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Album Of The Week – Deströyer 666 – Never Surrender

Surrender? Never!

They may have been around for 30 years but Australians Deströyer 666, formed by KK Warslut all those years ago as a solo project, continue to blast earholes with the subtlety of a sandblasting machine.

It’s six years since they last brutalised our hearing with the long player Wildfire but the wait was well worth it, for this demonic trio have unleashed another sublime slice of blackened thrash with a velocity and voracity that is simply too impressive to resist. The opening song and title track “Never Surrender” races out of the traps like a caged beast, which is apt given the unidentifiable snarling that precedes this opening. A continuation of the sheer firepower that the band have become renowned for over the last couple of decades, Deströyer 666 continue to punch hard with explosive drumming, jagged riffs, pounding bass and savage vocals.

The barrage is relentless, the black thrash a constant cavalcade of dynamic riffs, battering power and an underlying quality that can often be overlooked. The musicianship is on point, the guitar work is savagely visceral, whilst the engine room of Plaza and Desecrator is locked tighter than a tyre fitter’s grip.

The tracks come hard and fast, the formula standard but so impressive. “Guillotine”, “Mirror’s Edge”, and the punishing brutality of “Grave Raiders” are just three of the highlights with the latter crossing from traditional metal through to thrash and even a bit of death metal in the space of four minutes; it’s unrelenting assault on the aural senses is fantastic. Warslut’s gravel-soaked vocal roar remains as aggressively compelling as ever, and in many respects his performance here is better, bringing those years of experience to his delivery in an assured, confident, and totally compelling manner.

If I had to draw comparisons, then I’d say that there’s plenty of Motörhead, some nasty ol’ Venom, as well as elements of Slayer and Testament in the mix and, penultimate track, “Rather Death” is the ideal illustration. It’s a frantic, highly charged power punch that drives forward with serious intent.

The likes of Hellripper, Midnight, Wraith etc, all bow down to Deströyer 666 – they say ‘never surrender’ and they mean it! A studded glove that smacks you hard and then smacks you again; ferocity in a 40-minute aural assault. It’s sheer magic. 8/10

Deströyer 666‘s Never Surrender was released on December 2nd, 2022 via Season Of Mist

About Paul Hutchings (11 Articles)
I'm old but I've loved metal since I was a kid. All metal, with the exception of sleaze and most things ending in core. You can keep that thanks!

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