Register Forgot login?

© 2002-2024
Encyclopaedia Metallum

Privacy Policy

Angel Dust > To Dust You Will Decay > Reviews
Angel Dust - To Dust You Will Decay

Teutonic killer angels lay the universe to waste. - 97%

hells_unicorn, July 24th, 2021
Written based on this version: 2016, CD, No Remorse Records (Reissue, Remastered)

There are two classic blunders that all need remember, the first being the folly of waging a land war in Asia, which is followed by the slightly lesser known one of doubting the efficacy of German thrash. Whether it be the glorious speed metal forerunners that set the stage in the early to mid-80s, to the legions of disciples that accompanied or soon followed the wrathful anthems of the Teutonic trio, there is a masterful execution coupled with a militaristic precision that guides this high craft to its elite status. Even when a more accessible chord is struck in response to changing commercial interests as occurred with many prominent acts in the late 80s, there is a commitment to what works that shines through even the lightest of stylistic variants. Thus stands the majestic yet largely unsung speed/thrash opus and second studio outing by Angel Dust To Dust You Will Decay, a wildcard of the late 80s thrash scene by any estimation that serves as a missing link between the frenetic sound of the mid-80s and the emerging European power metal sound being pushed by Helloween and Running Wild.

The circumstances surrounding this album's creation were a fairly common tale told by the numerous bands that filtered in and out of prominence during the decade of metal. Following a respectable showing on their more textbook thrash-infused debut Into The Dark Past, a series of lineup changes left only the rhythm section in bassist Frank Banx and drummer/founder Dirk Assmuth remaining, an eventuality that would have likely ended an even slightly lesser band. To fill out the roles vacated by guitarist/vocalist Roman Keymer and shredder Andreas Lohrum (who himself handled vocal duties a year prior), two guitarists from the nascent German power metal act Crows were tapped in Vinni Lynn and Stefan Nauer, which sheds a fair degree of light on the more melodic character of the guitar assault that would take shape. However, the true ace in the hole that gave this incarnation of the band its unique edge was Croatian-born singer Željko Topalović, better known by his stage name S.L. Coe, whose soaring tenor and penchant for well-executed banshee wails after the Halford model made him the linchpin of this album's hybrid power.

This album's power metal proclivities are all but impossible to miss, despite sharing the stage with a neck-destroying speed/thrashing riff assault that could rival the most insane moments put forth by Flotsam And Jetsam or Laaz Rockit at the time. The opening prelude "3rd Challenge" presents a looming symphonic instrumental passage that is lofty enough for Keeper Of The Seven Keys, but has more of a military-like flavor akin to Accept. Then, like a mighty Teutonic train running off the tracks, the opening speeder "Mr. Inferno" sets the tone for the album on an absolute fever pitch, with the dueling riff battery of Lynn and Nauer being matched by a vicious high-end vocal assault out of Coe that leaves little mystery as to why Scanner would tap him for their second album a year later. What is even more auspicious is the brutal chugging thrash riff that lands just before the guitar solo like a 2 ton anvil, classic Eric Peterson-like viciousness there. Nipping on this apex moment's heels is a more mid-paced and melodic number in "Wings Of An Angel" and a somewhat restrained driving beast in "Into The Dark Past (Chapter II)" that, nevertheless, manage to work in that fist-pounding thrash edge into what would otherwise be a couple of more mainline 80s heavy metal anthem off Accept's Metal Heart.

Contrary to what one might suspect given the slight edge given to more mid-tempo fare, this album devotes an equal amount of time to kinetic, frenzied mayhem as it does slower, epic splendor. Not content to have the fast-paced speed thrasher "Mr. Inferno" be the most intense entry, the sheer riff happy pandemonium of "The King" blazes away in the most unrelenting of fashions, to the point of rivaling the most insane displays that Jon Schaffer would take to Iced Earth's Night Of The Stormrider a few years later. The riveting title anthem "To Dust You Will Decay" has a bit more of a melodic flourish to it, but cooks away at a similarly insane tempo and features one of the most brilliant guitar solo interchanges between Lynn and Nauer, reaching close to the sort of madness that Tipton and Downing would dabble in on Painkiller. "The Stranger" has a more well-rounded blend of melody and intensity, but is by no means a slouch when push comes to shove, and the driving speed of "The Duel" has a bit more of a tuneful Helloween vibe to it, yet sticks to its speed metal credentials to a fault. Round the whole thing out with a more atmospheric but still impact-based metal send off in "Hold On", and what culminates is among the most powerful blend of infectious hooks and uncompromising thrash to come out of 1988.

Why this album isn't held in the same regard as undisputed classics such as Running Wild's Port Royal and Scanner's Terminal Earth will likely never be properly explained, but perhaps a clue to this past injustice is just how utterly unique it happens to be. The closest analogous album to the peculiar blend of power metal and thrash metal that occurs on here would be to that of Onslaught's often panned third LP In Search For Sanity, and even that comparison is a bit flawed as this album is a bit less convoluted and S.L. Coe's voice is a tad more adaptable to the more percussive shouted style that is often called for within a thrash metal context than that of Steve Grimmett. Ultimately it's the albums that truly offer something original that tend to be passed up by the majority of passers by, despite their insistence that said trait is the paramount in their search for new music. For many of the true blooded thrash fanatics out there who think that the gruff-steeped yells of James Hetfield and Chuck Billy are the closest their music should get to clean singing, this may prove a bridge too far, but it's as much a thrash metal classic as it is a power and speed metal staple, and mainline thrash hounds who can tolerate a Joey Belladonna alongside their usual query should give this a long overdue chance.

Amazing German Power Thrash! - 100%

ThrashFanatic, February 6th, 2018
Written based on this version: 2016, CD, No Remorse Records (Reissue, Remastered)

In my last review, I talked about Angel Dust's debut record "Into The Dark Past". That record was a excellent debut, and a step in the right direction. Angel Dust would however go through a drastic line-up change. Guitarist/ vocalist Romme and guitarist Andreas were replaced by Stefan K. Nauer and Vinni Lynn. Vocalist S.L. Coe also joined, making the band a 5-piece. The band released their sophomore effort "To Dust You Will Decay" in 1988, the band would take a more melodic power metal approach to their thrash sound. Let's take a look at the record...

The record opens with "3rd Challenge", which serves as an instrumental intro. The synths are epic, and it sets the mood for this classic power/thrash album. "Mr. Inferno" follows, and the one thing I love most about this record is Coe's vocals. His melodic power metal approach is even better than Romme's more aggressive style. His vocals are some of the best I've heard ever. New guitarists Vinni and Stefan are even better than Romme and Andreas also. Their riffs are killer throughout the record, and the guitars have that distinct 80's sound. Bassist Frank Banx is more audible and clear here, his bass lines are excellent and they compliment the guitar parts quite well. Drummer Dirk Assmuth's drumming is as good as it was on "Into The Dark Past". His drumming is on point and it works.

One of my favorites here is "Wings Of An Angel", the vocal melodies here are just amazing. Especially when he sings these lines...

"To take you to the stars
To take you on your last fight
They're taking you so high
higher & higher & higher & higher & higher
Taking you higher
Taking you high!"

"The King" is where the riffs stand out the most, with the opening riff being one of my favorites. The chorus is memorable as well. This is another killer track! The title track is another highlight., with some very melodic guitar work and vocals. The chorus is the strongest on the album. The highlight on the record for me is the closing track (for the vinyl version), "Hold On". This track starts with a beautiful guitar intro and some melodic vocals from Coe. The main riff is superb and the lyrics are almost poetic...

"You ride on a silver spider
captured in his net
and your prince rides beside you
he knows no way to help"

The chorus also provides an uplifting and positive message, basically the lyrics say to never give up and to follow your dreams, hence the title "Hold On". The solos are great, they remind me of something Dave Murray and Adrian Smith would of played on Somewhere In Time. This is one of my favorite songs ever, and it is certainly my favorite Angel Dust song.

So Angel Dust out did their debut in nearly every department. The songs are better, the vocals are better, the guitar work is better, and the bass and drum work is better. No disrespect to Romme and Andreas, but this album was Angel Dust at their peak. I recommend this to fans of Iron Angel, Powermad, Metal Church, and Scanner.

Highlights: "Mr. Inferno", "Wings Of An Angel", "The King", "To Dust You Will Decay" and "Hold On"

The Dust of Ages and How Fresh It Sounds - 92%

bayern, August 8th, 2017

I’m writing this to atone for my atrocious behaviour towards this album when it was released. I severely disliked it as I was expecting a faithful follow-up to “Into the Dark Past”, one of my perennial top twenties; I was expecting the same vocalist, the same no-bars-held blitzkrieg speed/thrash and all the rest. As this wasn’t the case, I quickly forgot about it since there were so many other albums that year for one to lose himself in. A few years later this guy gave me a cassette with the debut albums of two new German acts, Secrecy and Squealer, saying that those two were great stuff, something like the perfect mixtures of power, speed, and thrash, and that they owed a lot to old works like Angel Dust’s sophomore…

those two were really good albums, and I had to give the album reviewed here another listen, which was on the other side of the cassette that contained “Into the Dark Past”. I wanted to listen to the latter first, naturally, but I had to rewind the tape, which was a hassle, so I went straight for “the dust and the decay”. This was our second encounter, and under more propitious circumstances, as the moment the vocals hit I instantly recognized S.L. Coe, the great singer who did such a wonderful job on Scanner’s “Terminal Earth” which had appeared two years after. That changed the situation entirely, and helped me get into the music much more easily. So the band weren’t doing anything wrong, if you think of it, as the whole German scene (Helloween, Warrant, Iron Angel, Tyrant, Running Wild, etc.) was subjected to this detrimental “softer/mellower sophomore” syndrome which may have been an unofficial sequel to the strives of the more renowned bands (DIO, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, etc.) to capture the attention of the huge American audience by becoming more radio-friendly. Helloween did hit the big bucks with the “Keepers”, but the others, including our friends here, remained in the underground.

To tell the truth, the album does have “an infernal” beginning, one I had criminally overlooked the first time around, in the form of “Mr. Inferno” which may even qualify for the debut with its lashing, explosive riffage, pure German speed metal at its most shining best Coe’s assured, emotional vocals adding more depth to the musical proceedings, also pulling out a great chorus. The production is way more polished compared to the debut, and regardless of the aggressive guitars the whole thing comes with a rousing epic sound recalling Helloween’s first “Keeper” and Iron Angel’s “Winds of War”. “Winds… sorry, “Wings of an Angel” justifies this epic part being an officiant mid-paced power metal anthem “winking” at the other side of The Atlantic (Omen, Griffin, Jag Panzer), but the album doesn’t stay on this ground for very long as what comes next is “Into the Dark Past (Chapter I)”, another “wink”, but at the guys’ first coming this time, a great diverse speedster moving from impetuous gallops to more intricate, heavier shreds the whole time.

Despite the title, the latter piece can’t hold a candle to “The King”, explosive speed/thrash which must have been a leftover from the debut, the absolute highlight here, razor-sharp riffs galore and numerous headbanging opportunities at every corner, a shredfest of the highest order which also shows the bass player as a very capable performer. The title-track carries on in a very similar direction and is another sure headbanging fest with screamy leads and the next in line memorable chorus, a perennial delight for all metalheads (where the fuck was I listening the first time around?!). “Stranger” is not “a stranger” to steel gallops and superb speedy accumulations, the intensity toned down by a small notch thanks to a more lyrical passage which accompanies the supreme chorus. “The Duell” (could be “a duel”, but misspelt) is a fabulous short speed metal anthem, a spontaneous slab of energy and vigour, the last one of its kind since “Hold On” is a more moderate mid-tempo power metaller with the nice chorus again and the upbeat, bouncy rhythm-section.

I used to take quite a few albums based on prejudice and the failure to fulfil unrealistic expectations in the (dark) past; ones that I learnt to appreciate for what they actually are. An unreasonable, dogmatic, young metalhead, what could you do… at least in this case I completely made up for my ignorant stance earlier as I’ve listened to this opus hundreds of times now although I still prefer the debut, with the one here a close second in their discography. The similarities to Scanner’s “Terminal Earth”, for example, are quite obvious as the cosmos explorers moved to similar ways of execution on their second instalment as well, influences hypothetically brought by Coe… yes, power, speed, and thrash come mixed in a very appetizing manner here, for the first time on German soil, not worldwide though (remember Lazz Rockit’s “Know Your Enemy” released a year earlier), and in this train of thought this album could be viewed an influence on future practitioners, like the two outfits mentioned at the beginning.

Sadly, the guys didn’t preserve this blend after their reunion in 1998, but opted for a more streamlined power metal delivery that still generated a fair amount of interest, but wasn’t anywhere near the combustible level of musicianship exhibited on the first two showings. Regardless, Angel Dust were a very pleasant moment from the 80’s metal scene, they managed a great double (two strong albums released in quick succession before the band split up or disappear for a long period of time), and they’re still alive and well, confidently shaking off the dust of ages, looking into the bright future by always keeping an eye on the dark past.

It Doesn't Get Much Better Than This!!! - 100%

Metallian83, October 10th, 2011

When we think of German speed/power metal, what usually comes to mind? Helloween, Blind Guardian, etc...sound familiar? Take Walls of Jericho and the Keeper albums by Helloween, Battalions of Fear by Blind Guardian, maybe a great thrash album like Vendetta's Go and Live.... Stay and Die, and combine them into the ULTIMATE power/thrash album! Yes, the keyboard-driven power metal band you might know from the 90's and early 2000's wasn't always that "laid back" (if you want to call it that!). Angel Dust didn't hold back in the 80's and ESPECIALLY not on this album! It has it's super thrashy tracks as well as it's power metal classics scattered all throughout this masterpiece!

To Dust You Will Decay was the follow up to the pure speed metal debut Into the Dark Past. These two albums both share their moments of speed metal glory, but this sophomore release was WAY more melodic and had a new singer by the name of S.L. Coe. Coe had also sang for another great power/speed metal band called Scanner on their second album Terminal Earth. To Dust You Will Decay pushes the limits in every way possible here and really shows what kind of amazing singer S.L. Coe actually was! Terminal Earth was a little more "straight forward" than this. Imagine some of the most tightest riffs imaginable in the genre, crazy shredding solos, super memorable and slightly epic melodies all coming together to challenge the best of the best! This album is so monstrous that I wouldn't be surprised if Kai Hansen himself was awed by it's greatness! For all musicians out there, some of these riffs will make your head spin. If you're a guitarist and can pull off the ultra complex thrash numbers like "The King" and the title track "To Dust You Will Decay" than you are officially GREAT. Helloween and Blind Guardian both show some top notch talents, but this takes it above and beyond.

Now let's talk about the songs themselves and the overall production of the album. There are 9 original tracks and 2 bonus tracks called "Flight to Russia" and "Dawn of the End with a grand total of 11 tracks. The bonus tracks are every bit as great as the rest of the album so they fit like a glove! The production couldn't be better also! You can really tell it is a product of the late 80's with much reverb unlike the more "dry" debut. I think the reverb sounds great here giving the songs more atmosphere. Everything on this album also sounds very clear, which is really great because there are so many notes and runs crammed everywhere!

The album begins with a nice little epic intro track that shifts quickly into the menacing, yet slightly bizarre "Mr. Inferno". Angel Dust definitely decided to hit us with something thrashy and very unique. Some of these riffs are very odd-timed and just wait till it gets to the chorus! It's powerful and sounds almost apocalyptic! Then it goes to a few more "heavy/power metal" moments rather than the speed/thrash sound of Mr. Inferno. They even did a sequel to their debut album called "Into the Dark Past Chapter II", which sounds nothing like the first album at all, but more of very epic power metal! The album decides to hit you even harder in the middle of the album with "The King" and the title track. These songs are certainly some mesmerizing thrash metal that will leave you dropping your jaw after every riff, lead, and run played ever so tightly! After the album already leaves you wondering, "well, I think I've heard it all, this album couldn't possibly have more to offer... could it??"
The answer is... YES. The album finishes with more classic power metal that always seems to throw in a headbanging thrash riff for good measure. As for the bonus tracks, it certainly adds to the album to make a great thing even better! "Flight to Russia" is a very well-done instrumental and the second bonus track "Dawn of the End" is more of a ballad, but strangely it's a fantastic way to end such an album as this. It's a good way to bring you down easily from all the amazement that has just graced your ears...

This album definitely deserves a perfect score, for it doesn't lack in anything! The songwriting is topnotch with every song being entertaining. In all fairness it's way more entertaining than the debut and personally I wish they would have done more like this... But ah well, Border of Reality was a great comeback anyway, but still doesn't compare to this epic masterpiece! Every track is a highlight!

Now, for those who actually buy their music like me, these CD's have been out of print for a good while. The general price for To Dust You Will Decay is around $30.00, but it is worth 50 or even 100 in my book! There are also some bootlegs that were floating around for a while, my first copy was a bootleg and I purchased it about 7 or 8 years ago. Even though its a bootleg, it's a good one and I might even say that it's better than the original. However, if you're a completist you might have both versions like myself.

Bottom line... GET THIS ALBUM NOW!!! If you like Helloween, Scanner, early Blind Guardian, etc. you can't go wrong!!!

If German speed metal is your thing, check it out - 80%

Xeogred, May 1st, 2007

No, this isn't another "Walls of Jericho", "Battalions of Fear", "Gates To Purgatory" or anything, but is definitely something that would fit on the shelf right below them. It definitely seems much more polished over their debut before this, and much more mature. This is still the old speed/thrash Angel Dust of their older days, and is drastically different compared to their newly reformed sound, which could be thrown in a big pile of power metal.

This album features S.L. Coe on vocals, probably mostly infamous for his vocals on Scanner's "Terminal Earth", who would later go on to sing for the extremely obscure band Reactor (and eventually created his own self-titled band). Coe has always been one of those vocalists I really enjoy. He isn't mindblowing by any means, but always seems to give out an incredible performance, and his voice is very self distinguished and original. His vocals here are top notch, and are actually easier to hear than his vocals on "Terminal Earth". Scanner fans would probably really enjoy this. Thanks to him all of the chorusese here are extremely catchy and enjoyable. Because of his energetic performance alone, this album becomes a very enjoyable one.

The aggression does tend to feel a bit toned down compared to their debut, but at the same time this feels so much more mature and there's actually some memorable songs. The production is very good for its time, and especially coming out of Germany. The instruments and mixing are pretty comparable to Blind Guardian's debut, but slightly better and clearer. Everything is really easy to hear.

As for the style, its your typical German speed metal sound with a few more thrash moments than its predecessors. This kind of stuff probably gets its thrash image from the aggression, but for the most part speed metal out of this area tends to focus more on catchy rhythm's and melodies than some of the stuff you might hear out of the States (certainly not the case for all thrash, but to make a point). The King, Angel Dust You Will Decay, The Duell, and the instrumental Flight to Russia sound like something you'd hear right out of the Bay Area. All very great tracks. The intro is actually pretty cool, and after that the first three tracks Mr. Inferno, Wings of an Angel, and Into the Dark Past (Chapter II) carry on the German sound more than anything else on here. Fast, energetic, and with some great catchy choruses. Into the Dark Past is probably one of the best tracks on here, especially when it gets towards the end. Emotions just spill out with the incredible harmonies, and the blistering solo's come back for revenge. Stranger is one of the more diverse numbers, with some of their best melodies, and not to mention the incredible layered acoustic leads in the background fit perfectly. Only to build up to more dual blistering solo's. Hold On is pretty similar in style, and often sounds like something you could have heard from Scanner. The final track also comes off as a little more dynamic and diverse like the previous two songs mentioned, building up to great ending. The very end repeats the intro song in a sense that you could just go back and listen to whole thing over again, and would probably enjoy it.

Way better than their debut, and very underated. Personally I haven't been able to get into Angel Dust's newer stuff, but I really enjoyed this album. So if you're in a similar case and their new stuff doesn't do much for you, it'd still be worth checking out this release. Fans of early German speed metal, and bands like Running Wild, Helloween, Gamma Ray, Scanner, Blind Guardian, Iron Savior, and so forth would probably really enjoy this one. Definitely a great album with some amazing moments.