Review by Felix on June 17, 2026.

First of all, I would like to send my best regards to Mr. Bullet Eater. This guy tortured the bass guitar on some Deströyer 666 releases, and he was also involved in the strange Hobbs' Angel Of Death debut. But that is not the reason I started with him. What makes him special here is that he co-wrote only two compositions on Phoenix Rising — yet one of them is arguably the absolute highlight of the album, and perhaps even of the entire discography of Deströyer 666. I will come back to this later.

Phoenix Rising certainly leaves a strong impression, but in my humble opinion, it cannot hold a candle to other Deströyer 666 releases such as Wildfire or Defiance. One of the main issues is the production. It sounds rather ordinary, lacking real pressure or impact, and comes across as somewhat undifferentiated. The material is not muddy, but the songs feel clunky rather than finely sharpened. On the other hand, this kind of production emphasizes the cold, harsh edge that is something of a trademark of Australian black/thrash. Denouncement Pyre, Assaulter, Razor Of Occam — shall I continue the name-dropping? No, let’s stay focused on Phoenix Rising.

Generally speaking, Deströyer 666 present their usual mix of stomping passages, high-speed attacks, uneasy atmosphere, and venomous vocals. 'Lone Wolf Winter' does play with expectations by introducing clean vocals, but they remain a minor addition rather than a defining feature. The band avoids unnecessary gimmicks, and the main criticism here is that the short track 'The Last Revelation' feels incomplete, as if it were not fully developed in the studio. It comes across more like an interlude lacking strong musical ideas.

Apart from that, there are moments where Deströyer 666 do not channel their energy in the most effective way. The title track, for instance, contains sections where the riffs and ideas feel like they are going nowhere. However, the band also proves almost immediately that they can do far better, which brings me to the standout track mentioned earlier, kept deliberately for last.

Mr. Bullet Eater and Mr. Warslut are responsible for 'I Am The Wargod (Ode To The Battle Slain)'. The epic title delivers exactly what it promises. The tension builds gradually, tempo shifts increase the intensity, and guitars, drums, and vocals reach a dense, suffocating peak. Yet the song opens in a surprisingly airy manner, with guitar lines floating above the foundation and carrying irresistible melodic movement. It takes more than two and a half minutes before the real inferno erupts — but every second of it is fully justified.

No other track on the album has had a comparable impact in the 26 years since its release, and that is unlikely to change. There is nothing wrong with tracks like the stoic 'Ride The Solar Winds' or the aggressive 'The Birth Of Tragedy'. The latter, in particular, contains some fiery passages, and both deliver solid black/thrash material — nothing more, nothing less.

So two things are true: Phoenix Rising is not an essential must-have album, but it does contain a shining centerpiece that elevates it close to the 8 range. Thanks to Mr. Bullet Eater.

Rating: 7.8 out of 10

Review by Jeger on October 17, 2025.

There's this energy… This life force that can be traced back to the beginning of mankind - The Great Faustian Spirit! The spirit of rebellion, transcendence, strength and war. This runs deep through some, and if it weren't for those whose spirits are free, the world would be a boring place; a place of little imagination or of a much slower rate of evolution. There have been a number of Artists over the course of time, since the inception of Rock & Roll / Heavy Metal, who've truly lived and in many cases, died the lifestyle: Peter Steele, Lemmy Kilmister, Darrell Abbott and Jeff Hanneman - men who properly represented Heavy Metal and who exuded everything it takes to be a true Alpha Male. It is because of this energy, life force or spirit that we as humans can still call ourselves a worthwhile species, for without it, there is no growth, or true Black Metal…

There's this attitude… This rugged kind of swagger that comes along with being a man of the caliber of those mentioned above. It's the ability to be above it all. Intangible! A true renegade. To genuinely not give a fuck about what anyone has to say about you or about how anyone thinks/feels about you. To transcend Herd mentality and to be bold enough to challenge the established ideals of society. To be white! And to be fucking proud of it. Not to hate! But to celebrate. The white wolf on the cover of Deströyer 666' debut LP, "Unchain The Wolves", has been described by band frontman, KK Warslut, as a representation of the "spirit of the white man." And a proud representation it indeed is! And it's KK and Deströyer 666 for whom we've gathered tonight to acknowledge.

KK Warslut's career has been one of Steel Towne rampages, life-changing acid trips, confrontations with Leftists and of giving Western Culture as it stands today, a big middle finger. A voice against SJW lunacy and against cancerous media outlets - enemies of Black Metal: MetalSucks and Metal Injection. But mainly, KK Warslut's career has been one of truth. The album that we're getting into this evening happens to be the finest of Deströyer 666' catalogue. Three years following the release of "Unchain The Wolves", in 2000, Deströyer 666 unleashed "Phoenix Rising" and shook the world…

Burn down the world! Turn ideals to shit! Reduce everything that stands to rubble and then burn the rubble… And it's only the beginning! "Rise Of The Predator", following a most contemplatively brutal intro, erupts into a blackened tempest of all things Deströyer 666: air-tight tremolo riffs and blast-beats, bestial energy, anthemic and primal. A refined version of their debut is "Phoenix Rising" - the product of a band in their prime, and what a remarkable contribution to Black Metal. Deströyer 666 would eventually move on from creating straight BM, but during this particular era, they were the cream of the Aussie Black Metal scene. And "Phoenix Rising" was their opus. With unforgettable tracks like "The Last Revelation" and "Lone Wolf Winter" along with everything this band stood for, their youth, their energy, their outlaw mentality and their leather! All of the components to a great Black Metal record created by a great Black Metal band.

"Phoenix Rising" came out during an important era for Black Metal. It was the New Wave of Black Metal - a time of refinement and of genre exploration. Albums like Watain's "Rabid Death's Curse", Tsjuder's "Kill for Satan" and "Phoenix Rising" here were emerging; further solidifying Black Metal as a viable genre. It is my opinion, that no other album of that era represented that time with as much pride and ingenuity as "Phoenix". And the war raged! And the impact of that fabled warring day can still be felt today, as "Phoenix Rising" stands as one of the most influential Black Metal records of its time. It is definitely this band's crowning achievement - their "Master of Puppets".

Deströyer 666, following their fourth LP, "Defiance", would begin to venture further away from what could be considered conventional BM. 2016's "Wildfire" is heavily thrash-infused (even more so than their older stuff) and their latest album, 2022's "Never Surrender", is influenced considerably by Heavy Metal. There are enough bands out there doing the extreme thing these days is basically how Keith put it during our interview, and I have to disagree… We need some old-school Deströyer 666 like a death-bed-hooker needs a priest. "Never Surrender" is a fine album, but it lacks the animal instinct of their previous work.

I subscribe to nearly everything KK Warslut says… I commend him for his common sense, brutally honest worldview and even more so for the haphazard way in which he communicates how he feels about Western Society. I subscribe to everything Deströyer 666 stands for as a band: unity, passion and strength. People like Keith aren't relics, they're people of a different pedigree. There are those of us out there who are born with strong will, strong character, strong convictions and the uncanny ability to sniff out bullshit. In a world full of trannies, blue-haired Social Justice Warriors, beta males who can't change a tire, indoctrinated youths and sniveling Leftists, be a KK Warslut. Or at least listen to "Phoenix Rising". Bow to no man! Only to the Phoenix… "Where are all the white women at?" 

Rating: 10 out of 10