ALBUM REVIEW: Diabolical – Destruction

There are very few bands that have maintained the level of consistency that thrash metal legends DESTRUCTION have achieved throughout their staggering 40-year career. They show no signs of running out of steam any time soon as they are due to release the latest instalment in their colossal back catalogue entitled Diabolical on April 8th via Napalm Records. Will this effort further cement their legacy?

Under The Spell immediately instils a chill in the air with its stirring, evocative nature that sets the scene nicely for title track Diabolical to come hurtling by. Swift riffing and Marcel “Schmier” Schirmer‘s iconic grisly vocals grab the track by the scruff of the neck and take you on a wild journey of sonic aggression. No Faith In Humanity maintains the intensity with thunderous drum beats and a ferocious tempo. Razor-sharp precision is meticulously executed, particularly in the latter lead work. Repent Your Sins throws some killer grooves into the mix as the track proudly marches on. This is precisely the kind of material that cries out for a crowd of crazy metalheads to whip up a frenzy.

Hope Dies Last keeps the hooks flowing thick and fast. Blistering drumming provides a formidable backbone for the arrangement. The Last Of A Dying Breed follows suit as boisterous shrieking vocals and fret-blazing solo sequences put their stamp on the track. State Of Apathy doesn’t plan on letting the searing pacing dwindle for even a mere moment, demolishing all in its eyesight. Tormented Soul gets down and dirty with a raunchy, crunchy guitar tone that keeps proceedings exciting and inviting with the switch of delivery. Servant Of The Beast doesn’t let you get too comfortable, gearing up the rapid fire riffing once more.

The Lonely Wolf provides a powerful surge that would give LAMB OF GOD a run for their money. Enticing melodies offer up an additional dynamic layer to feast your ears on. Ghost From The Past dishes out some snappy instrumentation that keeps the adrenaline pumping. Another round of masterful lead runs adds another moment to the highlight reel. Whorefication possesses a particularly dark tone which will sink its teeth in if you get too close. Not to be outdone by its predecessors, it unleashes arguably the most impressive explosion of riffing the album has to offer. Before departing they even have time to reel off an incendiary rendition of G.B.H classic City Baby Attacked By Rats.

The amount of passion and dedication that DESTRUCTION have poured into their craft is undeniable and Diabolical shows just as much vigour and enthusiasm as a band who are half their age. It may take a die hard thrash fanatic to maintain the same level of excitement throughout the entire runtime but it is yet another feather in the cap of one of the genre’s all time greats.

Rating: 8/10

Diabolical is set for release on April 8th via Napalm Records.

Like DESTRUCTION on Facebook.