To start this review, I must cry out loud that a Heavy Metal trio is the ideal - for me - explanation for the in-your-face attitude of our beloved music. Just think of Motorhead, Tank, Venom, Exciter (on the other hand, there's Rush presenting the completely opposite form of musical development but that's another story - and they also kick major ass!).
Destruction used to be my all-time favorite Thrash act. And how can't this be true, since the German band's 80's releases - from the evilness of Sentenced Of Death (1984) to the complexity of Release From Agony (1988) - feature all the characteristics a top-class Thrash outfit should have. Speed rhythms, obscure lyrical themes, a profane production and METAL attitude. Infernal Overkill (1985) and Eternal Devastation (1986) pushed the trio's fame to a 'legendary' level while I can still recall their devastating (weird?) appearance fifteen years ago in Greece, where 1200 Thrash Metal maniacs destroyed the fuckin' venue under the commands of classic tunes like Total Desaster, Mad Butcher, Curse The Gods, Eternal Ban, Release From Agony and Bestial Invasion. Things went shitty in the 90's, as Schmier left the band - or was fired, as rumored - and the 'updated' Neo-Destruction camp headed to other, not even reasonable to be discussed, paths. 1999 was the year of the 'original' reformation and I remember my anxiety 'bout what Destruction would serve in the new century...
Well, I'm the kinda guy who is not THAT much into Destruction's latest albums - All Hell Breaks Loose (2000), The Antichrist (2001) and Metal Discharge (2003) - and I think Inventor Of Evil will not change my beliefs dramatically. In detail: the 'modernized' 00's Destruction sound is here again, I think Inventor Of Evil is a slightly better record than the band's three aforementioned releases - in particular, due to the songwriting efficiency of Schmier and the pluralism of Mike, supported by a marvelous, dynamic production (call me Pete Tatgtren...) - while cuts like Soul Collector, The Chosen Ones and Seeds Of Hate will make old-school Thrashers memorize the glory days (or daze?) of the German Thrash cyclone. Schmier seems to be in a great mood, while Mike's work is again impressive - the guy must be still studying his ass out (!) - and Marc's experience with the band is well established now. I know I'm too 'retro' and Destruction develop their sound on an album-by-album basis, so it's totally respected that they still pound hard and do not import any neo-shit in their music. It's just an edit to today's standards, I should state.
The Alliance Of Helloundz is a special tune, featuring ...ten !!! different Metal singers from all HM styles singing together for tolerance and unity of the scene (source: www.destruction.de). Biff Byford (Saxon), Doro, Shagrath (Dimmu Borgir), Speed (Soilwork), Paul Di'Anno (ex-Iron Maiden/Killers), Messiah Marcolin (Candlemass), Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), Peavy Wagner (Rage) and Peter Tagtgren (Hypocrisy/Pain) share the vocal duties with Schmier and I can't keep down screaming how METAL this band has been all these original years...
Case closed. Destruction may be so-and-so for the old-school Thrashers, Destruction IS a great band for the likes of the 00's Metal maniacs but - above all - Destruction still wave the Metal flag proudly in a fuzzy period where everyone claims to be playing Heavy Metal music. Trying to mix all parameters and emotions I fearly sum it up to a...