On September 30, Cracow’s SCEPTIC released their fifth full-length album. Yes, it took us 17 years to finally get it, but I will tell you it was worth waiting for it. “Nailed to ignorance” is a very good return from beyond the grave, so to say, and I will tell you those 17 years since “Internal Complexity” was out weren’t wasted in the least. Why? Because this is the band`s best album and one of the most interesting albums that our scene has churned out this year. Well, to be candid with you all, they released a four-song demo two years ago which I have, by some weird way, missed. Anyhow, I am glad I can listen to their brand-new album now.

 

 

 

Right from the very beginning, I realized this is a very good album. The sound is very “warm”, very organic and truly nice to listen to. Yes, they`ve put a lot of effort into this stuff so these songs don’t sound artificial; these songs are truly powerful! Good job. 

 

 

 

The music itself is very rich in sounds, it surprises us with musicians` skills. They are able, very successfully, to “maneuver” among a broad spectrum of music ideas. The foundation of the album is, of course, archaic death metal, but blended with some classic thrash and even heavy metal. This music is indeed absorbing, it radiates with plenty of emotions; it is full of very atmospheric guitar parts – the parts that SCEPTIC has always been so famous for. 

 

 

 

Indeed, SCEPTIC has never had any problems blending atmospheric-sounding parts; the approach which results in interesting music. There is plenty going on here, on this album, a real jaw-dropping experience, lock, stock and barrel. For me, this is SCEPTIC`s Opus Magnum, their best album to date, no doubt about it! The rhythm section is marvellous, the drums sound so organic and good! This is truly magic, this music and true, can be a bit too complex and too precise to digest at first, but trust me, I find this music very refreshing, memorable and actually quite easy to get into anyways! The solo guitars are first class; hard to believe our domestic studio was able to produce such quality. Marcin`s vocals fit the rest of the music very well. There are no fillers here, this album crushes. Total madness, you gonna love this stuff, and I just hope that “Nailed to Ignorance” will be re-released on vinyl, the most noble medium for this kind of music, in my opinion. 

 

 

 

I am proud we have bands like SCEPTIC in Poland. Well, I will tell you something else. I am more than sure that if Chuck Schuldiner was alive, he`d be enjoying SCEPTIC’s “Nailed to Ignorance”. Get and enjoy this album no matter what. Not to be missed!