reviewslistd

						REVIEWS LIST	- D

D

D.A.M. - INSIDE OUT (1991) (Review by: Per-Ola Nilsson)
Great Britain never exactly had a thrash scene to brag about, but D.A.M. was one of the few quality thrash-acts spawned on the big island. Unknown probably due to lack of exposure, as they had to fight for the attention on the giant label Noise records. 1991's "Inside Out", their second and last release, is quite a pleasant thrash-surprise.

The brits blend crunch and intensity with melody in an impressive way. The sound that comes out is very reminiscient of that on Anthrax's "Spreading the Disease". And as we all know there are worse albums to compared with... The album goes on for almost an hour, and despite that none of the songs feel unnecessary. As highligths, "Man of Violence", "The Innocent One" and "My Twisted Mind" count in. Vocalist Jason McLoughlin definetely sound british. He sings very clean, throws in some falsetto screams here and there and wouldn't have been out of place in your typical NWOBHM-band. Just gotta love it. If you like melodic thrash in general and early Anthrax in particular, "Inside Out" is a self-given choice for your thrash-collection. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

D.A.M. - HUMAN WRECKAGE (1990)
The UK-thrashers D.A.M. (which stands for Destruction and Mayhem) released two albums first out was Human Wreckage in 1989.

They did a tour with Candlemass and Dark Angel after releasing "Human wreckage" and they recorded a split-video with these bands named "3-way thrash". Their sound is mid-paced & rhythmic like many bands from the earlier days of the genre. Not so far away from their neighbours Xentrix & Toranaga for those who have heard 'em. Early Anthrax/Lääz Rockit would perhaps be easier to relate to.

Their vocalist Jason McLoughlin sounds very British, he has a mid to high-range voice without falsetto screams, McLoughlin is on the verge to punk on the verses. The production is simple, the label giant Noise didn't spend more than necessary on 'Human Wreckage'. But fortunately it works better if you turn the volume amp to it's maximun. Almost every song helps to raise the impression of this album. I love the slowest song "Infernal Torment", real heavy riffing with a dark rambling intro. Other nice tunes are "Death warmed up" and "Left to rot". This is english thrash history. There aren't many thrash bands from the islands that kicks D.A.M.'s ass. 

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DAMIEN - REQUIEM FOR THE DEAD (1988)

Being an obscure band from Sweden Damien never got around to record a full LP but they recorded this three track EP at least and a handful of demos and another compilation EP.

This EP was released in 1988 on Gothic Records and it clocks in just under eleven minutes. Vocalist Tommie Agrippa later sung on Hexenhaus brilliant "The Edge of Eternity".

That was a small history lesson, now over to the music. The songs starts off rather heavy but gets faster as they progress. 

The songs are well-written, fast and heavy. Requiem for the dead is filled with chunky riffs and the haunting background choir does an effective job on "Not a pleasant way to die". "Death is part of the Process" is a faster thrasher and "Knights of the Realm" is a proud thrasher with heavy riffs that will obliterate your ears. Agrippa shrieks and his earpiercing screams are effectful. It's just about everything that you want from a obscure thrash band in the late eighties, too bad they never recorded that full length-album. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DARK ANGEL - TIME DOES NOT HEAL (1991)

"9 songs, 67 minutes, 246 riffs" was the famous tagline for Dark Angel's Time Does Not Heal. Dark Angel had some ambitious plans to create long epic thrash metal songs not so far away from what Metallica did with their "Justice" record.

The album clocks in over an hour and the songs are looooong. If you're going to make songs that long I think they need some more diversity. Something to keep the songs interesting the whole way through.

Ron Rinehart's monotonous voice doesn't exactly help, he is far less aggressive than former vocalist Don Doty. The production doesn't help either, it's not on par with what many other bands did at the time. I've been bashing away hard on this album now but it isn't that bad.

The drumming by Gene Hoglan is always on top and newcomer from US thrashers Viking Mr. Brett Eriksen does a good job too. Time does not heal was Dark Angel's last album and I wished that I could say that they left in style, but this is an highly average thrash metal album. 

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DARK ANGEL - LEAVE SCARS (1989)

After Dark Angel's huge success with their last album Darkness Descends. The pressure was laid upon Dark Angel to establish themselves as one of thrash metal's leading groups with 1989's Leave Scars.

Unfortunately the band split with original vocalist Don Doty and bassist Rob Yahn. To fill their shoes Ron Rinehart and Mike Gonzalez were recruited.

The album is very noisy and somewhat repetitive. There are absolutely no tendencies for melodies on this album, it's just ultra-bashing through and through. The album is unfortunately very badly produced but the guitar riffs keeps eating it's way through with the help of Gene Hoglan's amazing drumming. So how strong is Leave Scars, I think that Darkness Descends is their best no doubt about it. But Leave Scars must be their second best from a violent thrashers perspective. Especially when Dark Angel hadn't found their style on their debut yet. With a better production this album could have been even better than it is. Now it's too noisy even if the musicianship is top notch. Four out of five for this classic. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DARK ANGEL - DARKNESS DESCENDS (1986)

Dark Angels second release is a real classic thrash album, This album was one of the most brutal albums any band and genre so far. Intense, brutal and completely slashing, and drummer Gene Hoglan is outstanding, there's only a few drummers in his league, the rest of the band are impressive too. No ballads, no catchy Metallica-riffs, no sing-along choruses and absolutely no stop-signs. If you thought that Reign in Blood was the ultimate aggressive thrash album of '86, think again, think Darkness Descends.

Favourite songs are "Merciless death", "Death is certain (Life is not)" & "Perish in flames". Well actually, the whole album are great right through, vocalist Don Doty is quite similar to Kreator's Mille Petrozza without the german accent.

The song Merciless Death was originally released on their debut album, but was re-recorded and released here too. If you like real brutal old 80's metal like Sadus, Kreator, Possessed and so on.

Than this album is a "must have". This album has been re-released and is quite easy to find, so you have no excuse not owning this monstrous thrash metal massacre.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DARK ANGEL - WE HAVE ARRIVED (1985)

Dark angel arrived with this seven-track record, originally released 1985 by Azra re-released in 1987 by Axe Killer Records. I heard their second album before this one, except the song "Welcome to the slaughterhouse" that was released on the Metal Massacre-compilation. (MM VI)

This album blew my mind from the very first time I've listened to it. Don Doty sings better then on their later releases, more deadly screams!, This album is the only Dark Angel-album featuring drummer Jack Schwartz, he does a solid job without shining like his replacement Gene Hoglan. Their last two songs features acoustic intro's. This album is not as aggressive as later Dark Angel, maybe because of Jack Schwartz regular thrash-drumming instead of Hoglans over the top style. A very fine release, can be compared to early Slayer, around Show no mercy with a dose of Megadeth's "Killing is my business". My favourite tracks are: Hell on it's knees, Vendetta, Welcome to the slaughterhouse and the original-recording of Merciless Death (Later re-recorded for the Darkness Descends-album) I prefer this version of Merciless Death, at least on the choruses. We Have Arrived is a primitive and it's not as violent as the Dark Angel we got to know later on but I think that "We Have Arrived" has it's own merits. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

D.B.C. - UNIVERSE (1989)

Dead Brain Cells second release and their last full-length album was released in 1989 on Combat Records. When their debut was intense, dark and almost a crossover album in it's approach, DBC's second album is something else, they have matured as musicians and as lyricists too I would say.

This time the lyrics is about the Universe and science, the big questions in life. The album is also more technical and those fast shouted vocals are a thing of the past. Still the main problem I have with DBC is the vocals that are highly average. In nine of ten cases I prefer the debut to the bands second release. But in this case I think that they hadn't run out of ideas, they improved and tried new things instead of getting stuck in an image and sound.

Dead Brain Cells was a talented band but in an ever growing scene you need to be more original and perhaps finding a extremely talented vocalist that can bring some power to the songs. The production is a bit muffled but better than on their debut. Canada had bands like Razor, Exciter, Sacrifice, Annihilator, Voivod, Infernäl Mäjesty and a bunch of others so the competition was tough but DBC was a serious contender. 

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

D.B.C. - DEAD BRAIN CELLS (1987)
The guys in DBC were huge Slayer-fans and in 1986 they got their chance to open up for their idols. One thing led to another and these Canadian thrashers signed up to Combat Records. The following year the band released their self-titled debut-LP.

So do they sound like Slayer? Well, almost, There are definitely some Slayer-tendencies in the music but there is also some crossover stylistics here on DBC's debut-album. Especially in the fast vocal delivery, The vocals are rough and I prefer when Phil sings with his more aggressive voice instead of what he does with the fast hardcore-like verses. The music on the other hand is more interesting.

"Dead Brain Cells" is a varied and fast. The band mixes it up well, with a doze of galopping riffs and even a few melodic ones too. But this is mainly a fast record. The production of this album is a bit tame. But on some tracks DBC shows their skills with some evil thrashing rage and those fast Slayer-like lead guitars are blistering. Dead Brain Cells might not be the most unique band to arrive on a the crowded thrash scene in 1987 but DBC delivers quite a strong effort here on their self-titled debut.

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEADHEAD - KILL DIVISION (1999)

A land filled with prostitutes and drugs, hmm, I mean tulips and mills must be one hell of a metal country. Perhaps the Netherlands never been the epicenter for metal music, but metal was always popular and the underground scene was boiling in the 80's.

Dead Head was perhaps most known for supporting Sepultura on tour but you must respect them for not giving up even if they decades after they started still is somewhat unknown outside The Netherlands. Kill Division was released in 1999 on Cold Blood industries and it includes a cover of the old Saxon tune 'Heavy metal thunder' which happens to one of the best songs on the album.

Their vocalist sounds a bit like Mille Petrozza of Kreator in style, but not as good. Dead head's sound was somewhere in the Sepultura/Kreator-region. is an album that will pass most people by including myself. Well executed at times, but some real killer tracks are definitely missing though Mahler and Until the sun appears are strong tracks. One thing I don't like is that the sound is too much "1999", too thick in production and the vocals are below par. If you are into modern death/thrash this would be an album worth checking out. But for me who are more into 80's thrash metal, this ain't exactly what I'm looking for even if the album are in general a fair release. 

⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEADLY BLESSINGS - ASCEND FROM THE CAULDRON (1988)

Militia, Omen, Early Flotsam and Jetsam, Toxik, Liege Lord....

Deadly Blessing was a band that sounded like a mix of those bands. With extremely high falsetto vocals and a power / thrash style Deadly Blessing sure delivers some high octane metal here on their debut LP "Ascend From The Cauldron".

But Deadly Blessing was a rather unknown metal band from New Jersey. They only managed to release this album and an EP a few months later, not much more about the band is known to me. Maybe things would have been different if they continued on because Deadly Blessing's style was quite unique and their songs was wellwritten even if the album has both it's highs and lows.

The production is allright and there is an overall epic and somewhat dark feeling when you listen to this LP. Owing much of their style and sound to the 80's US Power metal scene that was mighty popular just a few years earlier. The album isn't incredibly rare so there is no excuse not to go and pick it up. And you should, especially if you like falsetto vocals and the elegant marriage between power and thrash metal.  

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATH ANGEL - THE EVIL DIVIDE (2016)

Three decades into the bands career and now we stand here with a brand new Death Angel disc, their 8th studio album to date and their fifth since their comeback in 2004. Since the band reunited they always been on the forefront of modern thrash.

I have (maybe a little undeservingly so) bashed them for flirting too much with the mainstream metal sound. I'm especially thinking of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal and the Metal core genre.The fault can of course be blamed on the producer but the band must take some blame for it as well. Especially Mark Osegueda whos vocal lines doesn't always stay in the classic thrash territory, just listen to the song Lost for example which is a perfect example of this.

 Things here are undoubtedly modern here on The Evil Divide but it retains enough of the classic Bay Area sound to still be interesting for an old school thrasher like me. The Moth, Cause For Alarm and Hatred United, United Hate are the the most interesting songs on the album, speaking of Hatred United, United Hate it has the best riff on the album and it has a guest appearance by none other than Andreas Kisser of Sepultura. Another highlight for me is Rob Cavestany's instantly recognizable riffs, no doubt that you're listening to Death Angel upon hearing his fast and quirky guitar rhythms. The Evil Divide may not be the album for the year for me personally but it still is an album that you need to hear if you're a fan of the band and the genre. A middle of the road album and not that far away from what the band has done in terms of sound and style in the last decade. 

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATH ANGEL - THE DREAM CALLS FOR BLOOD (2013)
Once, Death Angel were one of my favourite thrash bands, but that was the classic era, I both liked the youthful brutality of The Ultra-Violence as well as the melodic sensibility of Act III. Ever since the comeback Death Angel feels like a different band, sure I recognize Mark Osegueda's lovely vocals.

But gone is the youthful spirit and the melodic sensibility. Instead Death Angel tries to be a well-oiled thrash band and they do it well. But it doesn't always suit the band. I was never into the meatier sound that many modern thrash bands adopted, I think Death Angel is one of the bands that pushes it the furthest. But I think Relentless Retribution was a more modern record than Te Dream Calls For Blood, which is more based in the bands thrash roots.

I've read a tons of positive reviews for Death Angel of late, but the sound on The Dream Calls For Blood isn't for me. It's the Gothenburg version of the band so to speak. Mark Osegueda should sing this aggressive as he does on the record, it's beyond his talent. He is a versatile singer, but this screechy hardcore material feels to heavy for his delivery. But for the patch jacket wearing thrasher the tempo is usually high. A plus is Rob Cavestany's solos, reminding me a bit of Kirk Hammett on Kill 'Em All. As a bonus, Death Angel recorded their take on Black Sabbath's classic Heaven and Hell, a good cover but Mark Osegueda's voice has a hard time reaching the heights of Ronnie Dio's voice. The Dream Calls For Blood is a decent thrasher and it ends up somewhere in the middle of their catalogue in terms of quality. 

⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATH ANGEL - RELENTLESS RETRIBUTION (2010)
It's sad that one of the most respected thrash acts of all time needs to re-invent themselves to still meet the standards of the music business. This time Death Angel has a new more updated sound, modern groove / metalcore acts such as Trivium, Atreyu and Shadow Fall comes to mind when listening to the new Death Angel-album. The production on this album is so modernized and terrible that it's hard to hear the intentions behind the band. It sounds like Mark Osegueda recorded the vocals inside of a glass jar, not as compressed as some bands but still there are some sound effects on his vocals. He also sings rather terrible on this record, just like any emo-vocalist out there.

I've read rather favourable reviews for this album on the internet, I guess those were written by internet kids who prefer Bullet for my Valentine and Avenged Sevenfold instead of "Dad's Metal" like Saxon or Iron Maiden.
But I don't know how much we can blame the band for this album or if it's Nuclear Blast who wanted them to play something that the kids of today want to hear. It was actually a struggle to listen to this album 5-6 times as I always do before writing down a review, it's really that sad for me to hear what Death Angel turned into.

But if I need to say something positive about the album I would say that there are at least some flowing guitar solos on this record and not just simplistic chugga-chugga riffs, there are some riffs that sounds ok and the drumming is fair, but when the whole album feels like one big flirt with Groove and Metalcore kids, it's just not a respectable thing to do for men in their forties. I didn't expect no new The Ultra-Violence but I hoped the band would at least take steps towards old school thrash, but this is further steps away from their past, just like so many thrash bands before them. Thrash is not longer popular any longer and being popular is more important than creating a great album. Avoid this album! 

⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATH ANGEL - KILLING SEASON (2008)
Bay area heroes Death Angel released their fifth studio album Killing Season in 2008. With a tight modern production things are somewhat different from the early days but a few things stays the same which is good.

Mark Osegueda's voice is one of the most recognizable in thrash metal music and upon hearing his great voice it makes the whole album more interesting than listening to any "no name-thrash" band of today. I would say that Killing Season is their new album that reminds me most of the late 80's days. It doesn't have as thick production as their other albums of the 21th century.

The album is not entirely reaching those legandary levels of the early days. But Killing Season is a good album without reaching for the stars. After the song Carnival Justice there is a 6 minutes long ranting about some news horror story which is so annoying when you're trying to listen to metal and they start to talk for six minutes in the middle of the album. Killing Season is a meat and potatoes kind of standard thrash. Not bad, not extremely fascinating either. 

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATH ANGEL - THE ART OF DYING (2004)
After releasing Act III the band was in a serious bus crash that injured Andy Galeon so much that he was unable to play the drums for years. So Death Angel disbanded and a few members started the band The Organization.

In 2001 Death Angel returned to play the benefit concert for Chuck & Chuck (Billy and Schuldiner). Afterwards Death Angel decided to continue on as a band and in 2004 the comeback-album was a fact. There were definitely some worries about Death Angel's comeback, because of the ballad-oriented Act III and the rock albums that The Organization released after the disbanding of Death Angel.

Like many of their reformed colleagues in Hirax, Exodus, Kreator and Destruction the band nowadys have an updated production. But how good is the Art of Dying? Compared to the band's legendary debut album The Ultra-Violence this is nowhere near in terms of quality. But at least this is no nu-metal oriented album as some was afraid that it would be. It's kind of sad that all bands return after the 90's grunge fest and acts like nothing happened. But in their defense Death Angel was not the only band doing that, just about every big thrash band in the 90's was ashamed of their past and now when thrash is popular again everyone returns, irritating but at the same time it's great to see such a talented band back in the business. Anyhow The Art of Dying is at times an enjoying album but the vocals here are at times weak and very modern sounding. Even if the band delivers surprisingly thrashy material here, not so many slower moments here but songs like The Devil Incarnate, Word to the Wise and Spirit sounds like they could have been included on a Nickleback album, which is a terrible thing. But on the other hand a song like Thrown to the Wolves brings my mind back to the band's glory days. Some hail the comebacking Death Angel as the reborn kings of thrash, but I suggest that we wait and see what the future holds before claiming such a title. 

⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATH ANGEL - ACT III (1990)

Bay Area-thrashers Death Angel's third studio album was released on the major label Geffen in 1990. Death Angel disbanded with all members except vocalist Osegueda moving on to a new band entitled The Organization soon after releasing Act III. I saw a list where people could vote for their top thrash metal albums of all time and this album ended up in 13:th place, even higher then popular classics like Bonded by Blood, Kill Em All, Peace Sells..., 

Spreading the Disease & Pleasure to Kill.

I can agree that Act III is a classic album but it ain't one of the best albums the genre has to offer. Maybe the easiest to listen to, because of the acoustic songs Veil of Deception and A Room with a View. Both good songs in their own way but do they really belong on a thrash metal album?

Not really. In fact, Death Angel took a similar commercial route that Metallica took with their self-titled black album. But Death Angel had more funk metal vibes than what bands like Metallica and Megadeth did in the early nineties. Maybe this direction was forced upon them when they were signed to the major label Geffen, the same label that signed Nirvana which would go on and change the premises.

Act III was simply not as energetic as Death Angel's first two albums but it has a few fast tracks as well. I like the songs Seemingly Endless Time, The Organization & Disturbing the Peace. Mark Osegueda's singing is clear and often very emotional. Death Angel proves with this album that they where a highly skilled band with a high potential to become a household name. Act III is a good album, especially for those who like their albums varied but don't go and expect another The Ultra-Violence.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATH ANGEL - FALL FROM GRACE (1990) (Live Album)
This livealbum was released months prior to the release of Act III in 1990. That's why no song from Act III was included.

The meaning of releasing livetapes is to introduce new people to the band but I suggest that you buy any of their albums instead, because the recording quality of 80's and early 90's livegigs often were poor. One thing that strikes me is that they tend to play some parts slower than on the studioalbum and that's not good at all.

The selection of songs are mainly taken from Frolic through the park, I would have like to hear any unreleased song or perhaps even more from the Ultra-violence. The audience is also a shame, they are so quiet especially later in the show. I have never been a fan of live-albums they are quite useless in my opinion, the sound gets blurry and you just can't transfer the extreme pounding and moshing at a real stageshow onto a LP. This might not be a essential album, but for Death Angel-fans, It might just be worth it. 

⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATH ANGEL - FROLIC THROUGH THE PARK (1988)
After the huge success with their debut The Ultra-Violence, expectations were high for Death Angel's sophomore album Frolic Through the Park, but Death Angel didn't chose the easy way and make another The Ultra-Violence, instead they experimented a whole bit on this record.

With elements of alternative metal and Funk Metal this record reminds me a bit of the early works of their San Francisco neighbours Mordred. So Frolic through the park is bridging the gap between the power and fierceness of the debut and the funk influences on Act III. Songs like 3rd Floor, Road Mutants and Devil's Metal feels like leftovers from the debut, which actually is not a bad thing as those tracks are the best songs on Frolic Through the Park.

I also like the quirky hit song Bored, which they recorded a music video for. But there are also a few fillers on this record like Confused, Open Up or the Kiss cover Gold Gin.
The production is somewhat thin, especially on the guitars, and the vocals are high in the mix and the lyrics are not the greatest. The album has it's highlights but it's a bit unfocused and after hearing the debut this album was a slight disappointment even if it has it's moments. If this album was released by a nameless band in the eighties you would be impressed by some of the songs, but not when the band showed so much potential on the debut. I think Frolic through the Park is definitely an album you want to hear but it should perhaps have been an EP instead.

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATH ANGEL - THE ULTRA-VIOLENCE (1987)
After years of hard work in the San Francisco underground scene with demos dating back in the very humble beginnings of thrash. 1987 was the year when The Ultra-Violence was released and the teenagers in Death Angel didn't dissapoint the high expectations.

With long arrangements and technical skills they gained a large following. The Ultra-Violence is filled with killer tracks, one of my favourite songs on the album is "Voracious Souls". I reckon it as one of the best thrash songs ever. Other incredible songs are "Thrashers", "Evil Priest" and "Kill as one". The Ultra-Violence is often considered as Death Angels best record, and I totally agree with that statement. Blistering flashy guitarwork with unexpected mechanical riffs that makes the music something extraordinary. Compared to Death Angels later releases this is without a doubt their most ferocious and Mark Osegueda's voice ain't that whining like on Act III. No stop signs!, except the very last song I.P.F.S that starts with an instrumental part. Death Angel doesn't remind me of any other band, they are one of a kind for sure. The Ultra-Violence is one of the most essential Bay area classics. Simply a fantastic album, one word: INCREDIBLE! 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATH POWER - THE BOGEYMAN (1990)

Death Power followed in early Kreator's footsteps and this album is somewhat like a french version of "Pleasure to kill", maybe a bit less aggressive though. Death power's music is in the early Kreator/Sodom-spirit.

Not so advanced, perhaps a bit more varied than those early german classics. Death Power has a more polished sound than aforementioned bands, their sound is what you might expect from an extreme band in the early 90's. I prefer the old school death/thrash bands. This new wave of death/thrash bands aren't really my thing but The Bogeyman is quite enjoyable from time to time. Death Power's vocalist David Thimel sounds like Mille Petrozza of Kreator, he barks and sings with his gruffy voice. My favourite tracks on The Bogeyman are: "Begin the Sacrifice", "The Bogeyman" & "Vivisection". If this album would have been released a few years earlier it would certainly have made a big impact on the thrash scene. But now it will pass as just a good replica.

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATHROW - LIFE BEYOND (1992)
German thrashers Deathrow's last album of four was named "Life Beyond" and it was released on WVR in 1992, after their departure from legendary Noise Records.

Deathrow was very underestimated back in the days but here on their last album they don't live up to the quality of their previous three albums. "Life Beyond" is a quite amusing album at times. The musicianship is good and they have a fairly good vocalist. But this album doesn't feel original at all, and I can bet that you can find better thrash albums without looking too hard A quite complex and progressive album with many tempo-changes, It definitely has a german thrash metal-feel to it. Some songs that is worth to mention is "Homosapiens Superior" & "Suicide Arena". I suggest that you check out earlier Deathrow before this one, this album is more complex then their first two, less Slayer/Kreator-inspired, but still somewhat entertaining.

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATHROW - DECEPTION IGNORED (1988)

What the hell?!?!

Deathrow used to be a Kreator-clone with satanic lyrics and a Pleasure to Kill-type of thrash but here on their third album something has changed. Deathrow moved away from the sheer aggression and into the field of progressive thrash.

I must say that I like the switch. Because this album is excellent. Deception Ignored must be considered as one of the ten best progressive thrash metal albums of all time alongside works from bands like Coroner, Watchtower and Mekong Delta. I wonder what inspired Deathrow to go in this direction because they were quite early with this type of advanced thrash metal.

I like the instrumental arrangements in "Triocton". Others songs worth mentioning are: "The Deathwish" and "Narcotic". This is music in 300mph and still so advanced. Each arrangement is a creation of pure technical brilliance. If you prefer the thinking man's thrash, the intricate arrangements and the skillful musicianship, then this is definitely an album you need to hear. But if you're a fan of Deathrow's violent past this might come as a shock to you. I love this album though and I highly recommend it to any thrash metal fan. Even if the album artwork looks like a piece of shit. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATHROW - RAGING STEEL (1987)

What a fitting title for this album, it's raging like the Kreator, but still they've got time to throw in some fine melodies and howling solos, but still not as technical as on their Deception Ignored-album, which might have been a bit to blurry for those who aren't into extreme techno-thrash.

The guitarduo in Deathrow are what impresses me the most, Deathrow displays strong melodies and a fast rhythm section. Bassist/Vocalist Milo's voice is quite typical for the genre. Like a mix of Celtic Frost's Tom G. Warrior and Ron Royce of Coroner.

Unfortunately for Deathrow they ended up amongst the semi-forgotten bands behind the leading german trio Kreator, Destruction and Sodom. Even though their musicianship where perhaps even greater than those bands. Deathrow was a remarkable band and they deserve all the cred they get. Raging Steel is a great album and perhaps their best, depending on what type of thrash you like. If you're a big fan of Pleasure to Kill-era Kreator you need to find Raging Steel by Deathrow. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATHROW - RIDERS OF DOOM (1986) (Review by Per-Ola Nilsson)

During the mid eighties thrash metal was really on the rise in Germany. While Kreator, Destruction and Sodom settled as the leading acts of the german (and the european) thrash scene, a lot of bands popped up behind them.

Among the better ones of those was Deathrow, who debuted with "Riders of Doom" in 1986. In the early days of their carreer Deathrow played a very Slayer-inspired kind of thrash, satanic lyrics included. The satanic hints sound hilarious at times, but after all, who cares? This is the most primitive work of Deathrow, but already here shades of their future versatility is shown, as some melodic parts and nice tempo changes are thrown in between the thrash attacks here and there.

"Riders of Doom" is a nice piece of thrash and will definetely please fans of Slayer and Kreator, but better things were to come from the band in the future. This album has never been officially released on CD, but there are bootlegs floating around and it shouldn't be impossible to find a copy. 

* Note from Ruthless - The album was originally released as Satan's Gift but they had to change to Riders of Doom due to censorship. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATHWISH - DEMON PREACHER (1988)

Onslaught and Sabbat are almost always considered to be the top two English thrash metal bands. Behind them were a bunch of bands like Xentrix, D.A.M., Virus, Pariah, Toranaga, Re-Animator and a band like Deathwish.

Deathwish had the usual characteristics of thrash metal band from the United Kingdom, the English accented vocals combined with noisy low-budget production. But Deathwish had a lot in common with many of the classic english metal bands. At times it feels like Deathwish just was a faster version of Motörhead, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden or Angel Witch. Not in a condemning way, no I fully respect the old metal gods.

Speaking of old bands, Deathwish have covered the classic Black Sabbath-tune Symptom of the Universe on this album and it's an allright rendition. Deathwish first album At The Edge of Damnation were similar to Demon Preacher but I think that latter is slightly thrashier and faster and the production is also sharper here and that's why I prefer this album to the debut even if it also had tons of charm. In conclusion, Demon Preacher was a great album and even if it's rather anonymous today it should be regarded as one of the better albums from the first wave of British thrash. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEATHWISH - AT THE EDGE OF DAMNATION (1987)

It is probably safe to say that Deathwish sounded more old-fashioned than many of their British counterparts.

With a stream of noisy pumping riffs that reminds me a bit of Motörhead and Venom. At times Deathwish felt like a under-produced heavy metal band. Lending ideas from the NWOBHM-movement that hit the islands a few years earlier. There are some similarities with Angel Witch here. Especially singer Jon Van Doorn, who reminds me a bit of Kevin Heybourne, especially on his higher-ranges. The band handles their instruments well without being technical, but the drumming is somewhat boring and repetitive.

The low-budget production of this album is also below average, it's noisy like an old-school demo or something. But I like the vocals and their music is kind of catchy. I must mention the song "In the Name of God" sticks out with it's memorable chorus. I'm a fan of the NWOBHM and of thrash metal, so this unholy marriage works out pretty well.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEEP PURPLE - MACHINE HEAD (1972)

Machine Head is Deep Purple at their peak. Confident, razor‑tight, and firing with the kind of chemistry only the Mark II lineup could summon. Recorded under chaotic circumstances in Montreux, the band somehow turned disaster into one of hard rock’s defining statements.

"Highway Star" sets the tone immediately: fast, precise, and bursting with adrenaline, with Jon Lord’s Hammond and Ritchie Blackmore’s guitar trading solos like two virtuosos locked in friendly combat. "Maybe I’m a Leo" and "Pictures of Home" show the band’s groove‑driven side, while "Lazy" stretches out into a swaggering jam built on blues, attitude, and Lord’s unmistakable organ tone roaring through Marshall stacks.

And of course, "Smoke on the Water", the riff that launched a thousand guitar careers arrives not as a perfectly crafted hard‑rock anthem born from real‑life chaos. Even after decades of overexposure, it still hits with weight and purpose in the context of the album.

The production is warmer and more polished than the previous works from the band, Giving the album space without sacrificing power. Every member shines, but it’s the interplay, the push‑and‑pull between organ, guitar, and rhythm section that makes Machine Head timeless.

A cornerstone of hard rock, endlessly influential and still thrilling from start to finish.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

   

DEEP PURPLE - FIREBALL (1971)

Fireball shows Deep Purple refusing to coast after In Rock. Instead of sticking to sheer heaviness, they open the doors to experimentation and let their creativity spill out in every direction. The title track is a burst of speed and adrenaline, powered by Ian Paice’s pioneering double‑bass work, a moment that quietly shaped the future of metal drumming. Add to that Jon Lord's treating that Hammond organ like it was an electric guitar.

"Demon’s Eye" brings swagger and groove, "No No No" leans into a smoky blues feel, and "The Mule" dips into psychedelic territory without losing the band’s bite. The album’s real emotional weight comes with "Fools," a slow‑building, dramatic piece where Jon Lord’s organ adds scale and tension, showing just how far the band could stretch their sound.

Warmer and more spacious than In Rock, the production gives these songs room to breathe while keeping that unmistakable Mark II fire. It’s a transitional record, but a bold and adventurous one, full of personality, risks, and a band hungry to evolve.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEEP PURPLE - IN ROCK (1970)

After lineup changes and stylistic detours, Deep Purple’s Mark II formation exploded with an album that set the blueprint for heavy metal itself. From the opening seconds, there’s no hesitation, no warm‑up, just a full‑force declaration that this is a new era and a new level of intensity and loud heaviness.

"Speed King" tears the door off its hinges with a chaotic, organ‑driven assault that feels like a bar fight between Jon Lord’s Hammond and Ritchie Blackmore’s guitar. "Bloodsucker" keeps the pressure high, all swagger and grit, while "Child in Time" stands as one of the most dramatic and ambitious songs of the entire decade, a slow‑burn epic that builds from eerie calm to absolute devastation. The Hammond organ textures woven into the background give the track an almost orchestral tension, adding a haunting, cinematic depth beneath Gillan’s legendary screams.

The production is raw, loud, and unapologetically in‑your‑face. Every instrument fights for space, yet the chaos is controlled. A perfect reflection of a band hungry, confident, and ready to dominate. Roger Glover and Ian Paice lock everything down with a rhythm section that’s both thunderous and nimble, giving the album its unstoppable forward momentum.

In Rock isn’t just a milestone for Deep Purple; it’s one of the cornerstones of hard rock and early metal. It captures a band discovering its true power and unleashing it without restraint. More than fifty years later, it still hits like a hammer.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEEP SWITCH - NINE INCHES OF GOD (1986)

Deep Switch’s Nine Inches of God is one of the strangest, most delightfully unhinged artifacts to come out of the late/post NWOBHM era. Released in 1986, long after the movement’s commercial peak the album stands completely outside the metal mainstream. It’s theatrical, tongue‑in‑cheek, musically adventurous, and absolutely impossible to mistake for anything else.

What makes Nine Inches of God so compelling is its refusal to play by any established rules. One moment the band is delivering tight, riff‑driven heavy metal; the next, they’re diving into bizarre narrative detours, oddball humor, and sudden stylistic shifts. Tracks like "Pigfeeder" and "Poor Bastard" show off their knack for sharp, punchy riffs, while "The Poison Lake" leans into a darker, more atmospheric direction that hints at something grander beneath the eccentricity.

Vocally, the album is theatrical to the point of absurdity, add to that the absolutely British sounding accent, but it's all part of its charm. The delivery swings between snarls, sneers, and dramatic storytelling, giving the whole record a cult‑film vibe. The production is rough but energetic, capturing a band that clearly didn’t care about trends or expectations.

Nine Inches of God isn’t for everyone, and it never tried to be. It’s a cult classic because it embraces its own weirdness with total conviction. For listeners who appreciate metal that’s adventurous, quirky, and defiantly off‑kilter, Deep Switch’s lone full‑length remains a hidden gem worth digging up. I've always been a big fan of this album. Released in the middle of the thrash metal heyday but soundwise this is about as far from that as they possibly go and somehow I just love it. This is an album I've always returned to even though the decades pass I listen to this on and off every year. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEFIANCE - BEYOND RECOGNITION (1992)

This is the Defiance's third and last album before disbanding and frontman Esquivel moving on to skinlab, vocalist Esquivel reminds me a bit of a controlled Chuck Billy of Testament on some songs.

Defiance's music is complexed and varied, quite amusing time to time. Testament-fans would probably like this album quite much but I think that it's a bit boring at times due to his monotonous voice. but it has it's moments of joy too. "Perfect Nothing" is one of their mid-tempo songs which I enjoy and the very last song "Promised Afterlife", with it's fine soloing and harmonic parts are the higlights of this record.

The song "No compromise" got some heavy almost groove-like riffs in it. The production has this early 90's heaviness to it, so it's quite good and all instruments are audible. Defiance sounds like a typical bay area-band, not completely unique but definitely good. As said earlier, if you like Testament and Bay Area-thrash in general this album will be enjoyable. 

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEFIANCE - VOID TERRA FIRMA (1990)

Hailing from the thrash metal mekka San Francisco, Defiance released their second album of three in 1990 titled Void terra firma. It's a bit different from their first, this time with a more technical approach but with worse vocals.

Their debut product of Society was a great album but Void Terra Firma doesn't fully live up to what their debut promised. Soundwise I would say that Bay area neighbours Testament is their closest comparison. The riffs are delivered at high speed with some sporadic galloping guitar patterns. The whole band does a great job, technical songwriting and odd time changes are the trademark of 1990's Defiance. The production on Void terra firma is a rather bad for a 1990's release.

I think the sound has strong resemblences to what Metallica did on their "...And justice for all" but with an audible bass. I think that Defiance was a good band but they lacked an instantly recognizable vocalist and Defiance desperately needs something that sticks with you after turning the stereo off and unfortunately do not deliver on that aspect. Defiance never reached the stardom of neighbours Exodus, Vio-Lence, Testament, Forbidden and a few other local Bay Area bands but still their music is somewhat enjoyable to listen to. If your are in for some good 'ol thrash, Void Terra Firma didn't have that lasting power but it's still a record that you can spin and bang your head to for a while. 

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEFIANCE - PRODUCT OF SOCIETY (1969)

Defiance was one of the hidden gems in the American thrash metal scene, they hailed from Oakland California and they debuted in 1989 with Product of Society released on Roadrunner Records and produced by none other than Jeff Waters of Annihilator. But Defiance doesn't sound like Annihilator. Defiance has a lot in common with your typical Bay Area-band like early Testament and Vio-Lence. If someone looks up Bay area thrash in the dictionary, there should be a picture of Product of Society there because this album is so true to the sound of the scene around San Francisco.

There is not a pinch of black, death or power metal in this release, it's pure thrash. I like the crafty songwriting on the album and the rather technical guitar duo Doug Harrington and Jim Adams surely delivers well together with Matt Vander Ende's solid drumming in the back. But the album ain't perfect. the production is a bit on the muddy side and Ken Elkington's voice feels too controlled.

Even if he has a quite good and angry voice he doesn't scream and use it aggressively enough. This is also Ken Elkington's only album with the band and he was later replaced by Steev Esquivel. There is a bunch of solid tracks on the album but I must say that Deadly Intentions is my favourite song.

Speaking of favourites, Product of Society is my favourite Defiance-album and definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of Bay Area thrash! 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEKAPITATOR - WE WILL DESTROY... YOU WILL OBEY!!! (1986) (Review by Aaron DiDonato)

I saw this album’s title and thought “Megadeth!!!” A very cool method of naming albums is reused. And when I heard the album, I was not even a little bit disappointed! This album is nothing but full on, kick ass, NEW thrash metal!

This current band (made up mostly of members of the band Exhumed) is from the Bay Area, which makes it even cooler. The first track, “One Shot, One Kill”, is fucking AWESOME, and the chorus is very reminiscent of Vio-lence’s “Kill on Command.” It is very hard to pick stand out tracks, they all just kick SO MUCH THRASHING ASS!!!!!!!

Tons of great mosh riffs too, somewhat reminiscent of Hirax or S.O.D. My favorite would probably be the aforementioned “One Shot, One Kill”, but beyond that I can’t even begin to choose. The one downfall of this band is the singing. It’s not clean tone…the best way I can think of to describe it is the poor man’s Mille Petrozza on Endless Pain without the accent. But after a few listens, the singing grows on you and you learn to like it. But overall this is a GREAT album, especially considering the time of its release, and I think it’s GREAT that there is a current thrash band from the Bay Area.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEMOLITION HAMMER - TIME BOMB (1994)

Instead of Demolition Hammer becoming the Pantera-destroyer the thrash metal community so desperately needed, Demolition Hammer tried to fit in by slowing down and writing fat and grinding mid-tempo riffs.

Combined with James Reilly's screaming voice. He sounds a bit like Sodom's Tom Angelripper with inferiority complex towards Pantera, minus the german accent. No Time Bomb was a huge disappointment, even if it's Demolition Hammer's lastest album it's somehow the album that feels most dated. Especially when thrash is cool again and groove metal is finally proven to be white trash-version of heavy metal. No the riffs are so slow and draging that it get's rediculous.

I can dig slower types of metal especially traditional doom, but this is just boring. Especially with the aggro-vocals. Combining slow riffs with aggressive vocals just sounds off, everything needs to be synced if you ask me. The album sounds like a mix between Sepultura's Chaos A.D. and Pantera ca 1995. I'm not so sure that Demolition Hammer would have released a solid thrash metal album if James Reilly and Vinny Daze still had been a part of the band, but the line-up changes definitely didn't bring anything great to the Demolition Hammer-camp. Still Demolition Hammer is still probably better than half of Pantera's catalogue, but I would preferred if the band would have kept the tempo up. I consider Time Bomb a huge mistake and an album you can skip even if you're a fan of the bands earlier material.

⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEMOLITION HAMMER - EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE (1992)

In 1992 when most other thrash bands had changed their sound and cut their hair there still was a New York-based group that didn't jump on the trend train to grungeville. Demolition Hammer's debut was also aggressive but a bit too monotonous.

This time we're offered more diversity and everything just sounds so much clearer and heavier. Everything has been taken up a notch, the production is better and the band feels like a tighter unit, maybe the band developed their songwriting skills during the two years between their albums. Epidemic of Violence offers no new ideas, nor does it throw any unexpected punches. it’s just an top class offering of concentrated yet violently extreme thrash.

Fans of Slayer, Kreator, Dark Angel and early Pestilence will enjoy this monstrous beast of an album. It's "In your face"-thrash from the first second the last and there are no mid-tempo tracks or wimpy ballads. No Epidemic of Violence is an unforgiving and bruising experience and one of the last of it's kind. If Epidemic of Violence was released five years earlier or so it might have received more praise. When it came out people thought of thrash as yesterdays news. But Demolition Hammer popularity has grown steadily thanks to the internet and the re-ignited interest for thrash lately. I personally think that Epidemic of Violence is the best thrash metal album of 1992 together with Aspid's Extravasation and it was really one of the last true classics of a dying genre.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEMOLITION HAMMER - TORTURED EXISTENCE (1990)

Demolition Hammer debuted quite late and the thrash scene was allready started to dissolve when Demolition Hammer came unto the scene. Tortured Existence was their first album it had the characteristics of the early nineties sound. Not unlike Exhorder's Slaughter at the vatican or Sepultura's Arise.

Tortured Existence has such a fat guitartone, a tone that was more common with hardcore or death metal bands. Demolition Hammer had such a gruesome sound but unfortunately the song writing isn't on par with the top names in the genre here. I'm not using the chainsaw on the album but it isn't as badass as Sepultura or Kreator's best material, it's just too monotonous.

Demolition Hammer wasn't as huge in the beginning when this album was released but their reputation has grown larger lately. But it's not just the heavy chugging guitar's that are good, James Reilly's aggressive vocals are effective and the drumming by the late Vinny Daze is strong. Vinny unfortunately died of globefish poisoning in 1996. If youre fan of the heavier side of thrash or early nineties death metal, then you'll need to get yourselves some Demolition Hammer, but I would say that their second release Epidemic of Violence tops this release.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEMON - THE UNEXPECTED GUEST (1982)

Demon’s The Unexpected Guest remains one of the most distinctive albums to come out of the NWOBHM wave, not because it’s the heaviest or the fastest, but because it commits fully to mood, melody, and theatrical tension.

The record plays like a haunted narrative unfolding in real time, driven by Dave Hill’s expressive, almost stage‑actor delivery and a band that understands how to build drama without losing the rock backbone. “Don’t Break the Circle” sets the tone immediately, catchy, and wrapped in that occult‑tinged atmosphere. 

What follows is a run of songs that balance hard‑rock punch with a surprisingly emotional undercurrent: “The Spell” drifts into eerie, slow‑burn territory, “Deliver Us from Evil” snaps back with sharp hooks, and “Have We Been Here Before?” shows the band’s knack for reflective, melodic writing. The production is unmistakably NWOBHM. Powerful drums, bright guitars, vocals pushed forward but it works in the album’s favor, giving the songs a crisp, theatrical clarity. The Unexpected Guest isn’t a metal milestone in the traditional sense; it’s something more idiosyncratic, a cult classic that thrives on atmosphere, character, and a sense of supernatural storytelling that few of Demon’s peers ever attempted. You might expect the band leaning even more into the occult when you see the artwork, the song titles and even the name of the band but it's all very subtle here. So don't go and expect this to sound like Mercyful Fate. Despite that the first two Demon recorfds are universally loved by fans of NWOBHM. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEMON - NIGHT OF THE DEMON (1981)

Night of the Demon captures that perfect early‑80s moment when NWOBHM bands were still half‑in the shadows, half‑reaching for something grander, and Demon turn that tension into a record that feels both street‑level and strangely cinematic.

The album moves with a confidence most debut-era bands never touch: tight riffs, big choruses, and a dark, theatrical undercurrent that sets them apart from the denim‑and‑leather crowd. The Dio-esque intro track "Night of the Demon" is amazing and it should have been their big break. 

The record hits you with that classic British bite dry guitars, driving rhythms, and vocals that balance grit with melody, while deeper cuts like “Into the Nightmare” and “Father of Time” show how naturally the band could weave atmosphere into their metal without losing momentum. What makes the album endure is its identity: Demon aren’t trying to be Maiden, Saxon, or Angel Witch; they carve out their own lane where hooks, mood, and storytelling matter as much as riffs. Night of the Demon is an extremely catchy record. It's like a metal version of Meat Loaf, if that makes sense to anyone?

Night of the Demon stands as one of the movement’s most distinctive debuts, a record that proves NWOBHM wasn’t just about speed or aggression, it was also about imagination, drama, and bands daring to sound bigger than the clubs they came from. Don't you know it's the Night of the demon? The Spirits run high! 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - UNDER ATTACK (2016)

It's been four years since Destruction released Spiritual Genocide and now we stand here with Destruction's 14th studio album Under Attack, ever since the band first put on their bullet belts and released Sentence of Death in 1984 Destruction has been persistent. (if you can ignore their mid and late 90's). There have been some ups and downs but the band has kept delivering solid thrash metal for over three decades now. So Under Attack is more or less exactly what we can expect. Brilliant riff-driven thrash with Schmier's gruffs and snarls, staying true to their past while still being relevant as ever before.

The album kicks off with some acoustic brilliance that leads into some heavy riffing, which is more or less a standard in thrash ever since Metallica started that trend in the early eighties. The album kicks off with three solid thrashers in Under Attack, Generation Nevermore and  and then Getting Used to the Evil strips down the tempo. Even if the song is amongst the weak tracks on the album, it's nice to have something that mixes up the tempo a bit to make things more interesting for the listener. Pathogenic and Elegant Pigs are two solid thrashers and Second To None is a song they promoted the album with, a song with a memorable chorus but the lyrics feels a bit childish and corny to say the least.

As a bonus, Destruction also takes the time to salute Venom with a cover of the anthemic Black Metal. The cover features Alex Camargo of brazil's death metal legends Krisiun.

Overall Under Attack is an impressive album filled with brilliant riffs delivered to you by the Riffmaster General Mike Sifringer, he delivers killer riff, upon riff, upon riff, upon riff, upon riff, upon riff. At times similar in style and quality to what Gary Holt has delivered lately in Exodus over the years. Mike's riffs combined with Schmier's vocal delivery is something a true thrash fan never gets bored of, even if this is their fourteenth studio album the band feels hungry and Under Attack has an old school feeling to it which Destruction has been able to tap into better here compared to most of the albums since Schmier re-joined the band in 1999. For us who love 80's Destruction this surely is good news.

Regardless of their legendary career and obvious talent, at times it’s tough to shake the feeling you’ve heard all this a million times before from both Destruction and from all the replicas out there.

Still Under Attack is far better than anything Slayer or Metallica is churning out these days and the album is very enjoyable, but nothing here is exceptionally ground breaking or forward striving, nor did I expect it to be. It's that double-edged sword of modern thrash, walking the line between staying true to the past and be creative and not just rehashing old ideas. Many bands tend to make the albums that are an hour long these days but I prefer when they keep the albums shorter so everything feels more focused and compact. As said before, Under Attack is a satisfiable album staying true to the bands core values. Destruction has surely delivered an album that will be in the discussion for album of the year.

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - SPIRITUAL GENOCIDE (2012)

The first thing that struck me with Destruction's new album Spiritual Genocide was how clean it sounded. The production has a fresher feeling to it compared to 2011's Day of Reckoning. But the creative song-writing of Spiritual Genocide is really lacking now. It was a decade since the band last produced a real strong album (2001's The Antichrist).

Sure tHe band has delivered a few strong tracks along the way, but it feels like more of the same old that we've heard for a decade from Destruction now. It's getting somewhat tiresome. They released D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. and ironically it's that we've seen the most from later Destruction.

The album is filled with aggression and anger but it’s very run-of-the-mill, safe song for such legendary band and the gang-shout-alongs placed throughout are cheesy. Speaking of cheesy, on the track Legacy of the Past, Gerre from Tankard and Tom from Sodom joins in. The track mentions many classic german albums in the lyrics. I mean we all love the records of the past, but singing about them, come on Destruction. That's just lame.

I still can't shake 'that feeling' that we've been down this road before on one too many journeys. They've been in the business of thrash for 30 years now and I think we can expect a little more from this Teutonic trio. 

⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - DAY OF RECKONING (2011)

With the new decade, Destruction has returned with a brand new disc on a new label (Nuclear Blast) and a new drummer Vaaver (Wawrzyniec Dramowicz, Damn those Polish names). 2011's Day of Reckoning kicks of with a furious tempo, not completely unlike modern Onslaught (UK thrash band) in sound.

Modern thrash that packs some real punches without really bringing anything new to the table. For me personally this ultra slick production makes the albums feel to mechanic and that is often the case with Destructions music, it just takes away som authenticity. New drummer Vaaver is good, but i prefer a few of Destruction's old drummers. As always, Destruction can't re-produce their classic 80's sound, like I want them to. Their younger fans wouldl probably throw out the album if the band dared to do what's necessary. Compared to 2008's D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N, this is thrashier and less sludgy.

For me Day of Reckoning is quite similar in style and sound to all the bands album's since 2001's The Antichrist. An album that set a standard for Destruction ever since, even if I personally would have preferred them to look even further back. The most noteable track must be the Dio cover, Stand Up and Shout. Which is a speedy heavy metal track that works out pretty well.

Destruction D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. will not change the world but it will probably please most of the fans of the band. Because it's thrash, thrash, thrash and some more thrash all stuffed in a tight modern package. 

⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. (2008)

In 2008 Destruction released their tenth studio album if you don't count last years cover album. Ever since Destruction made a comeback with Schmier re-joining the band in the late 90's. Destruction has delivered the same sound with various Success. It's sleek ultra-modern mechanized pro tools thrash. Noisy and dirty, but with precision timing behind everything.

This sterilized thrash isn't always that interesting to me, especially as Destruction has recorded so many albums better than this one. Sure the album packs some punches, it's not a bad disc, but it's not necessarily a good one either, we've heard similar songs in different variations before from Destruction.

The choruses are a big weak and everything plows forward on some type of standard thrash mode here, even if Mike Sifringer bring in occasional surprising riffs. But mostly it feels like this album has been done already, just listen to Inventor of Evil or Metal Discharge.

I have the sense that they peaked with The Antichrist and have simply been rewriting that album ever since, but D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. feels much more unfocused and overall not reaching the same heights. There are some sluggish moments on the album but there are some real fire behind Mark 'Speedy' Reigns drumming. I also like Mike's rhythms generally, even if the solos on this disc is rather lame.

It's not the fastest thrash metal album I've heard but the drums and guitar slams away pretty hard thanks to the production. I think D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. ends up somewhere in between. It's definitely not the best we've heard from the band. If I would rank their albums this would end up somewhere slightly below the middle. So a pretty alright disc from Destruction this year. 

⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - THRASH ANTHEMS (2007)

I don't like this trend to re-record old classics with modern studio technique, but that is exactly what Destruction has done here. Except for two new tracks; "Profanity" and "Deposition (Your Heads Will Roll)", both of the new songs are rather anonymous.

The rest of the songs are true to the originals but updated with a modern sound, but I still prefer the old 80's way any day of the week.

I guess this is a way to introduce people who are to lazy to go out and find the originals and too stupid to get that the originals are way better, or a simple way to make bucks without spending time writing new song. The songs are of course great because they are taken from Destruction's best era, from 1984's EP Sentence to Death up until 1990's Cracked Brain.

Understandably the band wants to forget about it's terrible 90's. But if you really dig the new way of producing thrash metal you might prefer this to the originals which I really can't understand. An highly unneccessary album that feels more like a best of-compilation than a regular Destruction-release. 

⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - INVENTOR OF EVIL (2005)

Destruction's ninth studio album was released in 2005 by AFM Records. It's not as intense as their modern classic "The Antichrist", this is more a continuation of the "Metal Discharge"-sound. Inventor of Evil feels a bit more melodic in it's riffs.

A little less extreme and a sound that might be more compelling towards an ordinary metal audience. But at least Schmier's vocals are better here than on their last effort. The song "The Alliance of Hellhoundz" has a few legendary guest vocalists on it like; Biff Byford, Paul Di'Anno, Peter Tägtgren, Messiah Marcolin, Doro Pesch, Mark Osegueda, Peavy Wagner, Björn Stridh and Shagrath sharing the microphone, in a salute to metal music. Maybe the vocalists should have guested a few more tracks than just one. because each vocalist don't have that many lines.

Inventor of Evil hasn't got that many memorable choruses or riffs as Destruction once had. Personally I think that this album is highly average and it is mostly for completists. But it still gives you some thrashing rage and headbanging moments. But I would rather listen to some of their earlier works. 

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - METAL DISCHARGE (2003)

After the success with the predecessor "The Antichrist" from 2001. Destruction hoped to record a follow-up that could reach the same heights.

Unfortunately Metal Discharge is no way near the intensity and break-neck speed of the modern classic "The Antichrist". A lot of things are different on this album. Some of it could be blamed on the production of the album, Schmiers vocals feels mechanical at times. There are some effects on them which disturbs me. New on this release is drummer Mark Reign who replaces Sven Vormann.

The tempo on Metal Discharge has been turned down a bit. But as musicians they are handling everything well and the core of what Destruction was is still intact. But the songwriting feels a bit rushed and there aren't any hit-songs here that stands the test of time. I do like "The Ravenous Beast" and "Metal Discharge" though, they are good songs. In conclusion, Metal Discharge has some serious flaws but Destruction still delivers thrash that I can approve of.

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - THE ANTICHRIST (2001)

Destruction made a "comeback" in 2000 when Marcel 'Schmier' Schirmer decided to return to Destruction. So this was the second release with him back behind the microphone. The comeback album had lots of flaws so my hopes for this new release wasn't too high. The first thing that strikes me when listening to "The Antichrist" is the sheer brutality.

It's one intense album, way more brutal than "All Hell Breaks Loose". Destruction have implemented this new thick modern production. songs like "Thrash 'Til Death'", "Nailed to the cross", "Bullets from hell" & "Let your mind rot" are more than solid thrashers and a proof of what Destruction is able write in this new century. I'm not completely in on this new thrash sound yet but the musicianship is flawless.

Mike Sifringer really pushed his limits with this one and Schmier sings surprisingly good these days. The Antichrist is a strong statement from a re-awakened Destruction and as far as I'm concerned we might already seen the best of what Destruction has to offer. The Antichrist is a strong album even if I personally prefer their older material, but that is mostly to the way it is produced, as far as songwriting goes this is on par with their best. Destruction Nailed it... To the cross! 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE (2000)

After many years of silence, at least with Schmier missing from the lineup the band got back together and released this comeback in the year 2000. "All hell breaks loose" is produced by Peter "Pain" Tägtgren known from the death metalband Hypocrisy.

This album has the old Destruction type of playing but with a new and thick production, I prefer the older Destruction, but this album isn't totally crap, Machinery of lies, Tears of blood, Devestation of your soul and the remake of Total Desaster, Total Desaster 2000. Are all great tracks.

In fact Peter Tägtgren is playing guitars on Total Desaster 2000. The great songs are great but the rest of the songs just doesn't belong on a Destruction-release, they are not worthy.

Many new bands on the scene has a growling vocalist but Schmier sings in his usual way and it sounds better then ever before, his voice has matured over the years. Shortly, An allright album, but not as good as their early work. Quite average but still their best in ten years.

⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - THE LEAST SUCCESSFUL HUMAN CANNONBALL (1998)
Destruction's nineties wasn't pretty and in 1998 Destruction led by Mike Sifringer released the musical abomination "The Least Successful Human Cannonball".

On this album Thomas Rosenmerkel handles the vocals but he can't be blamed for this failure. This album reminds me a bit of how Anthrax sounded under the Bush-era but perhaps even worse, I also get a few Flotsam and Jetsam-vibes from the late nineties.

Destruction's music is infested with the grunge disease and it has eaten it's way to the core of what Destruction once was. Mike Sifringer is the only remaining member since the glory days so it's quite obvious that the band wouldn't sound the same. The production is terrible and Rosenmerkel's voice sounds compressed. There are no highligths on this album, this is pure failure and an album the band should be ashamed of releasing under the Destruction name. Even Destruction fans should avoid this album, there is absolutely no reason to torture your ears with this crap.

❌

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - THEM NOT ME (1995)
Destruction continued during the nineties without no bigger success at all, only guitarist Mike Sifringer was still in the band from the glorious beginning.

Them not me was released in 1995 by the record label Brain Butcher. And It's quite sad what my old favourite band has developed into. Sure, Mike Sifringer delivers some great guitar attacks now and then, but the rest of the band has nothing to do in the Destruction I love. Some parts reminds me of Pantera's early nineties, Destructions sound is too polished and modern.

It sounds like the whole album keeps on echoing on and off, disturbs me very much. The song "Live to start again" has some entertaining riffs though. Thomas Rosenmerkel would fit in better in a modern metal band, he isn't a lousy vocalist but he just doesn't fit in, his voice is sore and plain. But fortunately Destruction has now taken back Schmier and they are as vital as ever before. I wouldn't recommend this to any thrash metal-fan even if the choruses are quite memorable. "Them not me" is only for Destruction collectors.

⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - CRACKED BRAIN (1990)

In 1990 Destruction and former frontfigure Schmier parted ways and Cracked Brain was released. This time it's with the former Poltergeist-vocalist André Greider. Their voices are quite similar, André hasn't the same strong german accent and the classic Schmier-screams are gone. I'm no fan of his singing on this album, he sounds too sore.

This is the only Destruction release featuring Mr. Greider. The band has dropped the darker themes and are now writing much more "mature" lyrics than ever before. Cracked Brain is filled with tight musicianship, fast and crunchy riffs, and it's a bit less chaotic compared to the early years. But it's still thrash, it's no way near something else.

Destruction play thrash the way it was meant to be, fast and furious but still they maintain the melodic aspect. Even the production is razor-sharp. Their cover of The Knack's "My Sharona" is stupid and pulls down the overall rating on this album. In think that the strongest songs on this album are: "Cracked Brain", "Time must end", "S.E.D." and "Rippin' you off blind". Cracked Brain's reputation was destroyed by narrow-minded critics even though Cracked Brain deserves the same attention as their previous 1988-release "Release from agony".

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - RELEASE FROM AGONY (1988)

Release from Agony became Destruction's last album with vocalist & bassist Marcel 'Schmier' Schirmer for over a decade, when André Greider and later the terrible Thomas Rosenmerkel took over the microphone.

This is what you might expect another thrasher in the veins of earlier Destruction. Release From Agony is maybe not as great or as intense as their previous albums Infernal Overkill or Eternal Devastation but absolutely top solid thrash metal album by the bullet-belted berzerkers that Destruction are. I would still rank this album amongst their top three-four albums in their catalogue.

My favourite songs are "Release From Agony", "Sign of Fear", "Our Oppression" & "Survive to Die". which all are Destruction-classics, but some part of this album it feels a bit laidback, lacking that crazed intensity that their early albums had. But I still must give the band props for writing a song like Sign of Fear, it's an amazing song that you need to hear if you're a fan of the genre. This disc contains fine soloing and a bunch of killer riffs and Schmier delivers his best vocal performance to date but something is missing here. But still I would recommend this album to all thrash fans, eighties Destruction with Schmier still in the lineup is all that you'll need.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - MAD BUTCHER (1987)

The Teutonic thrashers Destruction released this short EP back in 1987 on Steamhammer. The Mad Butcher has become a mascot for Destruction over the following years. The first song is their classic "Mad Butcher".

The next song is called "The Damned" a quite odd song. The next song is even better it's called "Reject Emotions" and it was originally recorded by female fronted punk band "The Plasmatics".

The last one is called "The last judgement" which also starts out with acoustic guitars, like three out of four songs on this EP.

This song totally chrushes everything one of my favourite Destruction-songs and it is a instrumental song.

A great EP that gives you fine music for the money absolutely deserving the "Destruction"-logotype on the cover, that in my eyes (or ears) stands for quality thrash.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - ETERNAL DEVASTATION (1987)

Destruction is back again with another classic thrash album. With the same style as always but this time with a slightly chunkier production.

This album was released in 1986 on Steamhammer. The legendary german thrash trio has done it again, this album is an absolute neckbreaker. Maybe not as brilliant and intense as their über-great "Infernal Overkill" but Eternal Deastation comes really close in terms of quality.

The songs "Curse the gods", "Life without Sense" & "United by Hatred" are killer tracks, often played live during Destruction's live shows.

Schmier never was a great vocalist and I think that Destruction suffers a little from this, but they certainly makes up for it in sheer intensity and musicianship, guitarist Mike Sifringer's shattering and super intense guitarplay is still a mystery to me, he is one of the best riff-makers in the genre. Eternal Devastation is one of Destruction's best albums and a must have for all fans of thrash metal. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - INFERNAL OVERKILL (1985)
One year after Destruction's excellent debut EP Destruction unleashed their first full-length album titled Infernal Overkill. It was released back in 1985 by Steamhammer. Around the time of the release, Destruction were touring Europe with Slayer, and the year later headlining for Kreator and Rage.

So The expectations were high after a smaller success with the predecessor "Sentence of death", And Infernal Overkill didn't disappoint at all. This album took Destruction to an even higher level. I just love Mike Sifringer's innovative way of handling the guitar. His riffs are so intense and quirky.

He is one of the greatest geniuses this genre has to offer. If Destruction would have a better vocalist this album would have been the greatest album ever released and no way that no one ever would top it. Just listen to the song "The Ritual" which has one of the coolest riffs ever written. Bestial Invasion & Antichrist are rock-solid tracks too. Destruction delivers old and dirty thrash with absolutely no urge to flirt with the mainstream masses. It's just well-crafted music that all metal fans of the harder metal genres should be interested in hearing. Infernal Overkill is a true classic.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DESTRUCTION - SENTENCE OF DEATH (1984)
Destruction's great career started with this five-song-EP. Sentence of Death was released on Steamhammer a division of SPV back in 1984, And what a great way to start their career.

Sentence of Death is filled to the maximum with killer riffs by Mike Sifringer and the lunatic Schmier behind the vocals, it just can't go wrong, this is one of the best EP's I've ever heard.

There aren't many bands that are better than old Destruction, you just can't play the way Mike Sifringer plays, it's insanely intense, it's atypical and totally not the way most people been taught to play the guitar, but it's so amazing to hear him play.

A true genious I could mention all the songs here, they are all more or less classics, like chosing one of your kids in front of another, that just can't be done. A little more songs on this album and it could have been one of the best full-length albums of all time. But now it ends up as one of the greatest EP's of all time.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DETEST - THUNDERSTEEL (1990)

"Through the valley, chasing heathens

Seeking destiny out far

If we see them, we will kill them

Destructive action close at hand

Blood and arms. Thundersteel!

Armored warriors shall never yield"

The album starts out with those lyrics taken from the song Thundersteel, it's such a majestic and powerful anthem it makes your jaw drop. I hardly thought it was possible to make metal like this as late as 1990. When most metal bands in Sweden headed for that early death metal sound. Detest looked elsewhere, towards early Manowar for inspiration they also mixed in some thrash metal elements in their music. So the end result is like a Manowar on steroids. Now you get an idea of what kind of album Thundersteel is. This is some true epic thrashing power metal that makes Manowar's 90's look bleak in comparison, their sound is like a mix between Manowar and the Swedish grandfathers of speed metal, Maninnya Blade. So don't go expecting some full on-thrash metal here because their thrashing ways are minimal. The album has a great guitartone that just rips the nonbelievers apart. The album was only made in 300 copies so It's incredibly rare and has somewhat become a holy grail for collectors of Swedish metal. It sold for 461 dollars on eBay. So prepare to empty your wallet for this one or go to youtube for a sneak peek.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEVASTATION - IDOLATRY (1991)

In a fair world Idolatry would have been an equal to Sepultura's "Arise" because Idolatry is a powerful thrash album with lots of similarities to Arise.

Devastation brings some strong songwriting and the album is as intense as it is majestic. The guitars by Cavalera and Kisser, uh sorry... Elizondo and Burk could easily be mistaken for late 80's Sepultura and the drummer (Lozano) bangs away like there's no tomorrow.

My only complaint is the album art, it looks like someone took a dump on a childs drawing, but luckily for us their music is the opposite of that brown fudge.

Bands like Dark Angel, Possessed, Morbid Saint, Sepultura and Demolition Hammer comes to mind when listening to Idolatry. The album has that type of 90's thick and super heavy production that bands like Exhorder, Sepultura and Demolition Hammer had in the early nineties. Idolatry was Devastation's last album out of three and in my opinion, it's easily their best effort the musicianship tightened up and Rodney Dunsmore's vocals became more menacing as the years progressed. Idolatry was perhaps not the most creative and original album out there. But for every self respecting death/thrasher out there this is about as essential as it gets.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DEVASTATION - VIOLENT TERMINATION (1987)

Most bands deliver their best efforts early in their career but Devastation from Corpus Christi, Texas were a band that developed quite a bit over the years. As you can guess, this is  their debut album which was released on Zombo Records in 1987.

They released two more albums in the following years that made a bigger impact not only on me but on their fans in general.

Like a tired boxer in the ninth round, Violent Termination delivers sludgy hits but mostly the album feels like a missed punch.

The album feels youthful but not in a positive way, the band had still not found their true sound and the musicianship is not delivering anything worth raising an eyebrow for. The upcoming lineup changes really made the band sound so much better.

Especially the vocals are bad on Violent Termination and they feel atonal and out of sync. Like a poor man's Slayer or Dark Angel the band tries to catch the sound of their heroes but it is quite evident the band got their contract with Zombo before being ready to deliver. Don't get me wrong I love their other two records but this album is average at best. The album feels to long and  with sludgy riffs that are almost indistinguishable from each other it gets pretty boring. Sorry Devastation fans but I guess most of you agree that the best is yet too come. 

⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DIAMOND HEAD - CANTERBURY (1983)

If Borrowed Time hinted that Diamond Head were drifting from the raw power of their debut,

Canterbury confirms it. Released in 1983, the album finds the band pushing toward a

more progressive, polished and radio‑friendly direction. A gamble that worked for Def

Leppard but not for Diamond Head.

The riffs here are softer, the edges rounded off, and the songwriting

leans heavily into mid‑tempo rock with progressive structures. It’s not that experimentation is

inherently bad but I think that they were abandoning the very qualities that made them special

on this record. Sean Harris’s vocals remain expressive and Brian Tatler’s guitar work is still tasteful and melodic, but the fire is missing. The riffs just don’t bite.

The production, too, reflects the band’s new ambitions: clean, airy, and strangely detached. It’s the kind of sound that might have suited a band aiming for mainstream rock radio, but it strips away the grit and urgency that defined their earlier work. The result is an album that feels caught between worlds. Too soft for metal fans, too odd for pop audiences, and too unfocused to carve out its own niche.

There are moments of quality. Tracks like “To the Devil His Due” show flashes of the band’s old grandeur and The Kingmaker has a certain atmospheric charm. But these highlights only underline the album’s central problem: Diamond Head were no longer playing to their strengths. They were chasing something else, something smoother, more commercial, more mature and in doing so, they lost the identity that made them influential in the first place.

The timing couldn’t have been worse. The NWOBHM scene was evolving rapidly, and bands that didn’t define themselves were being left behind. Canterbury should have been a bold reinvention; instead, it became the sound of a band drifting out of focus. The album’s lukewarm reception, combined with internal tensions and management issues, effectively derailed their career. By the mid‑’80s, Diamond Head’s momentum had evaporated.

In hindsight, Canterbury is a fascinating but frustrating chapter in their story.

It’s the document of a band with undeniable talent, reaching for something grander

but losing their grip on what made them matter. Canterbury was not a disaster, not a triumph. just a misaligned vision from a group who once seemed destined for greatness.

⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DIAMOND HEAD - BORROWED TIME (1982)
After the release of Lightning to the Nations, Diamond Head’s follow‑up Borrowed Time arrived in 1982 with something the debut never had: a major‑label budget, glossy artwork, and the weight of expectation. On paper, this should have been their moment that Diamond Head should have joined the ranks of Saxon, Def Leppard and Iron Maiden.

Instead, Borrowed Time captures a band that struggles with their identity. The first thing you notice is the production. Where the debut felt unfiltered, Borrowed Time is smoother, cleaner, and undeniably softer around the edges. 

The riffs are still there, Brian Tatler didn’t suddenly forget how to write but the overall tone 

leans toward a more radio‑friendly sound. It’s not that the band sold out; it’s that they seemed 

uncertain about what kind of band they wanted to be.

Songs like In the Heat of the Night, To Heaven From Hell and Call Me are rather soft and 

that certainly alienated most of the fans that loved their debut. They also made the strange decision to include Lightning to the Nations and Am I Evil? on this record as well, So there's only five new songs here which is strange for a band that needed a second record to establish themselves as one of the most important acts of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.

Sean Harris remains the emotional core of Diamond Head, and his performance here is still charismatic but there's just too many songs about unhappy love. Don't get me wrong, the songs are well-written but not heavy enough for the band to make the impact that they wante. 

Borrowed Time should have been their breakthrough but in hindsight it's clear that

the album marks the beginning of Diamond Head’s decline. The commercial

leanings that appear here would become even more pronounced on their next record Canterbury, and by the mid‑’80s the band had lost momentum entirely. Borrowed Time stands as a document of a band with immense potential, struggling under the weight of expectation and ultimately drifting toward a destination they never intended.

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DIAMOND HEAD - LIGHTNING TO THE NATIONS (1980)
Diamond Head’s 1980 debut Lightning to the Nations arrived quietly, pressed in a thousand copies and packaged with nothing more than the band members’ autographs. Yet this unassuming release would become one of the most influential records of its era. Its cult status grew not through marketing or major-label muscle, but through word of mouth and, crucially, the devotion of bands like Metallica and Megadeth. For many listeners, myself included Metallica’s covers of “Am I Evil?”, “Helpless,” “The Prince,” and “It’s Electric” were the gateway into Diamond Head’s world.

The heart of Diamond Head’s sound lies in the chemistry between guitarist Brian Tatler’s riff-driven songwriting and Sean Harris’s unmistakable vocals. Harris was often compared to Robert Plant in the early days, but Sean's delivery was more emotional, almost on the verge of breaking. Like he was channeling something raw and vulnerable beneath the swagger. Pair that with Brian Tatler’s heavy, tightly coiled riffs, the band created a dynamic contrast that set them apart from their NWOBHM peers.

Today, Lightning to the Nations is rightly regarded as one of the cornerstones of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Some retroactively label Diamond Head as proto-thrash because of their influence on the Big Four, but I don’t buy that. They were playing traditional heavy metal like the rest of the bands from that era. There’s a reason people still argue that they should have been as big as Saxon or Iron Maiden.

But the truth is harsher: Diamond Head never managed to follow this album with anything equally iconic. Later releases softened their sound and drifted toward commercial territory, losing the edge that made the debut so special. When they split in the mid‑80s, the moment had passed. By the time they returned, the metal landscape had moved on, leaving NWOBHM relics like Diamond Head in the shadows.

Still, none of that diminishes what this record meant to me. When I discovered Diamond Head, Lightning to the Nations instantly became one of my most-played albums. I just put it on repeat for months or years. Simply, it's electric!

See the flashing lights, hear the thunder roar. Five out of five!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DIO - LOCK UP THE WOLVES (1990) 

Lock Up the Wolves is the most divisive album of Dio’s early solo era

and for good reason. With an entirely new lineup, including a teenage Rowan Robertson on guitar, the album marks a dramatic shift toward a slower, heavier, more blues‑infused sound.

Gone are the fantasy‑driven anthems and neon‑lit choruses.

In their place are brooding riffs, darker atmospheres, and a sense of creative restlessness.

Tracks like "Wild One," "Born on the Sun," and the title track show a band trying to evolve rather than repeat past glories.

The album is an hour long and some songs meander, but there's an authenticity here

that Sacred Heart and Dream Evil sometimes lacked. You might object to the 

direction that Dio went for on Lock Up The Wolves but you can't accuse

Dio of chasing any trends.

In hindsight, Lock Up the Wolves feels like a transitional record: For me it's the album that bridged the classic 80's era with the new darker and more moody 90's Dio. Lock up the Wolves is perhaps not a classic, but a bold attempt to redefine Dio's sound for a new decade.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DIO - DREAM EVIL (1987) 

With Craig Goldy replacing Vivian Campbell, Dream Evil feels like a deliberate attempt to recapture the heavier, more mystical atmosphere of the two first Dio records Holy Diver and The Last in Line. Craig Goldy had previously played with Giuffria and had already worked with Dio on the Hear ’n Aid project, so his arrival brought a more structured, technically disciplined guitar style to the band in comparison to Vivian Campbells wild style of playing.

Goldy delivered a tighter rhythm work, and a more methodical approach to solos that suited Dio’s increasingly polished sound.

The production is punchier than on Sacred Heart, the riffs hit harder, and Dio himself sounds revitalized. "Night People," "Dream Evil," and "All the Fools Sailed Away" stand among the strongest tracks of this late ’80s output, showing that the band still had a creative spark left in them.

Yet the album can’t fully escape the sense that Dio was now competing with the very metal landscape he helped shape. By 1987, the genre had splintered into thrash, doom, glam, and power metal, and Dream Evil, despite all it's strengths, feels slightly out of step with the times. A strong, confident release, but perhaps not as groundbreaking as they once were.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DIO - SACRED HEART (1985) 
By 1985, the pressure to keep the momentum going was immense, and Sacred Heart reflects a band caught between artistic ambition and commercial expectation. Sacred Heart got some slack for being too commercial at the time but I don't agree that it's a sellout record. But on the other hand Sacred Heart is noticeably more polished, more keyboard‑driven, and more theatrical than its predecessors.

Tracks like "Rock 'n' Roll Children" and "Hungry for Heaven" lean heavily towards the radio friendly realm, while "King of Rock and Roll" and "Sacred Heart" try to recapture the epic feel of earlier albums with mixed results. "Fallen Angels" and "Another Lie" show flashes of the old Dio magic

Sacred Heart marks the beginning of a shift in Dio's career. Dio was obviously still a major force, but the formula was starting to get a bit stale. With an increasing amount of songs flirting with the mainstream and keyboards were getting more frequent. So I can certainly relate to the criticism that the record got but to be honest, This is still a classic heavy metal record. Songs like "Rock 'n' Roll Children" and "Hungry for Heaven" are quite legendary and they are still in rotation on every radio and TV channel that plays classic hard rock. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DIO - THE LAST IN LINE (1984) 
Following Holy Diver was a near‑impossible task,

but The Last in Line comes remarkably close. The production is grander,

the melodies more sweeping, and the band sounds even tighter. Vivian Campbell, in particular, plays with a confidence that borders on swagger.

The title track (The Last in Line) is one of Dio’s finest epics. A slow‑building, mystical journey that erupts into a soaring chorus. "We Rock" and “I Speed at Night” deliver the high‑energy punch, while "Mystery" leans into a more radio‑friendly sheen. They also recorded a music video for it.

If there’s a criticism, it’s that the album occasionally feels like it’s trying to replicate the

debut’s formula a little too closely. But even then, the songwriting is strong enough that it don't really matters.

The Last in Line proves that Dio wasn’t a one‑album phenomenon; he had just started building a legacy with his new solo band. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DIO - HOLY DIVER (1983) 
When Ronnie James Dio left Black Sabbath after Mob Rules,

expectations were high when Dio announced that he was going solo. Maybe he was

inspired by the success of Ozzy Osbourne who had started his successful solo career a few years earlier.

Dio took Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice with him and he also recruited Jimmy Bain from his former band Rainbow together with a hot new guitar prospect in Vivian Campbell. Vivian's guitar work is explosive yet elegant and just like Ozzy with Randy Rhoads. Dio had found a worthy playmate.

The album’s strength lies in its clarity. Dio wasn’t trying to reinvent himself.

He was distilling everything he had done with Rainbow and Sabbath into a sharper, more metallic and more anthemic form. This was unmistakably the work of a man who knew exactly what he wanted to create.

"Holy Diver", "Rainbow in the Dark" and "Don't Talk to Strangers", three incredible genre defining songs that are played pretty much everywhere, still to this day.

Add to that some great "deep cuts" like "Stand Up and Shout" and "Invisible" showed a band firing on all cylinders.

Dio's voice is at its absolute peak here: powerful, dramatic, and emotionally charged without ever tipping into excess. Dio completed a trifecta of masterpieces with this one. Three bands, three genre defining works. Rainbow's Rising, Sabbaths Heaven and Hell

and Dio's Holy Diver. This record is one of the defining moments of 80's metal.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DIRTY ROTTEN IMBECILES - THRASH ZONE (1989) 

D.R.I. was originally a hardcore band that slowly morped into a crossover band by each release. D.R.I. found their sound and invented the genre with their Crossover album from 1987. Two years later in 1989 after the release of 4 of a kind it was time for another D.R.I.-release to hit the stores. It was titled Thrash Zone and it was released through Metal Blade Records.

Thrash Zone was perhaps D.R.I.'s thrashiest album. But Thrash Zone's fundament is very much laid in the typical crossover field. Kurt Brecht still sounds very much like your typical hardcore vocalist, he sounds almost like Billy Milano at times (M.O.D. & S.O.D.). But the music itself is heavy and the band uses a lot of tempo changes.

From an upbeat hardcore style to a more mid tempo thrash sound. Still there are no real guitar solos and melodies to speak of here. The album focuses a lot on heavy riffs and the production feels accessible and a bit on the dry side, not at all a punky mess that some crossover albums tends to be.

D.R.I.'s earliest works are their most popular, like it is for most bands out there. Especially when you're a groundbreaking band like D.R.I. once was. But I think that Thrash Zone has it's moments, especially for us that prefer thrash to hardcore. Songs like Thrashard, Beneath The Wheel, Gun Control and Abduction are classic D.R.I. tunes. At times the band delivers some solid crossover thrash but the album also includes a few filler tracks. The lyrics are what to expect, not to be taken dead-serious. To summarize Thrash Zone I would say that it's an enjoying crossover album. Especially when it leans more towards thrash than what their earlier work did. 

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DIRTY ROTTEN IMBECILES - 4 OF A KIND (1988) 

One year after the success with the genre-defining Crossover album it was time for the rotten imbeciles to release their fourth album.

4 of a kind is a more metallic sounding album than the previous D.R.I.-releases. With it's dry and chunky guitar tone the sound is a bit different here. 4 of a kind feels darker, heavier and it has much more mid-tempo breaks compared to the slightly more punkish Crossover-album. It therefor feels thrashier when they incorporate more heavy riffing-passages.

The songs are quite long for a crossover album and it feels a bit stretched sometimes, especially when there's a lack of guitar solos. Vocalist Kurt Brecht sounds like your typical  hardcore-shouter and do I need to mention that the lyrics are sarcastic and cynical? Probably not, but there I go.

To summarize 4 of a kind I would say that this is their most metallic-album to date but perhaps not their best. Still it's crossover and at times it feels more compelling for a hardcore fan than for us thrashers.  

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DIRTY ROTTEN IMBECILES - CROSSOVER (1987) 

 In 1987 D.R.I. released their third album and named it Crossover. That title would soon name the whole genre between punk and thrash metal.

But they didn't only name the genre, they were also one of the first bands to play this type of music together with bands like S.O.D., Suicidal Tendencies, Excel, Beowolf and Cro-Mags. For me personally hardcore and crossover hasn't been my cup of tea.

So I have a hard time reviewing albums of this style. Compared to earlier D.R.I.-albums this is actually a step towards a more metallic sound, with longer and more intricate song structures, but still it's very true to D.R.I.'s roots. Their sound on crossover can be described as in the region between Cryptic Slaughter and Sacred Reich. The album is well-produced and it has a lot of chunky riffs with typical fast hardcore-styled vocal delivery and Crossover is D.R.I.'s best album if you ask me. While bands like Anthrax and Nuclear Assault were influenced by hardcore music, it was really D.R.I. that kept one leg in each genres and melded it into what we today know as crossover.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DIRTY ROTTEN IMBECILES - DIRTY ROTTEN LP (1983) 

Crossover-legends D.R.I. or Dirty Rotten Imbeciles debuted with the Dirty Rotten EP, but it sold out so fast so they decided to release it as an LP in 1983 with a few additional tracks. When you see the tracklist your alarm clock might go off. 28 songs? So this is a hardcore-album? Yes I would say so. D.R.I. would later be famous for creating the crossover genre.

Here on their debut it's all hardcore, there are nothing about this debut that feels like a thrash metal release but perhaps the albums artwork. The music is fast and punkish with typical punk lyrics about social issues.

Still kind of catchy even if both the vocals and the music is delivered at an incredible high speed. If you thought Metallica and Slayer where the fastest bands around in 1983, you haven't heard D.R.I., but unfortunately D.R.I. hasn't got that metallic sound. Me personally have never been a fan of the hardcore genre Sure I listened to a bunch of albums over the years and D.R.I. feels like a typical band of the early eighties hardcore scene with most of their songs clocking in under a minute. Don't get me wrong, it's a great hardcore album, but I'm personally more into the metal sound. If you have heard a band like Cryptic Slaughter, their early works are similar in style to what D.R.I. are doing here. As a thrash metal fan this album ain't that important, as said before, this is more for the hardcore audience. 

⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................


DORSAL ATLANTICA - ANTES DO FIM (1986)

After the legendary split-release with Metalmorphose called Ultimatum, which was the beginning of extreme metal in South America.

Dorsal Atlântica is back for their first full length release titled Antes Do Fim translated into something like "Before the end". It's rumoured that mighty Sepultura formed after seeing a live gig with Dorsal Atlântica. And mid-eighties Sepultura must be the best way to describe Dorsal's sound.

If you add a pinch of early Sodom and Slayer. The album itself is very primitive and somewhat repetitive especially when it comes to the drumming.

The production is very raw and the vocals are aggressive with lots of reverb. If you like some early neanderthal thrash metal Dorsal Atlântica is absolutely worth checking out. 

⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................

DYOXEN - FIRST AMONG EQUALS (1989)

Technical and progressive thrash from the hockeytown of Montreal, Canada. Dyoxen only recorded one LP (and two demos) before disbanding. 

But to a few of us out there this is one of the better albums in the field of techno-thrash. Their sound was somewhere in the Watchtower/Hades-region. I also get a few smaller Metallica, Anthrax and Powermad-vibes when listening to First Among Equals. Michael Scott Sanders has a clear and melodic voice, slightly high-pitched.

The album has some great intricate structures with overall great musicianship. Especially the guitarplay and the solos are impressive.

Maybe the album is a bit underproduced. But what to expect from newcomers on the scene. Dyoxen left the scene too early, leaving us fans longing for more.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

........................................................................................................................................