ALBUM REVIEW: Destruction - Birth of Malice

German legends Destruction require no introduction, having been plying their brand of Teutonic thrash for over 40 years now, and the band originally hailing from Baden-Württemberg are back with album number sixteen Birth of Malice. 

Has it really been three years since Diabolical! 

Birth of Malice is the second album with a stable line-up of Martin Furia and Damir Eskić on guitars, Randy Black on drums and of course the main man himself Schmier, the last original member, on vocals and bass. 

The album starts with the title-track, which strangely is only a minute introduction, featuring ominous acoustic guitar melodies and atmospheric sound effects that lead into the eponymous first track proper Destruction. A blistering, fist pumping metal psalm, with razor sharp riffage and a jaw dropping solo, but it's slightly disappointingly that the lyrics do follow the tired old trope of using past song titles as lyrics, which, by the way they have already done before on 2001’s Thrash ‘til Death, 2005’s The Alliance of Hellhounds, and 2012’s Legacy of the Past, with varying amounts of success. For all that, thankfully the song is actually tremendous fun with a chorus which is obviously designed with the live shows in mind, and I can imagine, with myself being one of them, the hordes screaming "We’re Destruction” with real gusto when the band is touring. 

Thankfully the rest of the album tackles more serious lyrical topics with Scumbag Human Race and No Kings – No Masters pointing the finger at the ruling authorities and politicians, with a stark warning that we, the people are near breaking point and ready for change! You have been warned! The music mirrors these militant assertions with pummelling riffs and pounding drums and bass, yet are still supremely catchy with huge, memorable choruses and hooks. 

The unusually titled A.N.G.S.T. slows things down, with no sacrifice in heaviness mind, the guitars churning out massive, fat and crunchy power chords, and there’s another earworm of a chorus. The whole album is unmistakably Destruction, although this time around there does seem to be some extra spice and a freshness to the song writing. Not that any of the previous albums have been lacking, but there does seem to be an added dimension to Birth of Malice, which in no small part is assisted by the production, again performed by band friend V.O. Pulver at his Swiss Little Creek Studio. It appears a bit cleaner and more organic than some of the other recent albums. 

Evil Never Sleeps highlights the variety of the song writing, with its off the wall arrangement and quirky chorus. Although there is more diversity in the songs this time around, if speed is still your thing, then God of Gore and closing bruiser Greed will satisfy your needs with their old school leanings, neither would have felt out of place on Eternal Devastation or Release from Agony. 

As has been the case with many of the 21st century albums the band finish up with a cover version., I can take or leave cover songs, so maybe take this into account, but this time it’s an intense run through of the old Accept classic Fast as a Shark, which, while not quite matching the original, is a good effort. 

One thing I haven’t mentioned is the striking cover art by the returning Gyula Havancsák, who by the way, has reached his 20th anniversary working with the band, his first being Inventor of Evil back in 2005. This time around there’s no Mad Butcher; instead a fiercely demonic creature is bursting out of the other long-time band symbol, the Destruction skull. 

Destruction once again show they are still on top of their game, with yet another fantastic addition to their discography, and it’s guaranteed that fans old and new will not be disappointed, and that the Bestial Invasion continues as strong as ever.

Birth of Malice is out on 7th March via Napalm Records

Live photos by Hutch

Band photo by Jennifer Gruber