Destroyer 666 @ Max Watts

Destroyer 666

Max Watts

Sydney, AUS

November 5, 2016

Max Watts, the name of the venue of tonight’s black and thrash metal proceedings, is a play of the term “maximum wattage,” which seemed appropriate given that Destroyer 666 were holding court.

It was a homecoming or sorts as the band was founded in 1994 in Melbourne after the band’s guitarist’s departure from Bestial Warlust and then eventually relocated to Europa in 2001, followed by extensive touring and firmly establishing their presence in the old world.

Touring on the back of their most recent album Wildfire, Destroyer 666 delivered: Their own brand of blackened, dirty and thrash metal infused with a healthy dose of early Motorhead, and dare I say gruff punk swagger and attitude along with nods to Killers’ era Iron Maiden adds anthemic qualities to their songs, while never taking the foot of the pedal.

The transition from listening to their songs and experiencing them in a live environment is seamless and their commanding stage presence based on sing-along choruses, frantic riffage and all-out thrashers is a natural extension of their aesthetic.

It is Destroyer 666’s knack of transcending genres, incorporating lyrical themes of lycanthropy and nihilism along and taking the audience from thrash assaults to more epic moments In a coherent, engaging manner that many of their contemporaries lack. Underground metal aficionados would be hard pressed to not enjoy Destroyer 666’s live incarnations.

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Photos by T