Destruction - Day of Reckoning

Teutonic Thrash stalwarts Destruction come back with a vengeance on Day of Reckoning.  Armed with new drummer Vavver (ex-Unsun) and a collection of savage thrashers, 2008’s ho-hum D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. is left in the dust.

Blazing open with “The Price,” Destruction lays down a sinister salvo of thrash.  Perhaps one of their best album openers, the crunch, snarls and speed that sets the bar into the stratosphere.  “Hate is my Fuel” keeps up the energy even with its few slower moments and Schmier’s snarls show no wear. Unfortunately “Armageddonizer” wobbles without a precise focus and really is only memorable when the song takes a hasty pace. Thankfully “Devil’s Advocate” turns things around and lays down one of the most classic sounding Destruction thrash anthems of the reunion era. The song’s riveting riffs and chaotic chords make for one of the album’s best moments.

The title track commands a slower pace, but a great riff and heaps of attitude help deliver the goods.  The riffs get a bit more technical on the ferocious “Sorcerer of Black Magic” and groove and thrash collide on the aggressive “Misfit.”  “The Demon is God” utilizes some odd riff structures and a return to the more technical side. The mid-point of the track unloads some great undulant riffs over a mid-paced stomp.  Both “Church of Disgust” and “Destroyer or Creator” rely heavily on the crunchy riffs and ferocious hustle.  Schmier stretches is hoarse screams on the aforementioned track while both songs feature great, blazing solos.  Album closer “Sheep of the Regime” gets a little schizophrenic with its tempos and riffs but makes for some classy chaos.

Day of Reckoning is easily Destruction’s most aggressive disc since the 2001’s flawless The Antichrist. A lot of the chunky riffing and slower paces that gummed up Inventor of Evil and D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. have been shed, replaced by what Destruction does best: Thrash.  The production is nice and thick, like their previous releases, but Vavver’s drums tend to be just a bit too hot in the mix.  While his performance is thunderous, some of the double kicks have a tendency to overpower the riffs.  This beefs up the aggression, most fans would rather be enveloped by Mike’s unique riffing. Not a jarring attack that rumbles over the rest of the music at times.

But even with the minor production issue, Day of Reckoning will definitely please the band’s base as Destruction returns with a more focused, speedier assault that has been underutilized on the previous discs. While The Antichrist is still the pinnacle of their reformation, Day of Reckoning gets the band back on track.  Recommended.

Note: The US limited edition features a slightly different cover and two bonus tracks.  The first, a cover of Dio’s “Stand Up and Shout” is given the Destruction treatment while still being faithful to the original.  Schmier tries to sing a few lines but his snarl gels nicely with the aggressive nature injected into the track.  The second bonus is a demo of “The Price” that sounds too tight to be a demo.  The crisper production does not match the album though. While the Dio cover is a nice addition, the demo track isn’t a must hear.  Given the option between the standard and limited edition, it wouldn’t be any mistake going with the additional Dio cover if there isn’t a significant price difference between discs.

Release Date: March 8, 2011
Label: Nuclear Blast Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  The Price
2.  Hate is my Fuel
3.  Armageddonizer
4.  Devil’s Advocate
5.  Day of Reckoning
6.  Sorcerer of Black Magic
7.  Misfit
8.  The Demon is God
9.  Church of Disgust
10.  Destroyer or Creator
11.  Sheep of the Regime

Total playing time:  45:23

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Reviewer: Rottenbucher

March 9, 2011