Destruktor

Nailed

Written by: EW on 27/11/2009 19:45:32

Some records don't need a big build up nor over-analysis and this Destruktor album is one of them. This bunch of Aussies are finally releasing a full length and not before time for their Metal Archives page rates they formed in 1995 and have issued just a few splits and EPs down the years before we now finally have "Nailed".

I have one of those EPs, 2004's "Nuclear Storm" and the difference of 5 years sees not only a slight change in style but a grand improvement in all-round performance too. While "Nuclear Storm" was essentially an average Deströyer 666 clone, albeit with a good foot-tapping tendency, "Nailed" significantly ups the death metal in their black/death metal mixture pushing the band closer to what I imagine is meant by people in the underground when they refer to the genre 'war metal'. Now I don't give a shit about nonsensical genres like that but in an Angelcorpse and Sinister sorta way the unholy racket Destruktor hammer out here has the sound of a band with severe intent and a know-how for writing songs heavy on the old-school death metal vibe interlaced with some (un)healthy dollops of black and thrash metal.

Vocalist Glenn Destruktor now possesses a much rawer more brutal voice than he did on "Nuclear Storm", a change which I personally prefer given how it fits mightily amongst some damn good death metal action here. As evidenced by the likes of "After Death Murmors" and with the Mayhem-like intro to "Embrace The Fire" Destruktor can do more than pen simple monotone death-metal-by-numbers, a tactic used and abused by countless others, and this results in one of the best albums of this style I've heard in quite some time. The standard, though high throughout the album's 10 songs, moves further skywards come the latter stages of the album with "Endless Reign Of Terror", "After Death Murmors" and "Spawning The Immortal" ending the album on a real high, leaving the verdict that alongside Tribulation's brilliant "The Horror" from earlier this year "Nailed" ranks as one of this year's best death metal albums and is one I am sure to be playing again now its review is written.

Download: Endless Reign Of Terror, After Death Murmors, Spawning The Immortal
For The Fans Of: Tribulation, Angelcorpse, Sinister
Listen: Myspace

Release date: 20.09.2009
Hell’s Headbangers Records

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