DisAgreement Online

Destruction have been among the founders of the German thrash metal movement and shouldn’t need any further introduction. Their first EP Sentence Of Death came out in 1984, featuring their cult hit Mad Butcher which can evidently be found on the current live double CD. All in all they made already ten studio albums, but they haven’t been idle in the live department. After Live Without Sense (1989) and Alive Devastation (2002), the time seemed right for a new live recording which had been recorded at the Wacken Open Air two years ago.

It would have been impossible to expect anything but a band that is able to conjure the live ambience throughout the album’s running time into your living room. Some overdubs may have been made, but that’s normal procedures nowadays. Destruction have of course a lot of classic tracks that awakens a lot of pleasant memories in their long time fans. But also their newer material, like D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. and Eternal Ban, show that there is still potential within the band. Schmier’s announcements are wonderfully simple, sometimes even banal, but the charismatic frontman is always able to cast a spell over his audience. There was even time to invite some guest artists, like Peavey (Rage) and a member of Communic that show up on The Alliance Of Hellhoundz.

The album would have deserved the maximum rating, but I feel coerced to subtract one point, because cult songs like Cracked Brain and Reject Emotions come in unfortunately shortened renditions. I also don’t understand why the album contains two version of Thrash Till Death. Apart from these small cosmetic missteps, The Curse Of The Antichrist (Live In Agony) is an indispensable addition to every well sorted Destruction collection.