value, what more could one desire? With a refined, crisp, and top-tier sound, every note, chord, beat, and breath of the vocals are discernible and palpable from the outset, guaranteeing a superior listening experience. The production’s unwavering attention to detail safeguards every subtle nuance of the music, bestowing the audience a superior auditory journey.
The Way of the Warrior is a forbidden fruit of art that’s more than melodic; yet, it’s a progressive, heavy, brutal, headbanger, and burning pit of hellfire. The Deathcore, Djent, and audio clip elements add that extra depth and dimension to the music.
This German heavyweight is a must-listen! The sheer power and intensity of the music are palpable, immersing the listener in a world of raw energy and passion.
The album comes to an end with the last song, Grace Under Pressure. We want to give a shoutout to WormHoleDeath for letting us review Impact Approved and their album, Way of the Warrior. Now, we’re going to wrap it up by talking about the final three sins and concluding the review.
You’re Listening to “Pigslaughter”
PlayThe Last Three Sins
Let’s discuss the last three sins, our thoughts on Impact Approved and their album, Way of the Warrior
The Fifth Sin, The Memorabilia: I was utterly captivated by the intense auditory experience coming from my speakers, especially during the sixth track, Deficiency. Listening to the songs, I was deeply impressed by the band’s unwavering dedication to their art. The music radiates incredible energy and exceptional composition, with skilled guitar playing, seamless transitions between melodic and progressive chord progressions, and many other intricate elements. It truly showcases the band’s outstanding artistry and their unwavering commitment to their album, Way of the Warrior.
The Sixth Sin, The Artwork:
The artwork is epic! Captures that 300 Spartans at Thermopylae, vibe and adds that extra depth to the music.
The Seventh Sin, Disrelish:
Nothing to disrelish within the musical spectrum of Impact Approved, and their album Way of the Warrior.
This concludes the Impact Approved, Way of the Warrior.
Track-Listing:
- Way of the Warrior
- Isolation
- Liberty
- Atelophobia
- The Truth (feat. Lewis, from April in Flames)
- Deficiency
- Sword and Shield
- Harakiri For Ivory Tower
- Ventus Et Ignis
- Pigslaughter
- Grace Under Pressure
Impact Approved is:
- Uwe Reese – drums
- Philipp Kock – vocals
- Mauric Zwoch – bass
