It’s been twenty years since Deathstars arrived on the scene with the release of their debut album Synthetic Generation, and Everything Destroys You (Nuclear Blast) is their sixth outing, and the first following a hiatus after the release of The Perfect Cult in 2014, and its subsequent touring cycle. 

It also marks the return to the cult Swedish band, of rhythm guitarist Cat Casino, who sat out the previous release and re-joins Nitro Industries on the instrument, with both providing a number of crunching riffs throughout. 

Nitro Industries also produces the album, helping provide a clear and crisp sound for the band, whilst also contributing with the heavy use of keyboards and synths, that defines the sound of the release. 

And it’s a sound that remains consistent from track one to track ten, with little deviation from their preferred formula, of what can best be described as industrial Glam rock, with a distinct Halloween party vibe. The record opens with ‘This Is’, where there is a little Rammstein mixed with Marilyn Manson, on a track that is built around a spooky-sounding synth hook. ‘Midnight Party’ picks the sound straight back up, with a theatrical quality that throws a little Manson once again, into a blender with She Wants Revenge, The B-52’s and T.Rex, which is as much of an acquired taste as it sounds.  

‘Anti All’ and ‘Everything Destroys You’ both ramp the spooky vibe up to eleven, with each track sounding like the soundtrack to a ride on the Ghost Train at your local fair, while on ‘Between Volumes And Voids’, ‘Blood For Miles’ and ‘The Churches Of Oil’, vocalist Whiplasher Bernadotte is joined by a heavily vocoded female backing singer on each chorus, delivering a highly theatrical, almost War Of The Worlds musical kind of feel. 

This is an album that will no doubt divide opinion, as you’re either going to absolutely love or hate their tried and tested sound. It’s clear Deathstars have a blast creating their distinct brand of cheesy feel-good music with a spooky-gothic twist, and at this stage in their career, they are purely catering to an audience that will already know whether they love what the band, are doing or not. 

Buy the album here:

https://bfan.link/deathstars-thisis-1152.ema

6 / 10 

ABSTRAKT_SOUL_