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Vader formed in 1986, toiling around the European death and thrash circuit while releasing demos into the metal tape-trading circuit. Their 1990 demo Morbid Reich became a huge hit in the underground, leading to a record deal with Earache in 1992. This made them the first death metal band from behind the Iron Curtain to sign a record deal outside of their native Poland. The same year, they released The Ultimate Incantation, a large success in the metal underground. They toured with Bolt Thrower, Grave, Deicide, and many other bands to bring their live performances to American audiences. They left Earache the next year and released two more albums, Sothis (on Repulse Records) and The Darkest Age: Live '93 (on Baron Records). They tried to continue touring despite the declining popularity of death metal and the lack of a consistent recording contract. In 1995, they signed a deal with Impact Records, allowing them to maintain a regular album release schedule. Hammerheart Records released ...