"Phoenix Rising" is the third album from Australia's Destroyer 666. On this album, they've refined their art a bit- the solos are much better than on "Unchain the Wolves", and the lyrics (those that are printed, at least) are quite brilliant.

Most of the songs on this album are a bit faster than those on their earlier albums, though this album has a lot of variety. The songs range from fast tunes like "Rise of the Predator" to a remake of "The Eternal Glory of War" from their "Violence is the Prince of This World" album. The best song here is the amazing "I am the Wargod". This is an epic piece that truly captures the essence of conflict. There are no weak songs here, however- the entire album is excellent.

The only negative point to this album is the production- it's a bit too clear and crisp for me. An album this heavy would have been better served with a grittier sound, more like that on "Unchain the Wolves". I also find myself wishing that they'd printed all the lyrics in the booklet. The lyrics here are so well-written that it would have been better to print them all and skip the usual band photos.

This is a fine followup to "Unchain the Wolves", and has something to please almost any fan of extreme metal. While I like "Unchain..." a little more than "Phoenix...", this is still a great album that stands strongly on its own. Most highly recommended- and if you haven't got "Unchain the Wolves", pick that up as well.

Standout tracks: "I am the Wargod", "Lone Wolf Winter", "Ride the Solar Winds".

© 2001 vorfeed