DESTRUCTION - Born To Perish

Release date August 9/19 (Nuclear Blast)

Album #8 of original music since Destruction's reformation in 2000 finds the band not only breaking in a new drummer, but also a second guitarist. This means that it's the first time since the Release From Agony/Cracked Brain days (1990!) that we find our fave German thrashers functioning as a four-piece, so this long-time fan was curious to hear the impact on their latest platter.

Those who were pleased with the band's last two efforts (Spiritual Genocide from 2012 and 2016's Under Attack) will be happy to hear that the change in personnel hasn't resulted in any major alteration to their sound. Sure, there's some different soloing going on here and there by the new guitarist (a cleaner shredding approach to these ears), however, the core sound remains intact. We're talking quick picking, complex riffage with lots of rhythmic heft, while the inimitable Schmier growls over top. Basically thrash for connoisseurs.

Highlights would be the opening 'Born To Perish' and 'Betrayal', with riffs referring back to the Infernal Overkill days, 'Inspired By Death' an atypical speedster that could easily fit on recent Kreator releases, and 'Fatal Flight 17' which recounts the horrors of the downed Malaysian Airlines plane in 2014.

Note: Includes a cover of Tygers Of Pan Tang's 'Hellbound', which, while being faithful to the chorus, seemingly replaces the main riff with Grave Digger's 'Heavy Metal Breakdown'. Regardless, both are great tracks, so it works!

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