By: Richard Maw
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 13/05/2016
Label: Nuclear Blast
From
the opening title track, this is Destruction firing on all cylinders. The band
sound focussed and angry. The production is pleasingly angular and metallic.
Drums thrash convincingly (and don't sound identical to all other bands'
drums!) as Sifringer and Schmier bring an impressively malevolent sound from
their strings. How
many records Destruction have left in them is not known, but if this anything
to go by, their well is far from dry. Destruction have just made a worthy
addition to their discography. Make it a
worthy addition to your record collection.
“Under Attack” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. Under Attack (6:13)
2. Generation Nevermore (4:04)
3. Dethroned (4:50)
4. Getting Used To The Evil (6:08)
5. Pathogenic (4:27)
6. Elegant Pigs (3:40)
7. Second To None (5:11)
8. Stand Up For What You Deliver (4:20)
9. Conductor Of The Void (4:33)
10. Stigmatized (4:12)
The Review:
Destruction are
indisputably thrash royalty. Along with Kreator and Sodom they make up the unholy
trinity of Teutonic “thresh meddle.” There are now many records into a long and
storied career... can they still cut it?!
Yes.
Indeed they can. “Spiritual Genocide”
from 2012 was a cracker, even better was “Day
Of Reckoning” from 2011. “Under
Attack” carries on the sound of those albums; tight, modern, speedy and
distinctly Germanic in sound and vibe. Destruction have never had the all out
aggression of Kreator,
per se, or the crude violence of Sodom, but they have always had an abrasive
and cutting sound.
From
the opening title track, this is Destruction firing on all cylinders. The band
sound focussed and angry. The production is pleasingly angular and metallic.
Drums thrash convincingly (and don't sound identical to all other bands'
drums!) as Sifringer and Schmier bring an impressively malevolent sound from
their strings.
The
breakneck tempos continue through “Generation Nevermore”, but the
band is not afraid to slow down to rolling tank speed on the likes of “Dethroned”
and then ring the changes again. There are nice flourishes to the likes of “Getting
Used To The Evil” in the form quiet and loud dynamics, but mainly
this is a speed fest. The riffing is razor sharp and sustains the middle of the
album nicely- “Second To None”, “Pathogenic” and “Elegant
Pigs” are all great thrash tracks from the top drawer.
The
cunningly and punningly named “Stand Up For What You Deliver” is
a track with a more triplet/galloping feel, which breaks up the record nicely
before the frenetic home stretch. The final two tracks deliver a mid tempo
assault and a final opening up of the throttle with the closing “Stigmatized”
being particularly effective (lovely drum break). Having seen these boys live
in 2010 supporting Obituary, I can attest to their aural potency
on stage. They translate perfectly from stage to studio and vice versa.
Towering vocalist/bassist Schmier also had the best sign off I have heard at a
gig: “I'll
see you in fucking hell mother fuckers...” And with that, he was gone!
How many records Destruction have left in them is not known, but if this
anything to go by, their well is far from dry. Destruction have just made a
worthy addition to their discography.
Make it a worthy addition to your record collection.
“Under Attack” is available now
