DESTRUCTOR - Back In Bondage

February 24, 2016, 8 years ago

(Pure Steel)

Mark Gromen

Rating: 8.0

review heavy metal destructor

DESTRUCTOR - Back In Bondage

Cleveland thrasher buddies, still going strong after 30 years! However, this is a vintage, oft-bootlegged recording (circa 1999), finally seeing an official release (although a pair of these did eventually appear on the Sonic Bullet full-length) and also signed to the niche German label for a forthcoming original disc. Three-fourths of the Maximum Destruction line-up is here, namely singer/guitarist Dave Overkill, guitarist Pat Rabid and drummer Matt Flammable. Grew up on a steady diet of local shows, shouting along to 80s anthems likes of “Pounding Evil”, the title track and a campy “Hot Wet Leather / Bondage” (from whence this album takes its name). Will any of these nine supplant those staples? Probably not (hence their initially remaining unseen/unheard), but if it facilitates more live performances, I'm all for it. 

As mentioned in my 2015 year-end retrospective, a closet cleaning move, in an era of diminished sales, as issuing once ignored material by established artists is an easier sell than breaking new names. Old school, the vocals are normal to high pitched squeals, as the guitars grind away, particularly on the early part of “Final Solution”. Really a dynamic guitar band, without being like the Varney/shredder type platters, the pair of six-strings prominent in the mix, topped by Overkill's wail. “The Shedding Of Blood And Tears” is an atypical attempt at a more refined Destructor, both in tone and voice, a ballad, if you wish, building to guitar crescendo, with a hint of keyboard backing, before ultimately fading out. Opening with channel switching guitars, “Triangle” closes with similar smashing sound effects to that open the introductory platter. Footnote to their longevity, but newbies should start the investigation with either the aforementioned debut and/or Forever In Leather. "People with hang-ups try to bring us down. Smash those fuckers, make our sound...Destructor!"

 



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