DEVASTATION
“DRINK WITH THE DEVIL” EP
Album Review By Dark Juan
10/10
I’ll be honest, I thought the only good things to come out of Belgium were chips with mayonnaise, Spa-Francorchamps and Stella Artois. How totally wrong I was. Coming across this rather splendid five track EP from retro Belgian thrashers Devastation has totally changed my opinion. Released by Empire Records in Belgium, this is a tremendously speedy and meaty slab of pure 80s nostalgia. People of a certain age will be transported instantly back to the glory days of thrash, when the big four ruled metal and the Clash Of The Titans tour was THE gig of the century….
It’s a thing of beauty. Every single song is classic thrash metal in content and structure and the band have been very careful to imbue the production of the record with that breathless je ne sais quoi that separated the good from the truly great thrash albums. The musicianship is super-tight throughout (special mention for Tom Heynssens on the drums here…. A very talented drummer indeed!) and the band sound like they are having fun. This is important, because the very best thrash bands (Slayer, Sodom, Kreator and the like) all sounded like they were enjoying themselves, even when punishing their poor listeners with power. Matthieu on vocals draws influence from the greats of the European thrash scene, reminding me particularly of Ron Royce of Coroner and Mille Petrozza of Kreator – both greats in thrash metal, and still relevant even today. The band’s overall sound is similar to Agent Orange era Sodom, lacking the production high gloss of American thrash like Sacred Reich and Megadeth, maintaining the European thrash aesthetic and distinctive sound – that earthier, more punk sound that typified the German thrash scene in particular.
A rare thing has happened. I can’t choose a favourite song. I’ve tried and tried and I can’t do it. I like them all! This is not a good thing for a reviewer. I’m supposed to point out things that I don’t like. I’m barrel scraping here but the only thing wrong with the record is the bass being too high in the mix for my tastes. However, thrash has always been a bit of a bass-averse genre, so this may have been a conscious decision of the band. That’s the only niggle I have. And I’m not even that bothered about it, because in my head I am being 17 years old again, in my Mk 2 Ford Escort with the tape player in it, blasting Coroner, Pestilence and Sarcofago on my way to see Fudge Tunnel and Sepultura in Manchester with my mates. It reminds me of happy times. This record is THAT good.
Thrash Metal Checklist:
Pointy band logo – check
Questionable cover artwork – check
Song about the Devil – check
Song about dystopia – check
Song about religious abuses – check
It’s so perfect I want to cry. Instead I’m drinking Stella lager and headbanging wildly around the lounge.
The Patented Dark Juan Blood Splat Rating System gives this a bullet belted 10/10. That’s enough blood for a war to have started over a genocide somewhere. The FBI wouldn’t even be close to it. We’re talking government on government, baby.
Devastation are:
Matthieu Brasseur [Vocals]
Tim Mathijs [Guitars]
Maarten De Zutter [Bass]
Tom Heynssens [Drums]
TRACKLIST
Drink With The Devil
Defilement
Reborn Through Fire
Raped By God
Society Will Die
https://www.facebook.com/devastation.be/
https://www.facebook.com/empirerecordsbe
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