German thrash metal titan’s ‘Destruction’ were formed by guitarist Mike, who went on a search for a bassist.. On the search he found singer Ulf and drummer Tommy. They also found fellow metal head Schmier who was always around boozing it up on the weekends. Unfortunately Schmier couldn’t play bass for shit. However, Schmier got his mitts on a bass and Mike began showing him how to play.  In the meantime Ulf and Mike began arguing over a woman. So that gets dear old Ulf kicked out of the band. So having only 2 weeks before they hit the studio, our high pitched screecher Schmier gets front man position, and the rest is history…..

Releasing a whopping 12 albums starting with their first in 1985 with ‘Infernal Overkill’ then releasing albums every couple of years, impressively a band that’s never really given up on the scene. The non-stop mayhem has given them worldwide fans and followers. In 2004 a mini- split album came about with similar thrash legends Exodus, Death Angel and Dew Scented. In the same year a live DVD was released ‘Live Discharge – 20 Years of Total Destruction’.

So having been on the scene and celebrating their 30th anniversary and STILL no sign of them hanging up their scruffy jeans just yet and here’s  hoping the follow up to last year’s ‘The Day of Reckoning’ is just going to get heavier and meaner..

So as I start up the new album ‘Spiritual Genocide’ which, is sounding unlike any Destruction track before with a thumping military inspired drum roll and a pretty beastly riff, the intro is just stupendous..Then onto the first track ‘Cyanide’ yup there is, the thunderous drumming, and the screams of our beloved Schmier! Enough brutality and energy as always, to start a hurricane in the mosh pit. The album titled track ‘Spiritual Genocide’ has some superb and as the lyrics suggest “Soul destroying” riffs flying all over the place, absolutely, beautifully insane! Then there’s ‘Renegades’ which is one that’s going to give you an insanely rough neck the morning after. The catchy as hell bouncy rhythm and that voice, how the feck do you get a voice like that? Then there’s the 80s style solo towards the end…. wow

You can definitely feel this album is offering a hefty slab more than the previous albums, especially with ‘City of Doom’ with the sirens going off, adding that piece of cheese to a ‘Brutal’ track. The bass lines on this one reminds me a lot of ‘No One Knows’ by Queens of the Stone Age, fitting in there like a glove. The demonic vocals on this one is something to mention too, No idea if it’s Schmier or not, but it works.

Again, offering something completely different with ‘To Dust You Will Decay’ with its doomy feel, much slower than what Destruction are used to, yet it’s as if they have been doing it for years.

I’m still yet to decide on which track is going to be the next big Destruction one, like on previous albums it was ‘The Butcher Strikes Back’ and ‘Nailed to the Cross’. However, a good contestant would be ‘Carnivore’ due to the crunchy and punky riffs or even ‘Riot Squad’ sounding like some old school Destruction with the tempo changes and mad riffs with the added bonus of springy beats toward the middle section.  Then towards the end… that fantastic raging mess!

So the last track ‘Under Violent Sledge’ when Schmier shouts “WAAAAAR” Well, you don’t mess with a six foot odd German.. delivering just what we know and crave from a good thrash track… lots of balls, screaming vocals, Insanely fast riffs and some bad ass drumming, yes it contains the whole package.

(8/10 Charlene Rance)

www.destruction.de