Vader (band)

Vader is a Polish death metal band from Olsztyn. Formed in 1983, the group was founded by then-bassist Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek and guitarist Zbigniew "Vika" Wróblewski. Vader went through several lineup changes over the years, and since 2011 comprises Wiwczarek on guitars and vocals, guitarist Marek "Spider" Pająk, bassist Tomasz "Hal" Halicki, and British drummer James Stewart.

Starting as a heavy metal group, Vader eventually went to thrash, speed, and then in the late 1980s became a death metal band. The band's name was inspired by Darth Vader from the Star Wars film series. Lyrical themes include stories by H. P. Lovecraft,World War II, horror, and anti-religious messages. According to Billboard magazine, by 2002 Vader sold approximately 500,000 releases around the world.

Vader was formed in 1983, the same year as the very first death metal pioneers Possessed and Death. However, at this time Vader was a heavy/speed metal band, later evolving into thrash metal and then finally death metal for the band's first demo, Live in Decay, in 1986. Vader released another demo, Necrolust, in 1989, but it was not until the band's third demo, Morbid Reich, in 1990, that Vader gained international attention. Morbid Reich sold nearly 10,000 copies, making it one of the most sold metal demos ever. This success earned the group a contract with Earache Records. The songs from Morbid Reich would appear later on Vader's full-length debut album in 1993, The Ultimate Incantation.