BW & BK wrote :

When you're able to compare a band to the likes of TESTAMENT and AT THE GATES in the same breath, said band is worthy of your undivided attention. COMMANDER is one of those bands. A volatile mix of Bay Area thrash and Scandinavian death metal, the German four-piece is set to unleash its debut album, World's Destructive Domination, on an unsuspecting metal scene. And for those that think this is the usual kiss ass praise that appears in the standard bio of any band desperate for a record deal, guess again. COMMANDER's music doesn't require the hype to grab people's attention. No, the hype is here to say, quite simply, "Sit down, shut up, brace for impact!" Following two years as a nameless project, guitarist/vocalist Nick Kolar and bassist Birgit Öllbrunner. officially formed COMMANDER in February 2001. The pair worked hard on combining brutal guitars, crushing grooves and melody, often with outstanding results. With the addition of guitarist Danny Klupp and drummer Rainer Jachs to the COMMANDER roster they became a band in truth, playing live gigs and rehearsing constantly to refine their sound. Between 2002 and 2004 COMMANDER went through significant growing pains that served to strengthen the band's sound. Guitarist Danny Klupp was replaced by Steffen Augstein, and the departure of drummer Rainer Jachs resulted in a long break that was used to collect new ideas. With the addition of Willy Kraut on drums in 2003, COMMANDER's present day line-up was complete. Their pursuit of World's Destructive Domination was set to begin. World's Destructive Domination is not merely a fancy title. On the contrary, it sums up the album's focus on mankind's seeming drive towards self-destruction. 'Modern Slavery', for example, deals with the idea of people (better said: politicians) manipulating those around them to achieve their own selfish ends. The two-part title track and 'Salvation For A Dead World', meanwhile, focus on the destruction of Mother Earth herself and how, one way or another, humanity is going to pay for its crimes. In stark contrast, 'Dead But Alive', is more introspective in nature while remaining fully in step with the "destruction" theme of the album. Musically, COMMANDER are a force to be reckoned with, as bands like DEW-SCENTED, SUIDAKRA, DISILLUSION, EPICA and PROFANITY discovered while sharing the stage with them. As mentioned, COMMANDER stands toe-to-toe with metal's veteran acts and should give fans of well-loved bands like KREATOR, NEVERMORE or Jester Race-era IN FLAMES something to sink their teeth into. ''World's Destructive Domination Part 1'', for example, possesses one of the most memorable thrash grooves of the past five years, while 'Dead But Alive'is reminiscent of NEVERMORE's Politics Of Ecstasy album with its crushing, almost military precision assault. COMMANDER is far above the mindless clatter of an extreme metal act desperate to prove itself, however, injecting enough melody into the songs to make them stand out from the crowd without sounding trendy or soft. In a metal scene cluttered with seasoned extreme metal acts and bright-eyed newcomers competing for a place in the spotlight, it's a relief to discover an old school band like COMMANDER with a fresh sound and a go-for-the-throat attitude. Carl Begai

BW & BK wrote :

When you're able to compare a band to the likes of TESTAMENT and AT THE GATES in the same breath, said band is worthy of your undivided attention. COMMANDER is one of those bands. A volatile mix of Bay Area thrash and Scandinavian death metal, the German four-piece is set to unleash its debut album, World's Destructive Domination, on an unsuspecting metal scene. And for those that think this is the usual kiss ass praise that appears in the standard bio of any band desperate for a record deal, guess again. COMMANDER's music doesn't require the hype to grab people's attention. No, the hype is here to say, quite simply, "Sit down, shut up, brace for impact!" Following two years as a nameless project, guitarist/vocalist Nick Kolar and bassist Birgit Öllbrunner....