If you have too much energy, and you wish to shed some of it whilst headbanging, slamdancing or moshing, then I suggest you give “Blood, Bone and Fire”, the latest album by DESTRUCTOR a serious go. The high-octane Old School Heavy Metal with Speed Metal parts and Thrash Metal influences will have you going within seconds.

I don’t know about you, but this is my first encounter with DESTRUCTOR. I have found out that they come from Euclid, Ohio, USA and were originally formed in 1984. They lasted until 1990, when the band collapsed. After a brief return in 1992 there is a hiatus of seven years. In 1999 they started up again for real, and DESTRUCTOR has been alive and kicking ever since. Before this year they released three live and five studio albums, which makes “Blood, Bone and Fire” the sixth one. And to be quite frank, this is one to be immensely proud of.

The first thing you will notice as a listener that the car isn’t the only area where you will need safety belts to prevent yourself from injury during a collision. It also is quite fitting when listening to “Blood, Bone and Fire”. It is a very intense record, but never so much that your heart will go haywire. But then again, it is still energetic enough to make you want to thrash your place, start throwing things around and bang yourself a neck hernia. Not exactly healthy, but oh so pleasant. The Old School Heavy Metal that DESTRUCTOR plays will take you back to the eighties in sound and songs, but with a contemporary production that has accomplished a very high standard.

I like the fact that these guys have given themselves nicknames. It adds a bit of mystique to the whole experience. What I do know is that a few years ago I saw bassist Tim play the Little Devil venue in Tilburg with WRETCH. But let’s get back to the music. One thing is for sure, if songs like the title song “Blood, Bone and Fire”, “Ironclad” and “Storm Upon The World” don’t get your heart pumping faster, your brains heating up gradually and your body moving uncontrollably, you can discard this album as a waste of time and space. On the other hand, if these songs are doing all those things to you, you have found another gem of an album to enjoy. I certainly am of the latter persuasion. So much so that I am going to look up their history.