Thrash Anthems

When it comes to bands re-recording their classic material for a new era, my opinion varies greatly. Are they just doing it to cash in on some unexpected, late wave of success? Are they attempting to better integrate a new band member, like a vocalist, to both their back catalog of material and their fan base? Does this new member bring something essential and different to the table? Or does the band honestly think the original version are lacking due to either mistakes made long ago, or the massive leaps in studio technology that have manifest since the original incarnation. Often, the result of such an undertaking is an outright, unwelcome failure, like the recent Exodus CD which affixed Rob Dukes' vocals to their 80s classics, or Bethlehem's attempt to re-release S.U.I.Z.I.D. with Kvarforth's vocals. Sometimes, it's simply unnecessary and adds nothing of value to a band's legacy (Tankard, Amorphis, and many others). But rarely, it succeeds with room to spare, and Destruction's Thrash Anthems is one such example.

We knew this was coming, of course. We could see it miles away. As soon as we spun those new reunion records, All Hell Breaks Loose or The Antichrist, at the turn of the century, we knew they sounded so blasted good that it was guaranteed there would be updates. What stuns me is just how loyal the band is to their beloved back catalog, including a lot of their best material with a rich, stunning new production that will have fans of "Thrash 'Till Death" throwing their horns, and possibly appease the younger crowd who take the evolutionary leaps in recording quality that they've known all their lives for granted; who might listen back on a Sentence of Death or Eternal Devastation and never cease their impetuous whining. But it works. It works, because there is not some new front man strolling in to help rewrite the script. Almost all of these songs were Schmier and Sifringer to begin with, and they remain Schmier and Sifringer here, outside of "Cracked Brain", which we'll remember from André Grieder's brief tenure in the band. The Rosenmerkel era of the 90s is completely ignored, which is no surprise.

Well, the jury has delivered the verdict of 'incredible' here, because almost every track sounds like it's been giving life. About the only regret would be if you're a diehard for the raw mirth of their first few regrets, in which case you might not appreciate the thicker, potent tones. Mark Reign was obviously not around for those early sessions, but I have to admit he doe a thundering job with the material, and he's one of the major reasons that this functions. Surely the band did not have nearly as strong a drummer back in the 80s, not for lack of trying, but simply because drums back then were still heavily rock influenced and not brought forth so powerfully. Classics like "Total Desaster", "Mad Butcher", "Reject Emotions" and "Life Without Sense" are all given new life here, and there are even a few less expected pieces like "Death Trap" (Infernal Overkill) or "Sign of Fear" (Release from Agony) made tremendous in their translation here.

The one exception is, unshockingly, "Cracked Brain". It's given a much thicker, heavier vibe by the mix here, but I didn't find Schmier's vocals as charming as Grieder's were on the 1990 recording, and the lower, brutal notation scheme also loses some of the original's appeal. Not a bad remake, but I'd never feel an impulse to listen to this version. So that the older fans are not completely underwhelmed by what's come before, Destruction has also included two new tracks, a mid paced twister named "Profanity" and "Deposition (Your Head Will Roll)". The former is pretty typical of the band's past album Inventor of Evil, but once the latter gets through its down-pitched narrative intro, it tears out a few half-decent, bombastic guitars and a mildly thick chorus with layered thrash and death metal-style vocals. Neither is all that valuable, but it's cool that they're included so that Thrash Anthems is not just a total retrofit.

In the end, this is one of those very scarce albums which offers value despite its redundancy, and I've found that it sounds maddeningly awesome in my car stereo and headphones. The songs still maintain their thriving, ballistic energy despite the intervening decades, and with this they can match the tonal penetration of the more modern classics from The Antichrist. Granted, a small part of me prefers the originals, but in some of the cases here, like the Eternal Devastation and Infernal Overkill material, I could find myself to appreciate these just as often. The new tracks don't matter much, and obviously nostalgia is better served by dashing back to the originals in all cases, even for new fans (this album doesn't cover everything), but I think this is easily worth owning if just to crank it and bang your head until your thoughts go blank.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

This album in a nutshell took the best songs of the 80's Destruction and sung them over in a modern style. We all know the original songs are perfect, but these versions are damn good too. I prefer the old Destruction but what I like about this album is that you get to hear these classics with modern day production. This production really brings some of the songs to life and some songs actually sound on par with the original such as Death Trap and Mad Butcher. But with this production and pace, the blackened evil atmosphere found in songs like Total Desaster and Bestial Invasion is almost non-existent in these versions. They feel plainly aggressive, not conveying the evil presence.

Every note is perfect, with a few new tricks. Destruction has always been a band that has played with a high level of precision and composition, and that is still present here. You may find this hard to believe being that they're thrash metal and they're influenced by Venom. And yes, Schemer's famous wails are present on this album.

The problem with this album is not really much of a problem, but it's just that the original versions are better, hence the 85%.

This album really has 2 markets; hardcore Destruction fans and the new Destruction fans who have never heard the band's classics. This album may be easier to stomach than the classics to the newer fans.

A best of compilation was a good idea for the band; it featured their older songs to their newer ways of playing them. During the 1990s, Destruction was totally and completely absent from the thrash metal scene. Then in 2000, their spirit held together and resurrected itself. So, they surprisingly decided to rejoin as a band and put out some new material. This filled loyal fans with immense satisfaction. The lineup on here consists of their two original members; they are, Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer and Mike Sifringer. Marc Reign joined the band in 2002, and has been playing for them ever since. Frontman Schmier is on vocals/bass guitar, Mike is on rhythm/lead guitar and Marc is behind the set on drums/backing vocals. There was no indication on the CD insert saying if there were any additional guest guitarists or other backup vocalists. However, on some tracks it sounds as if former Destruction guitarist Harry Heinrich Wilkens played on a few solos. This is merely speculation though; I say this because his leads have always been more technical than Mikes.

As mentioned previously, the band put together more modern versions to their older classic tracks. The music brings back many fond memories to their older releases. However, there were two modern songs featured on here. The newer tracks were "Profanity" and "Depostition (Your Heads Will Roll); this gave the listener a sense of their newer writing style. The rhythm guitar riffs for "Release From Agony" and "Mad Butcher" were examples of a few different ways that they now execute the originals. The riffs were played in a different tuning then before; there were also a few fills that Mike creatively meshed together to make the songs sound more fluent. All of the older songs still brought forth with them the same level of ingenuity to them for longtime fans to hear. So, the band achieved their goal of keeping listeners interested. The fierce guitar executions composed by Mike are, in my view stronger than the originals. All fifteen tracks displayed on here showed that Destruction hasen't lost their talent as a band. There really aren't any songs to dislike; that would include the two newer songs as well. The music here contains guitar rhythms that were already innovative for their time during the earlier days.

Mike played the older songs with precision; there was no doubt of his talent in handling rhythm guitar duties. With his efforts, Destruction remains to be an original sounding thrash metal band. His ideas are one of the reasons why the band remains to be a legendary thrash metal trio. Other songs such as "Invincible Force", "Total Desaster", and "Reject Emotions" are definitely stunning compositions. The song structures contain with them guitar work that exhibits an intricate use of bar chords, clean tone melodies, aggressive tempos and technical rhythmic overtures. Their ideas in terms of songwriting remains to be completely unique; that's probably why they decided to rejoin as a band. Undying fans will appreciate this compilation. Once again, the newer recording of their older songs created justice for the originals.

This best of compilation gave the band a sense of fairness than it did on earlier recordings; this is because of the more modern use of technology. However, the overall tone to each song gave off a flatter kind of sound to it. The mixing didn't really factor in Schmier's bass guitar too well; it seemed to be absent totally among the rest of the instruments. One other critical point to convey is Mike's lead guitar playing; he is a creative rhythm guitarist, but not a well rounded lead guitarist. His leads merely sound improvised and played without any sort of ingenious respects. That's why the assumption that ex-guitarist Harry Heinrich Wilkens contributed to some leads on this compilation; Mike would in no way be able to handle sweep picking or arpeggios.

In terms of the vocals, they haven't really changed over the years. Schmier still sounds totally unique as he did in the past, especially during the Destruction of the 1980s era. He doesn't copy anyone else's vocal styles, nor has he ever done that. The voice suits the music like it always has. The band really tackles the vintage and aggressive songs with utmost precision. The lyrics in their earlier days talked exclusively about Satanism. Songs such as "Bestial Invasion", "Death Trap" and "Total Desaster" reflect this lyrical stance. Later songs revealed a different blend of topics; they seemed to navigate towards covering issues that pertain to mental illness and violence. A few of these songs would include "Reject Emotions", "Cracked Brain", "Life Without Sense" and "Mad Butcher."

In retrospect, this compilation does a lot for the band and keeps loyal fans impressed with the Destruction of both the past as well as the more modern day. Their choice of song selections throughout this re-recording keeps listeners very interested, especially in newer versions of these songs. The overall sound quality could've been better produced/mixed; it is one of the few critical points that I have towards this recording. Schmier could've done a better job with his songwriting efforts; he seems to sing about nonsensical issues. However, the music meshes well with the vocals. A final critical point was that the lead guitar work by Mike could've been better played out. The rhythm guitar work, however was better here than on the originals. Their newer member, Marc puts forth a vigorous effort behind the drum set. He also does a good job in fulfilling backing vocals to help out Schmier. Other than that, fifteen tracks and over seventy minutes of great thrash metal was again a smart move by the band. If originality in thrash metal is to your liking, then this compilation will best suit your interest.

This is a really good compilation from a really good thrash band. It is particularly good for people who are new to the thrash metal powerhouse that is Destruction. It gives a good introduction into the bands best stuff. However if you already have most of the stuff on the album, it is not worth picking up.


The best part of this album is that it focuses on the band early recordings. This is a very good thing because Destruction's newer albums are above average but let’s face it they don’t really stand up against the classics. They have about 2 or 3 of the best songs off the bands first five albums. There are one or two selections on here that I don’t think should be on the album. For example, I never cared for “Reject Emotions”, but as a whole the selection on here is pretty solid. I definitely wish that “Our Oppression” was on this album.


Although there are a few flaws on this. For one the production is really overdone. While early Destruction records thrived on being raw and energetic. This records production is so over the top that it takes some of the life out of the songs. Luckily most of these songs are so great that they survive the bad production.


The two new tracks they recorded for this album are kind of disappointments. "Profanity" is decent at best. It has a few good riffs but it is nothing special. "Deposition" is a total throw away track. The riffs are really bland and uninteresting. It’s really boring, and it never really gets to the thrashing. The riffs are really bland and uninteresting. These aren’t huge flaws though, they hold the record back somewhat, but they defiantly don’t ruin it.


Overall this is a really good album if you are new to Destruction. If you already have a few of the early records there is really no point in getting this seeing as the new tracks aren’t very good. But for beginners it is a really good compilation.

In times when thrash metal has been fused with either power metal or death metal, there are moments when I believe that pure thrash doesn’t really exist anymore. Not in a modern sense, anyway. Thrash Anthems brings back that pure chaotic thrash styling with a modern twist. Destruction has never let the metal world down (if one forgets the Neo Destruction days) and Thrash Anthems really is a reminder that thrash metal is not a forgotten art form.

Thrash Anthems is the perfect title for this release. This is a collection that includes most of Destruction’s best work (although a few songs I would consider classics aren’t included) and they are re-recorded with the newer Destruction sound that has been present since the reunion with Schmier. I didn’t really get into Destruction until the reunion, age having to do with most of that, and this collection really hits home with me.

Now, if you are more into the older sound of thrash metal then this collection may not be the best. It is the newer sound of Destruction and most of the characteristic “raw” sound that is present on the older albums no longer holds a place. The vocals aren’t near as wide ranging and the guitars are definitely heavier in a modern way. The production is definitely better but that’s what 20 years of technology can do.

Now that we’ve gone over the “classic” tracks (the original title for this album was Classix – which I thought wasn’t very clever), there are a few little bonuses that Thrash Anthems offers. Firstly, there are two new tracks, Deposition (You Heads Will Roll) and Profanity. The latter sounds like a song that would have made the cut for Antichrist or Inventor of Evil and is a pretty standard thrash track. Deposition on the other hand is an experimental track. It has a catchy sing-a-long chorus (or as sing-a-long as Destruction can get) and lots of atmosphere. Melodic guitars and some interesting whispery vocals grace the track. Another little bonus is the song Cracked Brain. If one knows their Destruction history, this song comes from the Neo Destruction era when Schmier was absent from the lineup. As a Destruction fan, I found this song to be a fun little extra for the album. It’s not a great song – but it’s a one time thing that is fun to listen to.

Overall, for newer fans of Destruction this is a very fun album that will really kick start a long term hardcore fan base. For fans of older Destruction this is a collection only for those hardcore fans. There are a few new tracks but nothing REALLY special.

DESTRUCTION is set to release “Thrash Anthems” on January 23, 2007. The album’s title is fitting because many of the tracks could be considered some of Thrash’s best anthems. The forthcoming album is a reworking of the some of the band’s best material from the ‘80s or vocalist, Schmier’s first era. Songs like “Bestial Invasion”, “Death Trap”, “Curse the Gods”, “Mad Butcher” and “Total Desaster” have assailed the ears and necks of thrashers for three decades now. After having been on hiatus from the band for all of the 1990s, vocalist Schmier returned in 2000, bringing a modernized thrash sound to the group.

“Thrash Anthems” revisits the older, primitive version of DESTRUCTION with a modern approach. None of the music is changed, but the production has been cleaned up, and they instituted a thicker, more apparent bottom end (turn it up loud to feel the heaviness of the kick drum and bass). Fans of the older recordings may baulk at the re-recordings because they lack the rawness of the originals. The drums are recorded too high in the mix on “Death Trap” and “Bestial Invasion”, taking away from the killer licks in these songs. However, placing the drums higher in the mix does draw attention to the Marc’s killer double bass and fills, and a good drum sound is something the originals clearly lacked. Still, the drums kill one of the highlights of “Bestial Invasion", the palm muted, speed pick parts. The production works in the favor of later recordings like “Cracked Brain” and “Release from Agony”. Acts like SLAYER, METALLICA, and KREATOR all went towards a cleaner, thicker sound during the late 80s and early 90s, which is what DESTRUCTION in turn did, so the re-recording fit quite well.

In addition to hearing older classics in a new light, those who snatch this up this album will hear two new tracks: “Profanity” and “Deposition (Your Heads will Roll)”. Restless fans that can’t wait for the next full-length (due out in 2008) get a nice sampler of the next album’s sound. Well…let’s hope that the next album sounds like these songs. “Profanity” contains excellent bar chord breaks in true heavy metal fashion that are great for banging your head or pumping your fist. “Deposition” is a dark track about inner torment featuring demonic vocal effects relayed by Schmier in the beginning. This track also has a melodic start and end, a technique seldom used by the trio, but effective when applied. The metal meat of “Deposition” consists of a SLAYER-like, chopping intensity.

“Thrash Anthems” seems targeted towards the fans that buy all-things DESTRUCTION. DESTRUCTION already released a more proper best of release, with two discs of all the classic songs you’ll hear on “Anthems”, but with the original raw recordings. The newer recordings are more likely to appeal to fans of DESTRUCTION’s newer material, though.

originally published on www.metalcentre.com