There are some death metal albums that don't have a lot to offer in the way of nuance, melody, musicality, or songcraft but manage to win the listener over with pure, unmitigated adrenaline; Marching Towards Destruction is that type of death metal album. Axis Powers obviously aren't trying to make their mark with intricacy or complexity; this 2009 release never pretends to be At the Gates, In Flames, or Callenish Circle (which are among Europe's more melodic death metal bands), and Marching Towards Destruction is ruthless from start to finish. Nor are these Swedish headbangers hoping to impress the listener with originality; the material on this album isn't the least bit groundbreaking. All that said, Axis Powers deserve credit for the unmitigated energy and passion that they bring to Marching Towards Destruction. Not once on this 34-minute CD do Axis Powers sound like they are merely going through the motions; vicious, head-clobbering tracks like "Mankind Dead and Raped" and "Brutal War" are played with conviction -- and instead of apologizing for the limitations of this type of approach, they celebrate those limitations. Marching Towards Destruction lives up to all the familiar death metal stereotypes -- very dark and morbid lyrics, insanely fast tempos, "Cookie Monster" growling vocals, no subtlety whatsoever -- and it does so with a considerable amount of enthusiasm. One can certainly describe Marching Towards Destruction as derivative, predictable, one-dimensional, and less than distinctive, but no one can honestly accuse the disc of being uninspired or unfocused. Marching Towards Destruction wears its limitations like a badge of honor, and the end result is an album that isn't terribly imaginative but is an exhilarating listen nonetheless. ~ Alex Henderson