Vocalist Karl makes his triumphant return for what would end up being the band’s final chapter. This record is a return to form in that it takes what was previously done and makes it better. This feels like a proper followup to For Victory, kicking it off properly with At First Light. After some creepy atmospherics, it dives right in with no plodding or slow build up to nothing, like what occurred on Mercenary: right into a heavy riff with solo overlaid, into high-energy verses. Any apprehension users might have had is immediately dispelled with this opener. It’s such a relief to hear each instrument on this recording vs the previous, too. The World Eater Riff appears now on The Killchain, a song whose lyrical content on modern warfare contrasts with other songs on the album about WWI trench warfare. The Killchain is probably the weakest track here - there are a lot of other standouts though, including the title track, which manages regain Bolt Thrower’s classic slow-but-not-boring pace that was so good on IVth Crusade.
My copy comes with a big poster and a bonus track at the end, which is a bit of a shame because As Cannons Fade is just the perfect closer to a nearly perfect record from a nearly perfect band. The band decided not to release any records after this, saying they would stop writing after they’d felt they had written the ultimate Bolt Thrower album. I’m not sure it’s my favorite record by them but it at least as good as For Victory. The band broke up when their drummer Martin Kearns tragically died in 2015 at the age of 38 from a heart attack.