The German thrash veterans of Destruction have a new album, which kind of escaped me entirely. So I hadn’t heard it at all. But they are doing a short tour to support that album under the Thrash Alliance flag with three more thrash metal bands. I missed the first band – Final Breath – entirely due to the early hour on a working day.

When I entered the venue Suicidal Angels was nearly finished setting up. These Greeks have a seven albums out already and mostly toured as support act. Yet they got quite some response in the venue, and even a circle pit was started at the encouragement of the singer. Their form of thrash metal is mostly mid-paced and lacks a bit in the energy and aggression of classic thrash, especially in the drum section. Mix that with a couple of so-so riffs, and it turns out to be a rather run-of-the-mill thrash band.

The second band was another veteran band, early on known as Occult, but now already for many years using the moniker Legion of the Damned. I never was interested much in them, I can’t really say why, but it just doesn’t appeal to me. Even though their thrash was more aggressive than the previous band and there were some cool riffs there.

But the band I wanted to see was Destruction. Just lie Sodom they got a second guitarist, which is soundwise quite an improvement, especially during the solos. Otherwise it fills out the sound a bit more, but they don’t really do anything specific with it. Of course they played a couple of songs of their new album, which sounded like many of the albums for the last 15 years or so. Good but not great. Unlike their early albums, which contain some real gems. And of course songs like the Mad Butcher, Live without Sense and Curse the Gods were on the set list. Even a more rarely played Death Trap mad an appearance. Half way through the set the PA was – presumably accidentally – turned off and the intro didn’t play, which Schmier obviously didn’t like considering his swearing at the sound man. Overall quite a good gig.