Band:	Deathstars
Album:	Everything Destroys You
Style:	Industrial gothic metal
Release date:	May 2023

01. This Is
02. Midnight Party
03. Anti All
04. Everything Destroys You
05. Between Volumes And Voids
06. An Atomic Prayer
07. Blood For Miles
08. The Churches Of Oil
09. The Infrahuman Masterpiece
10. Angel Of Fortune And Crime

There’s nothing inherently wrong with playing it safe when releasing an album after a 9-year-long hiatus. In fact, it may be a wise approach, if not artistically, then commercially. Playing to your existing fanbase’s nostalgia will probably be more profitable than taking creative risks to attract new listeners. The former statement may imply that Everything Destroys You is a worthless cash grab, which it is not. But it is also not a masterpiece.

Tracks such as "Midnight Party", "Blood For Miles", "The Infrahuman Masterpiece" and the title track show that Deathstars’ songwriting can still capture the listener. The intros and hooks of these songs are melodically well-crafted and instantly catchy. However, the delicious darkness that was already fading on Night Electric Night and The Perfect Cult has almost completely evaporated. "Angel Of Fortune And Crime" is an enjoyably heavy exception to this, but still does not quite reach the level of Deathstars’ early albums’ sinister feeling.

Everything Destroys You sounds just a little too soft and offers no challenges for fans. It is also unlikely to offer any challenge to newcomers, both of the band and the genre. This is not only a fault of the songwriting, but the production, too. Deathstars’ soundscapes are as massive and epic as they have ever been. However, for this style of music, such production choices end up making the experience weaker, rather than stronger. "Anti All" and a few other moments on the album make the big bombastic soundscape work, but those are the exception, not the rule. The band also uses an obvious synth-generated vocal sample on many tracks, and it becomes a tiny annoyance by the end of the album.

It is likely that Deathstars created the album they wanted with Everything Destroys You. Unfortunately, the album they aimed to make was not a step up from their previous works. Thus, it is difficult to give Everything Destroys You a strong recommendation. Those that will enjoy the album do not need said recommendation. Newcomers are better off giving a chance to the band’s first two albums.

Your average metal or rock listener is probably quite the nostalgic beast. There’s nothing wrong with that. Deathstars are back. Most fans will be glad that they are back, even if it is not with a vengeance.