Album review: Destruction “Born to Thrash – Live in Germany”
German thrash metal band Destruction shows us that they are still a terrific live act on its new live album.
German band Destruction plays my kind of heavy metal. They don’t pretend, they don’t try to fit in, they are just Destruction. Fast and furious thrash metal, that is what Destruction has always been about. No compromises. Original guitarist Mike Sifringer and bassist/vocalist Schmier, who together co-founded the band in 1982, are still going strong with Destruction. The band got renewed energy when hard-hitting Canadian drummer Randy Black (ex-Primal Fear, Annihilator, W.A.S.P.) joined the band a couple of years ago. They subsequently expanded the line-up with a second guitarist, Swiss musician Damir Eskic. The two new members have been a serious vitamin injection for the band. The fresh blood has served this veteran act very well. They have retained their old-school thrash roots but sound heavier and better than ever before. This splendid live release, “Born to Thrash – Live in Germany”, was recorded in front of the band’s home fans at the Party.San Metal Open Air festival in Germany in 2019. The album contains many of the most loved songs from Destruction’s vast back catalogue, including “Born to Perish”, “Nailed to the Cross”, “Mad Butcher”, “Thrash Till Death” and “The Butcher Strikes Back”. The production of the album is quite raw and just the way I like it. It gives us Destruction the way they sound in concert, not a polished version of the band, but the real thing. Thrash metal the way it is meant to be played.
Destruction’s “Born to Thrash – Live in Germany” live album will be released in Japan via Ward Records on 17th July and internationally via Nuclear Blast.
