There are some death metal albums that don't have a lot to offer in the way of nuance, melody, musicality, or songcraft but manage to win the listener over with pure, unmitigated adrenaline;
Marching Towards Destruction
is that type of death metal album.
Axis Powers
obviously aren't trying to make their mark with intricacy or complexity; this 2009 release never pretends to be
At the Gates
,
In Flames
, or
Callenish Circle
(which are among Europe's more melodic death metal bands), and
is ruthless from start to finish. Nor are these Swedish headbangers hoping to impress the listener with originality; the material on this album isn't the least bit groundbreaking. All that said,
deserve credit for the unmitigated energy and passion that they bring to
. Not once on this 34-minute CD do
sound like they are merely going through the motions; vicious, head-clobbering tracks like
"Mankind Dead and Raped"
and
"Brutal War"
are played with conviction -- and instead of apologizing for the limitations of this type of approach, they celebrate those limitations.
lives up to all the familiar death metal stereotypes -- very dark and morbid lyrics, insanely fast tempos, "Cookie Monster" growling vocals, no subtlety whatsoever -- and it does so with a considerable amount of enthusiasm. One can certainly describe
as derivative, predictable, one-dimensional, and less than distinctive, but no one can honestly accuse the disc of being uninspired or unfocused.
wears its limitations like a badge of honor, and the end result is an album that isn't terribly imaginative but is an exhilarating listen nonetheless. ~ Alex Henderson