Just when I think it’s safe to claim that one of my favorite band’s best material is behind them they turn things around on their next release and prove me wrong. Cannibal Corpse proved they’re still a top death metal act with the release of Kill. Suffocation followed up the disappointing Souls To Deny with their self-titled classic. Even Deicide redeemed themselves after four terrible releases with last year’s The Stench Of Redemption. Thankfully, this trend continues with the release of Immolation’s seventh full length offering Shadows In The Light.

While by no means a complete failure, Immolation’s last full length offering Harnessing Ruin just seemed to lack the tightness and atmosphere of past efforts. 2007’s Shadows In The Light sees Immolation return to form with their most impressive release since 2002’s Unholy Cult.

The riffing of Bill Taylor and Robert Vigna is jaw-dropping, both men have really stepped up their songwriting skills and come up with some of the most complex and catchy material the band has written to date. The constant tempo shifting, insane solos and crushing breakdowns make it impossible to listen to this effort without getting your head pounding to the rhythms.

Drummer Steve Shalaty has stepped up his play big time on this effort as well, laying down perfect percussions to go with the material. He does such a great job it’ll make you forget about his less than stellar performance on Harnessing Ruin and I guarantee you won’t find yourself wishing for the return of Alex Hernandez when you listen to Shadows In The Light.

Ross Dolan continues to be the best vocalist in death metal today with his snarls and solid bass play. While he may not have the greatest vocal range, he’s one of the few death metal singers whose vocals are both menacing and clear.

Shadows In The Light is a return to the sound Immolation is famous for, with the album having a strong Failures For Gods and Close To A World Below vibe to it mixed with an entirely new bag of tricks. Just one listen to this album will leave you in awe of the abilities of these four musicians. Without a doubt Immolation have outdone themselves and recorded one of the finest death metal albums to be released in the past 10 years. Do yourself a favor and buy this album immediately.

Review byTeufel