Carnal Forge--Destroy Live
MVD/Century Media 2004
As the metal form has grown more and more extreme over the years, classic thrash seems to have become a lost art. When factoring in the bizarre decline of seminal acts such as Megadeth and Metallica, evidence of this fact becomes even greater. Thankfully, there are bands like Carnal Forge out there to pick up and sustain those dropped torches. On Destroy Live, these guys prove themselves to be just as devastating onstage as they are on record. It's another step towards proving their all time greatness in this genre.
The main program of Destroy Live is beautifully shot. Lots of fast edit stuff going on here, but not to the point it's unwatchable. The stage setup and light show is equally as impressive, setting an ominous backdrop for the pummeling musical brutality of Carnal Forge. The setlist is surprisingly well mixed, giving the audience healthy portions from all four of the band's albums, as well. Highlights include "Hand Of Doom" and "Deep Rivers Of Blood," both featuring flawlessly executed harmony riffing. Still, "Twisted" off the band's Who's Gonna Burn debut takes top honors. That punishing stutter riff it boasts is as crushing as the first time you ever heard it, still standing as one of the top ten thrash licks ever--a fact often overlooked perhaps because it comes from the "new school." Top to bottom, it's all a joy to take in.
Normally, bonus footage on a DVD like this consists of throwaway type footage. Not so with Destroy Live. Here, you get two extra mini sets of Carnal Forge, one from New York and another from Japan. The New York show is nicely shot with slightly lo-fi sound--still very enjoyable. The Japanese clips are perfectly raw, though--a one camera shot with very good sound. At this show, the band are crammed onto a very small stage, grinding it out with occasioanl strobe blasts to accentuate all the headbanging going on. Old timers will especially appreciate this footage as it puts out a very vintage vibe.
Diehard Carnal Forge fans will eat up Destroy Live--this thing is abolutely packed to the gills. Folks who gave up on this kind of stuff after Megadeth released Risk and Metallica dropped everything since "the black album" would also be well served to pick this up. Yes, this music is still alive and thriving, thanks to bands like Carnal Forge. From start to finish, these guys stay ridiculously tight, without a single moment of letdown. Manditory for Slayer fans who aren't already hipped to Carnal Forge, too. Bravo.
Score this DVD directly from MVD
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