Sentence of Death / Infernal Overkill

I wasn't sure if I should've gone into this review talking about my thoughts on Destruction as an entity in Teutonic thrash metal, or talking about my thoughts on compilation albums that bundle multiple releases together in general. Either way, I'd arrive at the same conclusion in that Sentence of Death/Infernal Overkill is a pretty compelling acquisition. The main reason behind me feeling this way about this compilation is a bit counter-intuitive, but I'll endeavor to explain it to the best of my abilities. Destruction's early material (by which I'm referring to the body of work found on this very CD) is slightly overshadowed by some bigger speed, thrash, and even first wave black metal outfits of the mid-80's, and this is because it just kind of exists within the niche of raw 80's speed/thrash. Neither being remarkable nor unremarkable. Despite being quite enjoyable for me and many others, it's also very predictable song/delivery-wise. These guys found their voice more on Eternal Devastation I'd say. So why then is this compilation a compelling release? Well, it basically serves the ideal purpose of a compilation (by the very connotation of the word) in that it highlights a distinct period for Destruction. If you're more of a purist collector then, sure, separately getting those High Roller Records slipcase reissues of both the EP and full-length featured on this CD makes sense, but otherwise you should definitely get this CD because it's a good value if you just desire the music on physical media.

Above is really all I had to say about this music in the context of a compilation CD, so it's time to discuss the EP and full-length respectively. Sentence of Death is a release that's easy to get hooked on, since it's still fairly crude and raw, but is still more proficient musically than, say, Sodom's In the Sign of Evil EP. The songs are immediate, particularly the standards "Total Desaster" and "Mad Butcher", while "Devil's Soldiers" feels like a surprisingly mature culminating track for a relatively short debut studio release. Throughout the entirety of this EP, I hear a strong traditional heavy metal element, exemplified well by mid-paced, NWOBHM-like riffs connecting the "thrashier" ones, especially in "Satan's Vengeance." These elements are true to the convention of debut 80's thrash releases (Show No Mercy feels rooted in heavy metal as well, for example), but in Destruction's case it is a bit more interesting, since the early music of Teutonic thrash outfits is commonly thought to be more abrasive than its contemporaries. Indeed, though, there is a proto-extreme metal edge to this EP.

Predictably, then, that tendency is a bit further fleshed out on the Infernal Overkill full-length. The playing could be tighter as some critics have pointed out, but I would say the musicianship is just right for the rough, but ultimately effective, riffs, complimented by a popping drum sound. The music of Infernal Overkill is more emphatic and syncopated than that of the EP, but is still cut from largely the same cloth, and does not abandon traditional heavy metal entirely, either. To me, this is compositionally interesting, due to the early Celtic Frost-like guitar tone, which many may find too "sludgy" and oppressive to play metal with slight touches of traditionally-inspired melody (this music is, however, a notch less oppressive and gloom-driven than Morbid Tales). Song-wise, "Tormentor" is one of my favorite thrash tracks in general, but is also my favorite song with that title, even more so than the respectable Slayer and Kreator cuts. "Death Trap" and "Bestial Invasion", meanwhile, are what I feel is an early sneak peak of a more mature Destruction, largely because of Schmier's measured but ultimately hostile delivery, which was a key component of the sophisticated and refined Release From Agony.

This is a CD I purchased on a whim around the same time High Roller reissued Infernal Overkill by itself, since it was actually cheaper than that deluxe slipcase reissue and featured more material. Though I come back to "Total Desaster", "Satan's Vengeance", "Death Trap", and "Tormentor", I didn't altogether realize the value of this CD until relatively recently. Destruction's legacy begins here.