Sometime has elapsed since Teutonic thrashers Destruction last put on a headlining show in London and the good number of thrash metal troops in attendance at the Underworld in the middle of the work week show that such events have been missed. Frequently labelled as one of the Teutonic Big Four, these Germans are undeniably necessary listening for any fan of '80s metal.
Having only formed in 2010, Finland's Lost Society have attained huge achievements in their brief lifespan. With two albums to their name both released by Nuclear Blast (the same label as the headliners tonight) when they are still teenagers, these youngsters may be slow to the thrash revival party but as the audience in London illustrates, there is certainly an appetite for the Finnish four-piece. Their take on thrash metal sounds like Exodus (both new and old eras approached), straight-forward compositions and lyrics that lean towards the tongue-in-cheek audibly reveal the band's age. There is nothing here that any thrash fan has not been exposed to before and the music is fairly unmemorable but works as a backdrop to simply guzzle beer and headbang to while the band members show a level of zeal that older musicians have eroded away as they play more shows and become desensitised to the thrill of the live environment.
The theme from 'Psycho' serenades Destruction as they storm the stage just prior to beginning their set with one of the first songs they penned for the thrash titans' legacy, 'Total Disaster'. The busy venue swarms forward as a mosh pit is instantly set in motion, mirroring the violent metal storming through the amps. The first portion of the set is oblivious to Destruction's modern thrash metal sound and the fans devour the raw thrash classics such as 'Thrash 'till Death', 'Nailed to the Cross' and 'Mad Butcher'with delight. When 'Day of Reckoning' from 2011 pops its head to update the setlist, the audience's reaction noticeably wanes. Fortunately, the vast majority of the set fixates on the old school elements of the band's career while only 'Carnivore' and 'Hate is My Fuel' represent the 2012 studio effort 'Spiritual Genocide'. The crowd is also served up a drum solo from that allows the other members to catch their breath for a while.
The stage presence of Destruction is an austere one. With just three members, the Germans make use of the extra space on stage by positioning microphones at each end, enabling vocalist/bassist Schmier to travel across it and look even more animated beyond the relentless headbanging. The sound of the venue is fair for the Underworld tonight, arming a level of crispness to the guitar work. Schmier's vocal efforts slightly differ live than on the recorded older tracks with less of a dark snarl and more of a thrashy shout.
The fan favourite 'Bestial Invasion' closes the set to a horde of sweaty and smiling thrash metallers. Their chants for more lure Destruction out to play the previously conspicuously absent 'Curse the Gods' and their homage to the fans 'The Butcher Strikes Back', easily one of the strongest bullets in their inventory and a great way to conclude the mid-week thrash madness. With 'The Omen' film's theme song informing the audience that the show is genuinely over, tonight's punters leave with a smile on their face and their evening well spent. Destruction's thrash metal contribution will never be forgotten and for good reason.
FUTURE GIGS
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