| Written by Alex Stojanovic TRACK LISTING Under Attack Generation Nevermore Dethroned Getting Used To The Evil Pathogenic Elegant Pigs Second To None Stand Up For What You Deliver Conductor Of The Void Stigmatized Release Date: May 13, 2016 Label: Nuclear Blast Records Website: www.destruction.de www.facebook.com/destruction |  |
DESTRUCTION IS:
Schmier - Vocals & bass Mike Sifringer - Guitars Vaaver Dramowicz - Drums
Schmier - Vocals & bass Mike Sifringer - Guitars Vaaver Dramowicz - Drums
When it comes to sticking to one style of metal or music for your entire career, there's bands that are praised and bands that receive a fair amount of criticism. It all depends on the memorability of the songs, but then again, everyone's ears are different. Many bands like Saxon, Overkill, Cannibal Corpse, Accept and the focus of this review: Destruction all seem to have it down to a science. It's amazing that the Big Teutonic 4: Kreator, Destruction, Sodom and Tankard have been around for over 3 decades now and are all at the top of their games, releasing some of their best records in the last 15 years. You cannot deny the superiority of the German metal scene. I've been a Destruction fan since the release of Day Of Reckoning, which is one of their best records. The last album Spiritual Genocide had its share of strong tracks, but certain tracks lacked the magic that was displayed on the records previous and just felt rushed.
The new album Under Attack is really no different than the band's last six albums, but given the four year gap between Spiritual Genocide and this album, the band had more time to filter the songs and there's more memorability to be found here. I'm always attracted to great songwriting, great structures and performances, but production also plays a big factor in me liking an album. The monstrous production on D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. and Day Of Reckoning with the thickness in the guitar and drum tones make them furious punches to the face. On the following albums: Spiritual Genocide and Under Attack, the energy is still there and the tones are still gritty, but the punch is a little more on the thinner side, but not to the point where it's dull.
The roller coaster begins to ascend to the top of the chain lift hill as the intro in the title track slowly builds until it reaches the top at the fourth time Schmier screams the title and the coaster rockets down the drop at ridiculous velocity with the relentlessness of the double-kick attack and machine-gun riffs. The savagery is ceaseless as it continues on "Generation Nevermore", followed by the destructive grooves on "Dethroned". "Getting Used To The Evil" might be the album's slowest track but it's heavy as hell. It's the first Destruction track in a while that contains some slightly slower, darker and somber sections like the intro and the verses and gets heavier as it goes. Things ramp back up in speed on "Pathogenic", which is the fastest track on the record. The combination of speed and groove makes this track an instant home run. Vaaver Dramowicz is a beast on the skins and he really shines on the album. Ever since his debut with Destruction on Day Of Reckoning, he's gotten better on each album, with the title track, "Pathogenic" and "Stigmatized" being some of his best moments on Under Attack.
The grooves on the album are massive. Mike Sifringer, one of metal's most underrated riff masters, continues to provide monstrous riffs with unbelievable groove and speed, along with searing solos. You can always expect Destruction lyrics to be tirades against current issues. There's topics like terrorism on "Under Attack", rock and metal bands cheating live by using backing tracks on "Elegant Pigs" and one of the biggest pet-peeves of mine and so many others: internet trolling and cyber-bullying on "Second To None". Under Attack however isn't a perfect album. The only flaws about the album is that some of the lyrics come across as pretty cheesy with the way they're written, although the messages are crystal clear. Aside from this flaw, Under Attack is another great album from one of the reigning kings of German thrash metal. If you're a Destruction fan, the album should live up to your satisfaction.
Highs: "Under Attack", "Dethroned", "Pathogenic" and "Second To None".
Lows: Some of the lyrics come across as cheesy.
Final Rating: 7/10
The new album Under Attack is really no different than the band's last six albums, but given the four year gap between Spiritual Genocide and this album, the band had more time to filter the songs and there's more memorability to be found here. I'm always attracted to great songwriting, great structures and performances, but production also plays a big factor in me liking an album. The monstrous production on D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. and Day Of Reckoning with the thickness in the guitar and drum tones make them furious punches to the face. On the following albums: Spiritual Genocide and Under Attack, the energy is still there and the tones are still gritty, but the punch is a little more on the thinner side, but not to the point where it's dull.
The roller coaster begins to ascend to the top of the chain lift hill as the intro in the title track slowly builds until it reaches the top at the fourth time Schmier screams the title and the coaster rockets down the drop at ridiculous velocity with the relentlessness of the double-kick attack and machine-gun riffs. The savagery is ceaseless as it continues on "Generation Nevermore", followed by the destructive grooves on "Dethroned". "Getting Used To The Evil" might be the album's slowest track but it's heavy as hell. It's the first Destruction track in a while that contains some slightly slower, darker and somber sections like the intro and the verses and gets heavier as it goes. Things ramp back up in speed on "Pathogenic", which is the fastest track on the record. The combination of speed and groove makes this track an instant home run. Vaaver Dramowicz is a beast on the skins and he really shines on the album. Ever since his debut with Destruction on Day Of Reckoning, he's gotten better on each album, with the title track, "Pathogenic" and "Stigmatized" being some of his best moments on Under Attack.
The grooves on the album are massive. Mike Sifringer, one of metal's most underrated riff masters, continues to provide monstrous riffs with unbelievable groove and speed, along with searing solos. You can always expect Destruction lyrics to be tirades against current issues. There's topics like terrorism on "Under Attack", rock and metal bands cheating live by using backing tracks on "Elegant Pigs" and one of the biggest pet-peeves of mine and so many others: internet trolling and cyber-bullying on "Second To None". Under Attack however isn't a perfect album. The only flaws about the album is that some of the lyrics come across as pretty cheesy with the way they're written, although the messages are crystal clear. Aside from this flaw, Under Attack is another great album from one of the reigning kings of German thrash metal. If you're a Destruction fan, the album should live up to your satisfaction.
Highs: "Under Attack", "Dethroned", "Pathogenic" and "Second To None".
Lows: Some of the lyrics come across as cheesy.
Final Rating: 7/10
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