You know what’s always great? When you’re sitting there going through a bunch of promos and out of nowhere a band shows up that makes you not only sit up and take notice, but also want to investigate further. Such is the case with DESTRUKTOR, who just released their long-awaited sophomore album Opprobrium (Hells Headbangers) after six years. Admittedly I knew nothing of them, but you can bet your ass I do now! A potent combination of Death and Black Metal, it’s that push/pull that gives them their edge across seven songs clocking in at a total of 34 minutes. Not to mention the cover art is fucking cool as hell! I need it on a T-shirt, STAT!
Opener “Priestiality” (love the title!) has a very Stygian Witches quality to it and is tantamount to that calm before the storm, really. Because a minute and change into it all bets are off as we get lost in a sea of blast beats, dark riffs, and throaty growls. Again, this band mostly straddles the line between the two genres, never going too far in either direction which is one of the things I enjoyed most. Although a few songs have a stronger Black Metal influence. “Besieged” is all fire and fury while “Tyrants Condemnation” is content to rev the engine for a bit before dropping the hammer so you really have no idea where it’s headed at first. “Immaculate Deception” was an immediate standout due to its breakneck, whiplash-inducing pace and one that will keep you coming back if you’re anything like me.
The intro to “Blood Poison” is pretty hot and spicy and the rest of the song never once turns down the heat while “Eradication” takes more of a direct approach and was another favorite of mine. The album is capped off with the 8:40 “Forever the Blood Shall Flow”. You all know how much I love these epics and this one is no exception. Moving along at a slow and evil pace something wicked this way comes, that’s for sure. Then at the 2:30 mark the beast throws its head back and unleashes a mighty roar before returning to its lair, having spilled the blood of the innocent. As the song winds down it then fades into this acoustic piece for a minute or so that makes you reflect on what it is you just listened to.
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience with DESTRUKTOR and I will definitely be watching to see what happens next with these guys. Opprobrium is out now and is certainly worth checking out for fans of Black Metal and Death Metal alike. And due to the relatively short running time of the album, you’ll probably find yourself giving it several spins a day like me.
STANDOUT TRACKS: “Eradication”, “Forever the Blood Shall Flow”, “Immaculate Deception”
RATING: 8.5/10
