Of course, right about now, it should be perfectly clear what you're letting yourself in for with _AssassiNation_. Andy Claasen -- who last collaborated with Krisiun on what could perhaps be regarded as their breakthrough effort, _Conquerors of Armageddon_ -- may have furnished the band with a slicker sound than was exhibited on their last two records; but once "Bloodcraft" kicks in, any debate over whether the band have toned down on their notoriously punishing full-throttle attack is all but concluded. This is death metal, performed at mach five, and broken up with only the most subtle hints of a groove.

That said, the album ironically hits its most impressive peak when the band break tradition and toss an admittedly feint, but highly effective melody into the works on "United in Deception". It's the all-too-brief sound of the band taking what for them would amount to a genuine risk, pulling it off with awe-inspiring precision, ultimately making the pounding riff that follows it sound that much more bludgeoning. It's a minor point on an album like this, and one that all but the most pedantic would hardly notice. Truth be told, with the exception of the oddly lazy "H.O.G. (House of God)", _AssassiNation_ is Krisiun at their most malevolent and downright crushing. Just the way we like them, in other words.