UMUR "The Storm Before the Calm" is the 2nd full-length studio album by US thrash/speed metal act Dekapitator. The album was released through Relapse Records in July 2007. It´s the successor to "We Will Destroy... You Will Obey!!!" from 1999, so the band had an 8 year gap between album releases. Dekapitator was formed in 1996 by Matt Harvey (Exhumed, Gruesome) and Col Jones (Cretin, Exhumed) with the deliberate goal to play old school thrash/speed metal, because they were fed up with much of the contemporary music scene, and just wanted to return to their roots and play some raw and gritty thrash/speed metal.

Dekapitator succeeded quite well in doing that on "We Will Destroy... You Will Obey!!! (1999)" and continue to do so on "The Storm Before the Calm". The 8 year gap between the two releases are audible in the slightly more sophisticated arrangements (in particular the multi-harmony guitar sections, which occur on some tracks), but it´s details because the overall sound is still raw and gritty thrash/speed metal influenced greatly by the seminal releases in the genre from the early- mid 80s. Dekapitator aren´t just a clone band though, as they are one of those "retro" sounding artists, who deliver their music with a burning passion and great conviction, which sometimes make them outshine their influences.

The guitar riffs are fast, the solos blistering (and the above mentioned guitar harmonies are quite delicious), the rhythm section hard pounding and organic, and Harvey has a raw voice and a commanding delivery. With song titles like "Toxic Sanctuary", "Deathstrike Command", and "Earthscorcher", we´re also firmly placed in traditional thrash/speed metal territory when it comes to the lyrics and imagery, and fans of the genre should find lots to enjoy here. "The Storm Before the Calm" features a raw and powerful sound production too, so upon conclusion it´s a high quality sophomore album by Dekapitator and definitely worth the 8 year wait. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "We Will Destroy... You Will Obey!!!" is the debut full-length studio album by US thrash/speed metal act Dekapitator. The album was released through Blackmetal.com in 1999. Dekapitator was formed in 1996 by Matt Harvey (Exhumed, Gruesome) and Col Jones (Cretin, Exhumed) with the goal of playing old school thrash/speed metal. While there are many similar type artists out there now, because this style of music had a comeback in the early 00s, the 90s were generally hostile towards thrash/speed metal and Harvey and Jones were fed up with the contemporary music scene and just wanted to play some raw and unpolished thrash/speed metal...

...and that they do on "We Will Destroy... You Will Obey!!!". Stylistically this is as old school thrash/speed metal authentic sounding as it gets, just with a more powerful sounding production (but no less gritty and organic than most early- to mid 80s thrash/speed metal releases). So musically there are very few surprises during the playing time and the lyrics are also true to the genre with subjects like violence, war, and heavy metal praise. The material on the 11 track, 33:47 minutes long album are easy to follow vers/chorus based tracks, featuring powerful thrash/speed metal riffs, blistering solos, an energetic and hard pounding rhythm section, and Harvey´s raw and commanding vocals in front (the band´s use of riot gang backing vocals should also be mentioned).

So in that respect "We Will Destroy... You Will Obey!!!" is not a particularly distinct sounding release and it would be a stretch to call it original in any sense of the word. But when that is said, it should also be emphasized that "We Will Destroy... You Will Obey!!!" is an incredibly potent release, and that Dekapitator are a very well playing act, who are able to elevate their otherwise rather generic music to heights many of their idols wouldn´t even be able to match. This is the kind of release that´ll make you want to rip and tear, bang your head, and throw yourself into the mosh pit, while you raise your fist and shout along to catchy chorus phrases like "One Shot, One Kill", "Faceripper", and "Hell´s Metal". So as far as deliberate "retro" releases go, "We Will Destroy... You Will Obey!!!" definitely gets my vote as one of the better ones I´ve listened to. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

J-Man Dekapitator's debut effort has a bit of a "cult classic" status nowadays, and is often considered one of the stronger thrash albums from the late nineties. Formed in 1996 by members of deathgrind act Exhumed, this four-piece retro thrash act set out to bring this style of metal back to its roots, and thus this successful debut full-length is born. If you want a brief summary of We Will Destroy...You Will Obey!!!, take one look at the war-themed album art and you'll get a hint. Rough vocals, lightning-fast riffs, and machine-gun drumming make up this entire album - Dekapitator leaves very little time to catch your breath! Although this isn't the most original LP you'll ever run across, We Will Destroy...You Will Obey!!! served as a refreshing change of pace for the thrash metal scene back around its time of release. Thrash metal fans definitely need to check this one out!

We Will Destroy...You Will Obey!!! is old school death/thrash metal in its purest form. Despite being released in 1999, this album just screams "late 80's extreme thrash". The fast riffs, harsh vocals, and machine-gun styled drumming contained on this album are exactly what thrash metal was all about back in the late eighties and early nineties, but the rise of groove-influenced thrash acts really made this old-school style a dying breed back in 1999. Dekapitator has a decidedly retro sound on this album, so their focus is seldom on innovating the thrash metal genre or breaking any boundaries. If their only goal was to simply create a balls-out, heavy thrash metal album, then I'd say they've succeeded tremendously. There are enough killer riffs here to keep you headbanging like a madman the whole way through, and Matt Harvey's rough vocal delivery is excellent. He's known for his diverse vocal abilities in Exhumed, but his Chuck Schuldiner-influenced growls/shouts used here sound equally terrific. The raw production also suits the music perfectly.

As far as I know, the only version of We Will Destroy...You Will Obey!!! that's currently available on the market is the recent reissue from Relapse Records. Relapse gave this classic album a major facelift, and the new version includes four bonus tracks and new packaging. Although the bonus material may only justify re-purchasing the album for die-hard fans, I've had a blast listening to the bonus tracks, and anyone who buys the album nowadays should definitely check out this recent reissue.

All in all, We Will Destroy...You Will Obey!!! is a very impressive debut album from Dekapitator that does exactly what it's supposed to - successfully execute high quality, brutal, down-to-roots extreme thrash metal. There isn't much in the way of originality on this observation, but that's a minor issue when the music is this good. If you're the type of person who enjoys a never-ending assault of heavy riffs in your thrash metal, We Will Destroy...You Will Obey!!! is an easy recommendation. I'd say 3.5 stars are deserved here.