A minute of eerie, unsettling atmosphere ushers in Birth of Malice, but that 60 seconds is merely the calm before the storm. In the world of thrash metal, Destruction stands apart. They are genuinely terrifying, and the bloodcurdling scream from Schmier that kicks off “Destruction” is proof enough. As he spits pure venom, it becomes clear that four decades of doing this hasn’t dulled the fire—it’s only made it burn brighter.
Indeed, they sound particularly belligerent here, as if the absolute chaos of 2025 demanded a state of the union address. That’s exactly what “Cyber Warfare” delivers: nightmarish, dystopian thrash that pulls no punches.
Martin Furia’s guitars slash through “No Kings – No Masters” with razor-sharp aggression, making it clear—if it’s every man for himself, you’d better pick a side. And just in case the message wasn’t clear enough, “Scumbag Human Race” leaves no room for ambiguity.
The stop-start pummeling of “God of Gore” feels like being repeatedly bludgeoned, making the slight slowdown on “A.N.G.S.T” all the more menacing. The harsher vocal delivery on “Dealer of Death” only adds to the feeling that this is something clawing its way up from the depths.
But beyond the sheer intensity, these songs matter. The lyrics hit with unflinching relevance, and musically, this could start a mosh pit in a mortuary. Whether it’s “Evil Never Sleeps,” lurking in the shadows ready to strike, or “Chains of Sorrow,” echoing Slayer and even classic heavy metal with Furia and Damir Eskic trading blistering riffs, there’s no filler here—only fury.
Special mention goes to drummer Randy Black—one of three members recruited in the past five years—who has been instrumental in Destruction’s recent renaissance. If anything, Birth of Malice proves they’re stronger than ever.
And as if to hammer that point home, they end with perhaps the fastest track on the album: “Fast as a Shark.” “The loser will die!” screams Schmier. Make no mistake—he’s on the winning team.
Destruction has always “stood apart,” and in 2025, that’s truer than ever. The greatest thrash today isn’t coming from the so-called “Big Four”—it’s Testament, it’s Kreator, and it’s these guys right here.
Forty years after their debut, they’re not supposed to sound this vicious, this vital. But no one told Destruction. And that’s why Birth of Malice is so damn good.
Rating: 9/10
