SPHINX - Deathstroke CD

Sphinx present an album that wants to be the legitimate successor of Kreator’s debut. Even “Pleasure to Kill” is almost a high-sophisticated piece of music in comparison to “Deathstroke”. But that’s okay, because Kreator’s second work had a greater influence on the global scene, but “Endless Pain” also left its mark impressively. And so the motto is full speed ahead. Snotty vocals ask to dance in interplay with sawing guitars and arrow-quick drums. Honestly speaking, already the artwork speaks volumes and most of you will know what is to expect when it comes to tunes with names like “Ruthless Power”, “Deadly Speed” or “Pounding Death”. That's probably what songs on the next Mantas demos would have been called, if they hadn't renamed themselves Death. But let’s forget Chuck Schuldiner (R.I.P.). Even at the beginning of his much too short life, he was almost a technocrat compared with the trio here.

These songs as well as the remaining material benefit from a dirty yet vigorous production and so I come to the conclusion that we do not have any serious flaws on this record (the anaemic intro and the silly outro aside). Of course, the entire album does not deliver anyhing new and even the fact that you should contact the band via an address in Gelsenkirchen (hometown of Tom Angelripper) has parodic features. But come on, this is Teutonic thrash the way it should be – and this alone makes “Deathstroke” recommendable.