Melbourne, Australia's subtlety-free Deströyer 666 originated as a one-man black metal project from the imaginatively named K.K. Warslut (aka Keith Destroyer, formerly of pioneering Ozzy Satanists Bestial Warlust). Following 1995's solo-recorded Violence Is the Prince of This World, additional members Shrapnel (guitar), Bullet Eater (bass, aka Phil Gresik of Hobbs' Angel of Death and Bestial Warlust fame), and Ballistic Howitzer (drums) filled out Deströyer 666's ranks for 1997's sophomore Unchain the Wolves, by which time the band had also adopted the clever slogan "Australian and Antichrist." Three years passed before Deströyer 666 finalized their third album, Phoenix Rising, which brought punchier thrash and death metal elements to the mix, and greatly heightened their profile, being their first international release via the Season of Mist label. The same was true of 2002's Cold Steel...for an Iron Age, but after the next year's Terror Abraxas EP, the band seemed to lose a little steam. In 2009, after an unexplained hiatus, Deströyer 666 returned triumphantly with their critically acclaimed fourth LP, Defiance. The 2011 To the Devil His Due compiled all of the group's tracks previously available only on 7" vinyl EPs, and in 2016 Deströyer 666 issued their much anticipated fifth studio long-player, Wildfire. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia