Destruction - Diabolical (Napalm Records) [Matt Bladen]
40 years! 40 years German thrash metal machine Destruction, still led by vocalist/bassist Schmier, have been laying waste to all around them as part of the German 'Big Four' along with Kreator, Sodom and Tankard. Over the course of these 40 years and 15 albums there have been numerous members joining the band founder but the current line up consists of drummer Randy Black (joined 2018), lead guitarist
Damir Eskic (joined 2019) and rhythm guitarist Martin Furia who joined in 2021. So Destruction are a lean, mean fourpiece, still playing like they have something to prove with the vicious style of thrash, The Last Of A Dying Breed and State Of Apathy exploding with furious riffs and those familiar Schmier snarl/wail vocals.
The Teutonic thrash scene has always been a much more aggressive than the American thrash scene and Destruction seem to still have that brute force of their early records on Diabolical, from the classic metal gallops on The Lonely Wolf to the blasting No Faith In Humanity, the dive bombing Ghost From The Past and the closing cover of City Baby Attacked By Rats originally by GBH all show different sides to the out and out aggression of Destruction where they bring classic metal and also punk well, much like they have done throughout their 40 years. Uncompromising thrash that won't yield to any attitudes or popularity contests. 40 years and still pulverising, this is Destruction. 7/10
It would be easy to write off a band that pens songs with titles such as Cirrhosis For Dinner, Knifed In The Butt and Molotov Cock Tease. It would also be a disservice, because Atoll aren’t your run-of-the-mill, jokey brutal death metal band. Yes, their new album Prepuce includes various sound clips from the likes of Family Guy and Dave Chapelle (not to mention the title of the release is the technical term for the foreskin), however the instruments throughout the six-track EP are much more polished for this style of music.
The Troops Of Doom – Antichrist Reborn (Alma Mater Records) [Matt Cook]
The Troops Of Doom came out swinging for the fences with their debut full-length, Antichrist Reborn, a death-doom thrill ride dripping in Satanic overtone and backed by a bevy of talented musicians and a supporting cast. Wasting no time, Dethroned Messiah is adrenaline metal at its finest – a thrashy combination of guitar and drums, a groovy line and wretched, haunting vocals. The illustrious Swedish producer Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy/Pain) knows a thing or two about old-school metal, and it’s firmly on display. At first glance, the Brazilian foursome is clearly up to the task of breaking into the scene and challenging mainstay acts.
Et Moriemur - Tamashii No Yama (Transcending Obscurity Records) [Matt Bladen]
Et Moriemur are Czech doom metal band who love to explore the mythos of other countries. Their last record Epigrammata was taken from Greek history and mythology, this one comes from Japanese folklore and history. It also bookended by some beautiful piano playing from vocalist Zdeněk Nevělík coming on the stirring instrumental opening track Haneda and the end of 14 minute epic Takamagahara, linking the start and finish of this record together.
Haneda also features acoustic guitars from Honza Kapák, Shakuhachi (and ancient bow instrument) from Marek Matvija along with strings that come Zuzana Králová (violin), Andrea Michálková (cello) and Zdeněk Janeček (viola), it skillfully moves into Sagami which brings in the distorted, downtuned riffs of Aleš Vilingr and Honza Tlačil as Zdeněk growls over the top, the piano slowly moves away on Oshima where we are brought into symphonic/atmospheric doom sound that Et Moriemur have always been associated with. But they are more than that taking from death and black metal to make a musical menagerie that reminds me of Rotting Christ, My Dying Bride and Septicflesh, the massive riffs highlighted by the more experimental elements of their music for an album that is cinematic in scope but also build on some extreme metal power.
The sequencing of the record is so good, I actually took a few inputs of breath as one song shifted seamlessly into the other, the music undulating and adapting, the traditional instruments highlighted earlier running rampant on Izu and Nagoya the latter showcasing the chugging rhythms of bassist Karel “Kabrio” Kovářík and the latter the mechanical drumming of Michal “Datel” Rak as the doom heaviness gives way to yet more planative piano and acoustic guitars, before the frantic death metal battery comes on Otsuki slowing into swelling strings, piano to culminate on the fantastic Takamagahara a track that evolves into the most evocative song on the whole record. I hadn't heard of Et Moriemur before this but the way they have linked Japanese cultural efforts with atmospheric doom metal has impressed the hell out of me, so I'll have to go back and check out any previous albums they have. Tamashii No Yama is a superior example of atmospheric doom that you need to hear. 9/10