Hero Destroyed

Throes (Relapse)
By Mike Delano

If only everything were as simple as Hero Destroyed makes it seem. Throes has the sound of a record that was conceived and played on the fly: Nothing sounds particularly labored or painstakingly tweaked, just lively and aggressive. It’s an enviable trait for a band to have, to sound like you just plugged in and went with it, and it still sounds good, as Throes does. Who knows if it was a quick and spontaneous recording session or not? Some bands pay top dollar for superstar producers to create the illusion of the effortless feel that Hero Destroyed nails here. Their brand of punk and hardcore-influenced metal, though, while immediate and satisfying, is rarely memorable. Riffs and sometimes entire songs come and go without leaving much of a lasting impression. Standout tracks “That’s an Axe” and “Minion” succeed by marrying a sense of songcraft with the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants vibe of the record. If the band can manage a little more of that distinction in their future output while maintaining their whirlwind intensity, they could be onto something memorable.
(www.relapse.com)