Germany has a ton of classic bands that still continue today. From hard rock legends such as Scorpions to thrash metal behemoths Kreator, and Destruction, the band which with their brand-new album Birth Of Malice, will celebrate their insane 40 year anniversary. Time and time again, Destruction have proven themselves to be amongst the best in thrash, and Birth Of Malice once again does just that.
Kicking off with a very short minute long intro, the band go straight into opening song ‘Destruction’. Opening with an onslaught of guitar riffs that perfectly match the drumming, something which is noticeable throughout this record. This track has the first of many catchy, yet heavy choruses courtesy of the iconic Schmier vocals. His vocal layering stealing the show here. The first guitar solo of the album may be short, but it does not need any more room, as it serves as a segue into the last chorus. An incredibly strong and catchy first song, which serves as a worthy introduction into the assault which is the rest of this album.
‘No Kings No Masters’ kicks off with a relentless riff matched by the speed of Randy Black on the drums, who remains consistently fast and ferocious. With three guitar solos, a couple after the first two choruses, and then a longer one after the bridge to transition into the ending, this is the first time I realized that this record will be more focused on the guitars than anything else. The guitar work up until now is phenomenal, but the musicality only gets better from here on out.
The song that follows is one of the most hard-hitting songs on this entire album. ‘Scumbag Human Race’ was released as a single and blew my mind when I first heard it. The chorus is really, really catchy and the guitarwork of masters Martin Furia and Damir Eskić remains as consistent as ever. The solos being spot on, and not taking anything away from the drums, bass and the vocals.
‘A.N.G.S.T’ is another song that got released as a single, and upon listening to this track, not only is it one of the two songs that are slower, but because it is a slower paced song, it is one of the heaviest on Birth Of Malice. Here, the vocals truly take the helm, as they feel louder, more guttural and truly pack a punch you are sure to feel upon listening to this song.
‘Dealer Of Death’ is the song that follows and as expected, it picks up the pace which is instantly noticeable thanks to the matching drums and guitar intro. The chorus here is easily my favourite of the album. It is loud, anthemic and atmospheric. The guitars here feel like a true wall of sound, not only in the chorus but in the pre chorus as well. During the second guitar solo the band somehow manage to maintain that guitar wall of sound, which is a testament to the band as musicians, clearly thinking through every element on this record.
The following track starts with a strange riff but quickly changes into a stomping rhythmic assault. The chorus is once again a humongous wall of sound with the vocal layering and guitars overpowering through to give the chorus an almost overwhelming sound. The reason this kind of song works so well, is that just like ‘A.N.G.S.T’, this is a slower track, which makes it that much more impactful.
‘Greed’ starts off with an epic drum fill before unleashing another brutally fast paced thrash assault. The guitar work once again takes centre stage as the vocals, especially in the chorus steal the show yet again. Black delivers another solid drumming performance as his double bass work is top notch, and in the chorus his drumming sounds almost prog-like, proving his versatility as a drummer. The guitar solos once again steal the show without being too overbearing. This song sets things up perfectly for album closer ‘Fast As A Shark’. Easily the fastest, yet shortest song on the record, it still has a catchy chorus, but unlike most of the tracks here, this track is much more rhythm based over melody. That does not mean that it is not catchy, it is, but it is a very different sounding song compared to most of the songs on Birth Of Malice. It does feature another guitar solo unsurprisingly which transitions into the last chorus marking the end of the album.
Musically, this is a record that puts the guitars into the centre of it all. Yes, the choruses are huge sounding and incredibly powerful when they arrive, but the guitars here do most of the work which is possibly the most enjoyable aspect of this record because this not only proves that Destruction as a band, even 40 years into their career can still play unbelievably, but the riffs and solos here really make this album stand out.
Overall, this is an incredibly strong album. The songs are mostly consistent and have been constructed incredibly well as each song has its own identity, and upon listening to this record, this becomes quite clear very early on. The musicality is top notch as expected from a band of this calibre. Each musician really comes to life, and with an album like this, Destruction show no sign of slowing down, for how long the band can release music at this level is unclear to me, but as long as they do, I will listen and admire them.
Destruction: Birth of Malice – Out 7 March 2025 (Napalm Records)
– Destruction (Official Video) | Napalm Records
