What makes it real?

Soul Destruction are quickly becoming one of the hottest bands in the UK underground scene. While still unsigned, their previous self-produced album 'Descend the Trend' and this ep have forced them to the attention of the music media and are not to be ignored. The many influences in their sound make it impossible to catagorise them. Sampled rhythms and beats give rise to an industrial, almost dance-based influence, while the grinding guitars and pounding bass throw you into the more familiar world of breeze block-heavy metal. While many bands claim to have an 'original' sound, few can back it up as well as Soul Destruction. The 2 tracks this demo contains excel the last album in raw heaviness while keeping up the pure atmosphere that makes these songs stand out from the regular crowd. The first, 'Internal Therapy', has a suitingly moody opening using background effects and piano chords to lead up to the pounding main riff that backs the chorus, one which embodies a single line that will still be stuck in your head way after the song has finished. This bipolarity of hard/soft continues throughout the 3:42 track, finishing on a brutal surge of guitar riffage. The second track 'The Sorrow' is an emotional mix of semi-acoustic guitars, string accompanied chrouses and ultra-heavy riffage. Lyrically heart wrenching, it must be seen as one of the highlights of Soul Destruction's back-catalogue. Although only blessed with 2 tracks, this ep shows off perfectly Soul Destruction's complex, yet not confusing, blend of musical styles that has become their trademark, look out for them in the very near future. 9/ 10.
Rockstudio.co.uk


The second act of Soul Destruction is thrust upon us, and like the first, it takes pleasure in using a blunt instrument to perform microsurgery on your thoughts. Here they create further narratives of life’s experiences, which are transported by a machinery of sound marking a welcome return of their especially unique style. Just two songs that unify well paced industrialised rhythms, murderously distracted vocals and crushing metal guitars. “Internal Therapy” and “The Sorrow” glide on a smouldering intensity which is preserved with open spaces of atmospheric clarity and flanked with a shadowy darkness. The songs are more riff based, vivacious, coming across a little more conventional this time around and there's less use of keyboards, however it still carries that trademark melancholy ambience albeit somehow differently (but not inferior) to the first EP. These two tracks show a smooth continuation and measured development of a band that like to offer you an emotive and passionate listening experience. It will be very interesting to see them take on the challenge of a full length album and something that should be totally engrossing. But for now there’s "A Lifetime Of Dependency" and the sound of another soul being destroyed...
Downtuned Webzine


Descend the Trend is a 9 track promo which shows of all the qualities any band, developing or not should aspire to demonstrate - creative originality that seperates them from any other and a distinction to carry it out with class. The promo opens up with perhaps the most 'in your face' and experimental songs on the album - A New Religion. The song starts with a church organ, and quickly proceeds into a very industrail feel. This doesn't last long before the song takes another twist introducing techno sounds. Coupled with this and the cleverly developed lyrics, A New Religion also incorporates the heartbeat of one of the band memebers. With this level of creativity, and the melodic manner in which it is delivered, you can not help but be impressed. The promo continues this quite volatile nature throughout - each song being different from how it begain, let alone the track that came before it. However, the latter tracks do have a much calmer feel to them. Fake and Beautiful Suicide both show the more heartful side of Soul Destruction - thoughtful emotion vented through very powerful lyrics, yet spoken so softly. Overall the main thing that matters - the music - is of a very high standard on this promo. I was reminded of both Fear Factory and Tool while listening to it - which is an accolade in it's own self. You will need listen to the whole promo yourself before you can fully appreciate the range of qualities this band have to offer.
Kimoen Webzine


Never judge a book by it's cover. I was a bit wary of putting this into my CD player because the packaging and biography led me to believe that SOUL DESTRUCTION were just another goth/metal/electro band. But oh no, first track "Beautiful Suicide" is a wonderfully bleak but gorgeous gothic influenced song with a really eerie feel. The rest of the CD is musical experimentation making full use of guitars, drums, loops, samples and whatever else. The band aren't at all afraid to express their views through this wonderfully powerful music (note the lyric: "To create in death what we have failed to achieve in life."). Not only is this CD for fans of bands like Kill2This but also for anyone looking for something a bit different and passionate.
Violation Webzine


Soul Destruction ~ Descend the Trend (2002) After the first few tracks of this stomping disc it is clear that Soul Destruction are a band with enormous potential, their blend of experimental metal, and hints of industrial thrown in for good measure, a formula that worked well for bands like Fear Factory, is almost certain to reap rewards for this lot on the strength of this record alone. There really is a bit of everything here, it is easy to draw comparisons to Sulpher (in an industrial sense), Prong (with the blend of industrial metal) and as mentioned above, Fear Factory, due to the raw, yet catchy beats assembled throughout. Upon listening to the creativity displayed over the course of the album, it is plainly obvious to see that Soul Destruction are one of those bands that will soon be as much of a household name as the aforementioned bands are, if they are to fully realise their potential. 'A New Religion' starts proceedings brilliantly, a fitting opener, with fast paced guitars, cleverly placed synth samples, and drumming so apt for the band's style that the entire track feels like a perfect advert for Soul Destruction. 'Dysfunctional Reality' and 'Spiral of Violence' continue in the same vain, with nicely arranged samples smothered in catchy vocals and guitar sequences. 'Refracted Neurosis' acts as an intermission for the album, before getting back to business with 'Straitjacket Messiah', which doesn't hold quite the same power as the opening pieces, but still doesn't put a dampener on the album. Track seven, 'Fake', whad'da ya know? They've gone all melodic on us, Mark Susans on vocals has a decent enough melancholic voice to pull the listener in as much as his raw talent had done on the previous tracks, it comes as a bit of a surprise, but it works really well all the same. The record closes with 'Disgrace', another typically rhythmic blast of energy, and 'Beautiful Suicide', revisiting the more soul searching aura of 'Fake'. To summarise, Soul Destruction have created a disc full of talented musicianship that, along with 2003's 'A Lifetime of Dependency', should act as a stepping stone to great things for the band, it is a heavy, yet emotional wall of sound that isn't afraid to pull out all the stops in a genre hopping display. © Michael Freeman 8th November 2003


When I first was about to listen to the Soul Destruction cd I expected just another demo with lousy production and average sounding music but I was up for a big surprise. Imagine mixing Fear Factory, Machine Head and Rage Against The Machine (R.I.P.) into one single entity with a spicey touch of trip-hop and techno sounds and you will have a pretty adequate description of what the music on this self-financed promo cd sounds like. The two British guys who make up Soul Destruction have been surrounded by suicide since their youth and their songs contain a lot of rage but also melancholy as a mirror of their own lives. The album is not overly emotional though except for the first track which is still beautiful and even features a sample of the heartbeat of one of the band members. Samples and loops are a big part of the Soul Destruction sound and they are not afraid of using new technology in combination with traditional instruments. This is one of the most interesting unsigned bands I've ever heard and the production sounds very professional, almost at top notch level. Heavy, passionate, creative and experimental metal for the 21st century.
Tartarean Desire Webzine.


SOUL DESTRUCTION - 'Descend the Trend'. After the amazing aural delights of Acid Tongue, you'd be forgiven for thinking that things couldn't get any better. Well Soul Destruction proves that it can!! Just. Again mixing a modern blend of trippy beats and samples with Metal riffs and a gothic atmosphere this band are another one of those great new bands that are screaming to be discovered. The tracks that feature on here, aren't worth singling out really because every one is as good as the other. Honestly. If you think that America have bands that are taking Metal music forward, you really should take time to listen to this lot. This is excellent. I should really go on forever about them, but I'd just be repeating myself. I'll just say, look out for them. Check out a forthcoming interview and remember just where you read this first.
Biting Bullets.


Soul Destruction - To Create in Death What We Have Failed To Achieve in Life People say bands like KoRn channel emotion into their music really well. I say: No! That's just a corporate, sell-out, Wannabe Scotsman crying down a microphone! Soul Destruction is emotion, a massive wall of melodic feelings. The first track, Beautiful Suicide, portrays such melancholy thoughts ever so well, the bass drum being a sample of a heartbeat. Track 2: A New Religion, opens with a church organ, which soon morphs into a heavy guitar-based apocalypse, with amazing DJ work which sounds like your ears are being swallowed. The third and final track, Disgrace, is dominated by yet more guitars, which soon breaks to a great little verse. With a keyboard-based chorus, this song is the best of the CD. As there are only 2 members, I don't know what they'd do live, but this demo is a great sample of things to come. Contact: soul.destruction@ntlworld.com Website: www.souldestruction.co.uk (Soul Destruction will also be on PURE FURY, with the track Disgrace.)
Fury Fanzine.


SOUL DESTRUCTION : Descend The Trend (Format CD / Trax 4) : Soul Destruction is the project of Mark and is quite a step away from the thrash of his other band. Featuring a mix of hardcore, hip-hop, nu-metal, techno and industrial styles, Soul Destruction are a harsh, noisy affair. Their offerings such as New Religion come across heavy yet catchy and come across in a similar style to later day Fear Factory going industrial. An interesting package that will please anybody that fancies some heavy, danceable music. [7/10]
Intoxicated Webzine.


Front man Mark Susans disregard for musical convention is given ample expression by the unusual sound of Soul Destruction's Descend the Trend album. A New Religion presents an intoxicating mix of raw guitar power, heavily distorted vocals and speaker-shredding sequenced beats. The music serves as an appropriately dark vehicle for Susans' emotive anti-establishment poetry. Disgrace finds the band in all-out anger ventilation mode. In spite of the imaginative use of a heartbeat sample, Beautiful Suicide suffers slightly due to clumsy rhythm arrangements. Authentic revolutionaries are thin on the ground in today's music scene, which makes SD's heartfelt call-to-arms all the more rousing.
Peoplesound.


SOUL DESTRUCTION have a manifesto: 'To create in death what we have failed to achieve in life'. Well, each to their own and I must give respect coz over pounding Nu-stance stuff these lads throw in everything to get their point(s) across. Twisted, sometimes confused but always complex, the mood of loathing that emanates from 'DESTRUCTION is incredible. But it ain't self-loathing for sure and the world had better watch out coz 'Descend the Trend' is a CDEP that not only makes you think about things but also happens to be very, very good to boot.
Here be Monsters.


Soul Destruction - Descend The Trend (Independent) The crossing of genres in music is nothing new, but the style that Soul Destruction uses seems to be more unique then others. They almost seem to be hardcore/industrial/metal fusion type band, with some sort rhythmic base. Their songs do change from one to another, but they all keep good and heavy. Some parts seem similar to Soulfly if Trent Reznor was a part of their band. Soul Destruction does use some pretty good breakdowns, and some cool riffs. The first song starts of and sets a mood for this CD, "Descend The Trend." Iit leads it off quite nicely. My favorite songs on this CD include "A New Religion" and "Spiral Of Violence." The forth song, "Disgrace," isn't to bad either. As a whole, the five songs on this MCD last for nearly twenty minutes. It will be interesting to see where these guys go from here, but I'm all ears to hear it! Rating: 79
Metalfanatix.


Soul Destruction Descend The Trend - Demo Review (Demo CD) "Using both a sledgehammer and a fine paintbrush to describe the subtleties of a violent act with elegance and empathy. That's the sound of a soul being destroyed" This EP is definitely something just a little bit different. I think I am right in saying that Soul Destruction is the mastermind of two gentlemen, Mark Susans and Dave Hobbs, who have created this initial volume of stories told in song. Descend The Trend: 01. Beautiful Suicide 02. A New Religion 03. Spiral Of Violence 04. Disgrace 05. Dysfunctional Reality With song titles like these, you can see that the subject nature is often about powerfully emotive subjects that are frequently personal experiences or strong opinion. Musically, there is a lot of influences here that combine to create something that is very difficult to explain and far beyond a category. There is one factor that does remain throughout most of the tracks here and that is an intense emotive component that pours over your auditory senses. There are contemporary sequenced sections of rhythms and beats that suggest an industrial or even dance route, but equally there are unrefined ripping guitar riffs that share the same airspace, augmented with distressingly demanding vocals that would tear throats. But that's not it all, because there is also a wrapper of atmosphere that engulfs the whole sound, one which manages to successfully bring the diverging elements together. This is a very nicely packaged collection, one that offers a nice insight into the minds of these spirits of desolation. If you are after heads down metal then this might not be for you however, if you want something that is a little leftfield and requires more than just pressing the play button, then I am sure that you will enjoy Soul Destruction. I certainly did.
Transcripts From The Downtuned.


Now, I've never really been a fan of industrial metal, but this album might just change that. Soul Destruction's latest CD demo contains some very heavy, and therefore good stuff that will appeal to most metal fans, particularly the nu-metal crowd I believe (though I suspect members of the band would protest!). Anyhow, I think what's interesting about the band is its choice of samples. For example, "Beautiful Suicide" uses the human heartbeat (HUMAN HEARTBEAT????) as its core sample and it's looped really nicely, creating a dark, depressing rhythm. I think it's one of the best openers I've heard in a while. It's heavy without the use of distorted guitars and that itself is an achievement. It paves the way for the REAL heavy track "A New Religion", which is good. My major gripe is that the distortion sounds a little too scratchy for my tastes, and that compromises some of its heaviness. There's only one track that I didn't fancy - "Disgrace". The quick scratching/sliding of the guitars became somewhat irritating after a while, and it's a pain to listen to. Overall though, this is a pretty good demo. They've closed the EP with a brutal track, "Dysfunctional Reality", and really, you couldn't ask for more.
Artifact Fanzine.