I’d like to start this review by saying I LOVE Destruction. Who doesn’t? Their 80s output remains untouchable to this day, from the bestial blackened speed of Sentence of Death (1984) to the exciting tech leanings of Release From Agony (1987). Then the 90s happened. This was a dark time for most thrash bands. It was especially a dark time for Destruction, who saw the departure of bassist/vocalist/founder Schmier, and worse yet, released a groove metal album (1998’s The Least Successful Human Cannonball). Would things ever be the same again for these Teutonic thrash titans? That answer depends on who you ask.
There are some who will tell you the 1999 return of Schmier and the subsequent reunion albums that followed, All Hell Breaks Loose (2000) and The Antichrist (2001), were a “return to form”. While I wouldn’t go that far, they were definitely the band’s most consistent releases since the 80s. Everything that has followed in the past 20 years has been spotty at best. Some albums are stronger than others, yes, but nothing will ever come close to the ferocity of Infernal Overkill (1985). If you want that, check out the new Deathhammer album. That said, I am a completist. Not only that, but when it comes to a band as legendary as Destruction, I like to give every album a fair shot. So here I am about to give you my analysis on their latest album, Diabolical.
Despite its name, Diabolical isn’t really diabolical. In terms of songwriting and musicianship, it’s rather pedestrian and predictable. It’s also the first Destruction album without founding guitarist Mike Sifringer, and it shows. Current axe slingers Damir Eskić and Martin Furia sure love to play the same drop D machine gun riff over and over and over again. There are occasional flashy leads characteristic of melodic death metal (i.e. “The Last of a Dying Breed”, “State of Apathy”), but aside from that, you know what you’re going to get. I’m not sure if I should lay this blame on this guitar duo or Schmier, who very likely handles most (if not all) songwriting duties, and likely has for quite sometime.
To Schmier’s credit, the songs on this album certainly boast more fire and memorability than those on Destruction’s last album, Born to Perish (2019). Yes, despite the formulaic arrangements and song structures, Diabolical is a semi-enjoyable album by modern thrash standards. Cuts like “No Faith in Humanity”, “Hope Dies Last”, “Ghosts from the Past”, and the title track are breakneck thrashers guaranteed to get the pit spinning. What these songs lack in innovation they make up for in sheer brutality, and that’s fine by me. The only thing hindering their attack is the inclusion of midtempo snoozefests such as “Tormented Soul”, which sounds like a modern Accept leftover, and the utterly cringeworthy Lamb of God-esque “The Lonely Wolf”. Close your eyes and you can smell the Axe body spray.
I can’t lie and say there’s anything Destruction could’ve done differently to alter the result of Diabolical. Even if they did shave it down by 4 or 5 songs, which would’ve been a smart move, it still would probably be a 6 at best. It’s a shame to see such a legendary outfit swim in a pool of uninspired mediocrity, but they certainly aren’t alone (i.e. Exodus, Testament, Vio-Lence, Kreator, etc.). What good is a “Mad Butcher” if the meat’s gone rotten?
5 out of 10
Label: Napalm Records
Genre: Thrash Metal
For fans of: Kreator, Exodus, Slayer