V.A. /// KREATOR & SODOM & DESTRUCTION & TANKARD - "THE BIG TEUTONIC 4" (Teutonic Thrash Metal Legends paying tribute to their roots!!!)

V.A. (KREATOR, SODOM, DESTRUCTION, TANKARD) - "THE BIG TEUTONIC 4"
("Legacy Magazine"& "Beastival Festival"; CD):

Okay, here's something pretty cool and interesting, keeping my teenage days in mind and still today at least first and foremost KREATOR but also SODOM as well really own a lot of importance for me. So, yes, when I saw the December 2012/January 2013 issue of the german Metal magazine named "LEGACY" coming with this CD as a free garnish I bought it fascinated by this little compact disc and the question what this will have to offer to me. And so the first new "LEGACY" issue in by far over a decade finally hit my home again and so with this also and especially this little CD that is a exclusive edition in this form that only came with this very "LEGACY" issue, but is also (judging by a promotion site that I saw) released by "NUCLEAR BLAST" (by whom else one might could think...) as a vinyl edition (but don't ask me about any difference, more songs or so), and it seems that this is also sort of a promotion affair for the new (?) Metal Festival named "BEASTIVAL" where all the four german biggies will hit the stage together in this very year of 2013. So, okay, enough of the introducing small talk, now straight to what we get here. Four bands, the big old ones of german or teutonic Thrash Metal, and four songs, each one of every band, and all in all two coversongs of IRON MAIDEN and two of MOTÖRHEAD. Hm, and I still can remember years ago when SODOM released their I think "M-16" titled album and DESTRUCTION their I think "ANTICHRIST" titled album, hm, and I think it was the "VIOLENT REVOLUTION" album of KREATOR as well, when back then everyone was talking about the three german Thrash Metal big ones and when they also toured together under some banner or slogan like this and back then nearly everyone forgot about TANKARD, hm, times are changing, and so today after a decade or even a little bit more than this TANKARD find themselves in this exclusive legends club that is today new named and by now known as "THE BIG TEUTONIC 4". Justified? Justified! So, okay, this is especially sort of a promotion as well as a tribute affair, and really a good one that really gives or makes a lot of pleasure listening to it. KREATOR and TANKARD do covers of old IRON MAIDEN classics, and while TANKARD cover "THE PRISONER" no one else than KREATOR do a cover of the larger than life groundbreaker and lifechanger "NUMBER OF THE BEAST". And what shall I say... They damn fucking conquer!!! Ultra-Heavyness, charismatic aggression, thrashing brutality, as well as catchy melody lines and anthemic potential, they kept the spirit of the original but made it anyhow totally their own. Great!!! Beats it the original?!? Nah, no fucking way, are you kidding me?!? But it's anyway really shining great!!! Respect!!! TANKARD then do a good one with their version of "THE PRISONER", very melodic and clear and clean (especially the lead vocals), really good and interesting, and something that I wouldn't have expected from TANKARD. Thumbs up!!! SODOM and DESTRUCTION then take duties in paying tribute to no one else than MOTÖRHEAD. SODOM with their own version of "IRON FIST" and DESTRUCTION with doing a cover version of "THE HAMMER". They both pretty much add by far more brutality and heavyness to the original ones and SODOM add a very, very present, marking and heavy bass to it as well as typical charismatic (let us call it so...) lead vocals in this typical "Angelripper English" and do all in all a really good job with somehow putting a lot of heavy Punk in the original one and make it so also really pretty much their own little one. DESTRUCTION just play it intense and massive, tight to the point, sheer heavyness, and really in a truly brutal thrashing way. No fancy bullshit, just straight aggression and massive heavyness, very good done, cool shit. So, you see, each band knows to convince, but with KREATOR taking the clear victory, at least if this would have been a contest. The production sound of the songs make my thumbs also start to move up and the cool old school artwork is just great and would also be a really nice and cool shirt motif. Lyrics you won't find, but some nice little linernotes by each band in german. This disc is recommended, if you are into Thrash Metal, especially if you are into Teutonic Thrash Metal, without a doubt. (8 of 10 points)

(http://beastival.com/?lang=en)