Nuclear Blast – Out Now
No-one can claim to have been regularly visiting our pages or reading our Metal reviews this past decade or so and not having come across the name Destruction before! Apart from being one of the most musically prolific classic Thrash Metal bands, especially since they reformed back in 1999, we, on our part, have made sure that there isn’t a single album released by the German trio whose review has not been featured on our site. Being once again more than willing to listen to and ‘dissect’ new Destruction material I began applying myself to “Spiritual Genocide” – the band’s second release via Nuclear Blast so far this decade.
While Destruction’s early career was both defined and characterised by their ability to win over their audience with simple and instantaneously catchy riffs and melodies, their most recent work has often been described as more rhythmically complicated and melodically demanding. “Spiritual Genocide” is the type of album that comfortably sits somewhere in between. Featuring material of, on average, four minutes long, its aim is to create an immediate emotional bond with its audience – a goal that is eventually achieved, providing, however, that the listener is patient enough to invest both time and effort in these eleven compositions.
It was after constant and repetitive spins that I began appreciating the real value behind songs like the fast paced “Cyanide” – songs that are pretty classic in their feel but which are also pretty modern in their sound and technical execution. The album has certainly been put together with dynamic patterns in mind, as simply-riffed old-school tracks like “Spiritual Genocide”, “Renegades” and “No Signs Of Repentance” are cleverly mixed with more dynamic and, dare I say, truly inspiring material such as the head banging classic “City Of Doom”, the groovy classic Metal referenced “Legacy Of The Past” (its lyrics incorporate titles of classic Thrash Metal albums) or the amazing “To Dust You Will Decay” – a composition filled with clever atmospheric lead harmonies, such that you do not often come across in a Destruction album.
The band has been quite vocal of their appreciation of Ol Drake (of Evile fame) and it is his smart and discrete solos that breathe life into songs like “Carnivore” and “Riot Squad”, while the dead catchy riffs and Tankard-influenced refrain of “Under Violent Sledge” makes this closing track one of the undeniable highlights of the album.
If you were to ask me what I made of “Spiritual Genocide” after the first couple of listens, my rating would be nothing like the one I am presenting you with now. Schmier, Mike and their latest drummer Vaaver have decided to celebrate the band’s 30th anniversary with an album which pays tribute to their past but which, at the same time, looks towards the future with both confidence and optimism.
No one knows how much longer Destruction will be with us for but what the strength and quality of albums like “Spiritual Genocide” suggest is that it will be a long time before the trio makes its final bows!
John Stefanis
Rating: **** (4.0/5.0)
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In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections
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