You need to get Follow the Reaper, it's the best.
Everyone can have their own conclusions as to why these bands seem to lose the passion from their music. Whether it's draining of inspiration, dirty games by the record label, lack of creative environment, the effects of time on the artist's psyche... The cult-springing CD's are a rare thing in the first place, then when the same artist isn't capable of doing same epicness again fans get disappointed. I think many artists stop writing by listening to the heart, and instead start thinking technically of the music, so the passion seems abscent.
I think in the past Alexi had a melodic and artistic idea of how the album should be like, instead of just mashing together riffs and arranging instruments together to follow some worn-out pattern. He was inspired with an exciting theme during Hatebreeder and Follow the Reaper. His vocals were great, he had tremendous passion and a necessity to conquer the metal world. Many things have changed since.
Now I have some hope for their new album being interesting as it's not manipulated by an American producer anymore and they changed labels in need of a "change." I've understood they worked well in harmony with Matt Hyde, but I can also imagine how it must be extremely angering for a succesful metal band who did all by themselves, to have a guy in the studio hired by the record label to manipulate the artists' new baby's sound to some commercial direction... I'd change labels asap.
