SilentScream213 Thrash was in a sorry state in the late 90’s. Most of the old guard had fizzled out or changed genres, and it had absolutely no place in the mainstream world. It was up to the underground, then, to keep it alive, and most of those bands did so by mixing it with more extreme styles of music.

Desaster were one of many bands going for a Blackened Thrash style, going back to the roots of the genres by worshipping the infernal overlord and reigning hellfire upon the world. By ’98, nothing on this album was particularly new or inventive, but it was done well, and that’s what matters. Songs traded places between aggressive Thrash beats and Blackened chords, leads and blast beats. The production, the style, the lyrics, they all sounded very 80’s, and for Thrash fans, there’s no better era to be. However, the music itself, especially the guitar playing and vocal approach, leaned far more towards the Black Metal style. In fact, so much so that I don’t think I could truly call this a Thrash album at all; it sounds much more like Thrash-influenced Black Metal (or plainly said, first wave Black Metal).

The band is at their best going full speed aggressive assault and focusing on darker riffs. When they slow down into more Blackened Heavy Metal territory, or play at a goofier, medieval sound, the material doesn’t work as well.

Hellfire’s Dominion wasn’t enough to revitalize either genre, nor did it add anything new to the mix. However, the album is great fun and full of competent songwriting, playing, and of course, riffs. I do find it a bit overrated, though.

Time Signature Queens of sodomy...

Genre: black-thrash

German black-thrashers Desaster have been at it since the late eighties and are obviously very experienced metal musicians.

On "The Arts of Destruction", like on previous editions releases, the seasoned German band offers hateful and satanic black-thrash. Now, black-thrash often turns out to be rather one-dimensional, and this is obviously something that many see as a positive quality, while others find it monotonous and boring. Desaster do not even have to worry this about, because on this album they manage to capture the primitive energy that constitutes the core of black-thrash, but, at the same time, they ensure that the album as a whole is varied and interesting to listen to.

After a dark and epic intro and the first real song of the album (which is also the disc's title song and an all out black metal affair with some old school metal elements) Desaster reveal their core style in "Lacerate With Hands of Doom", which is an uptempo thrash metal song, based on a few but powerful riffs - some of which are even kind of melodic. The melodic aspect is further explored in "Phantom Funeral" and the epic black metal-oriented "Possessed and Defiled", while "Splendour Of The Idols" is quite heavy. The rest of the album consists broadly of fast and aggressive thrash metal songs that are comparable to early Slayer and early Sacred Reich, as well as Sodom and Destruction.

Production is not exactly polished, but cannot be said to be raw either. There is lots of reverb on the guitars and vocals, which is probably a tactic is meant to emulate the typical metal productions of the 80s.

On the whole, this is an excellent release: it is evil and primitive, but still varied and sometimes melodic, and it will certainly appeal to fans of primitive black-thrash, more melodic thrash metal and black metal .

UMUR Stormbringer is an EP release by blackened German thrash metal act Desaster. The EP was released in 1997 by Merciless Records.

The music on Stormbringer is blackened thrash metal of the old school teutonic style. Early Sodom and Kreator seem to be the main influences. But also the usual suspects in Venom and Celtic Frost need a mention. The EP contains 6 tracks and a playing time of 20:59 minutes. There are 5 original tracks on the EP and a cover of Tormentor by Kreator. The latter is decently delivered but sticks much to the original. The original tracks are actually good quality blackened thrash metal but pretty standard for the genre which means raw and filthy thrashy riffing, a raspy aggressive vocal delivery and a thunderous rythm section. There´s nothing here you haven´t heard before but it´s delivered with conviction.

The production is good, but for my taste the music could have prospered from a more raw and filthy sound.

I´ve read about Desaster but never heard their music before listening to Stormbringer and while I do enjoy this EP, I´m not sure I´ll seek out too many other releases by the band if they turn out to be in the vein of this one. It´s not that I don´t enjoy the EP, but Desaster do nothing on Stormbringer that any of the above mentioned influences haven´t done 10 - 15 years before. Still Stormbringer is a pretty good release deserving a 3 star rating.