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| DESTRUCTION D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. PRELISTENING |
So the new album D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. , which will be officially released on the 29th of August is not just any album. It's the 25-year jubilee album of Destruction. And as it should be, the guys decided to celebrate this special CD with beer, Tequila Sunrise, a cold buffet and - the tastiest goody - a prelistening of the album itself.
Therefore the journalists were invited to the probably best fitting place - The Rockfabrik Ludwigsburg, which is as legendary as the band itself and also celebrates it's 25th birthday in the year 2008. It's located right in the heart of the "Schwabenländle", how this region of Germany is called.
On a sticky Friday afternoon, the sixth of June, the journalists arrive at the dark and stylish painted (blue, goth- or sciencefiction- like Undersea-scenes with fabulous creatures and skulls) metal-disco, where the band is already waiting. Probably remembering his days as a bistro-owner Schmier cares for his guest and plays the barkeeper, while fanclub-member Thilo can hardly wait for him to sign his huge CD- and tapecollection. He and his mate had won to be present at the prelistening party and as Thilo says he expected much, "but I already know, I won't be disappointed." And he was to be right after all.
After everyone had a warm up with alcohol, sandwiches and fruits (yeah, metal journalists sometimes eat healthy food, too), the party crew moves to the dancefloor, where Schmier announces the prelistening-session and the Mad Butcher provides with info material and his obliged permanently grim face.
Then the D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. pours down from the boxes and it becomes obvious, that this is German Destruction-Thrash of the year 2008 as it should be!
The album is produced, mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen, who definetely was a good choice, because the album sounds modern, crashing, but at the same time it's got a straight Thrash Metal Sound.
After a quiet and beautiful intro to the title song "Devolution" the riffs bludgeon right in one's face. The energy makes immediately some heads nod. Mike, Marc and Schmier look quite satisfied. As the latter one says, he doesn't want to hear shit like "This is our best album", but he is proud, that it's the band's spirit which is at the bottom of this CD. He says "We don't wan't to please anybody. You can never suit everybody anyway." Clear words.
In the meantime, fan Thilo is all smiles. And probably most people on the dancefloor can imagine why: This is the most old-desctructionlike album since the reunion. Harsh, dirty vocals and tight staccato riffs. The songs are quite dynamic and catchy. Schmier explains, that the composing-work was quite song-beneficial this time.
But despite of the catchy anthem-character of the songs, there's also a more progressive egde and the album shows suprisingly much variety. That's particularly true for the guitar-work. Like on the song "Alliance of Hellhoundz" (2005) Destruction gathered again some leading-edge musicians around them. This time some famous guitarists: Harry (ex-Destruction), Gary Holt (Exodus), Vinnie Moore (UFO), Jeff Waters (Annihilator), Jacob Hansen ( Invocator/Anubis Gate), V.O. Pulver (Gurd, ex-Poltergeist), Flemming C. Lund ( Arcane Order). They are all friends of the band. Certainly good to have such friends. They are an added value for the album.
While everyone still listens to the album for the first time, a dude hands out nut rolls. "Extremely tasty! The guys have made it on their own!" The guys? Destruction? The Butcher? However - Yes, they are tasty, but to chop them, the Butcher's chainsaw would be quite useful, because they're in some pieces hard as stone. But most people eat them properly, while others take some poserpics with the slaying Butcher under the shining clavilux on the dancefloor. Marc drums demonstrative along to some parts on his airdrums, while Schmier talks to the people. The musicians seem to be relaxed and it's quite obvious that they still feel comfortable in the musicbiz. Schmier explains this with the statement: "The difference to a 9/5-job is that every day is different."
And Destruction is definetely a band, which has experienced much, as they tell during the interview section. They even took the role of "Metal missionaries" in untypical countries and Mike tells that he sometimes feels a little bit like "Columbus on his ship." In the past years they had played for example at Ecuador, where they found out in the evening that there was no light on stage. And they had been the first German band to play at Israel. And only some days before the 25-year party they had played at the Legacy Fest at Serbia. Or let's say - in the end - they played there, because a problem with the payment of the musicians appeared and Destruction was the band to which the choice was up - Playing or not playing? "It wasn't an easy descicion", says Schmier " but you know, we didn't want to go to the hotel without playing and leaving the fans there and we knew the other bands wanted to play. So we tried to get it off smoothly. Without money untill then. That's this kind of Thrash/Punk attitude." And that's probably the most important thing for Destruction and the thing which still keeps them going after that many years.
With this words back to the 25-year party and the album ,-D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. which embodies this attitude and unifies the musician's keywords: "Back to the roots" and "Open your mind." at one time. At 9 pm the Rockfabrik openes the gates for the public event with Friday Eve's frequenters, who are there for party and Metal/Rock/Alternative-disco-program and some curious Destruction fans. There's also a small prelistening event and a raffle for the latter ones, but regrettably they got to hear only one of the new songs and some fans, who arrived a bit later, are quite sad to miss it.
But later this year they will get there money's worth! AFM records tells to "Mark the 29th of August as an "Official" Thrash Metal Holiday." And there are plans for plans for a DVD release and a "25th-Anniversary World Tour". So let's look forward to that!
- Aziza Schwenke
