OXYGEN DESTROYER — Guardian of the Universe (review)

OXYGEN DESTROYER — Guardian of the Universe album cover Album · 2024 · Thrash Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Guardian of the Universe" is the third full-length studio album by US, Seattle, Washington based death/thrash metal act Oxygen Destroyer. The album was released through Redefining Darkness Records in August 2024. It´s the successor to "Sinister Monstrosities Spawned by the Unfathomable Ignorance of Humankind" from August 2021, although the two full-length studio albums are bridged by the July 2022 "Spawned by the Horrors of Thermonuclear Warfare" compilation album. There have been no lineup changes since the predecessor and Oxygen Destroyer have in fact had a stable lineup since 2018.

Oxygen Destroyer have been a consistent force since day one delivering furiously fast-paced death/thrash metal with caustic aggression and a rabig dog snarling vocalist in front, and they continue to deliver exactly that on "Guardian of the Universe". There have been next to no development between "Sinister Monstrosities Spawned by the Unfathomable Ignorance of Humankind" and this album, and it´s both a strength and a weakness. A strength because Oxygen Destroyer is such an energetic and well playing band and because they write powerful and intense death/thrash metal of the highest quality (and continue to present their music in a crisp, powerful, and detailed sound production). A weakness because "Guardian of the Universe" simply sounds too much like the last album. Just a little bit of development or something else to distinguish "Guardian of the Universe" from "Sinister Monstrosities Spawned by the Unfathomable Ignorance of Humankind" would have been greatly appreciated.

But when that is said fans of late 80s/early 90s death/thrash metal and (early) Merciless in particular (and the most vicious mid-80s Kreator tracks) are recommended to take a listen to "Guardian of the Universe". Oxygen Destroyer is arguably one of the greatest contemporary death/thrash metal acts on the scene, but although I usually praise an uncompromising attitude towards songwriting, I´d say it´s time Oxygen Destroyer added new elements and variation to their music. Both in terms of overall sound, but also between tracks, because "Guardian of the Universe" pretty much sounds like the same song being played for 33:28 minutes. It´s a great song...but again a little more variation wouldn´t have hurt. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
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