Destruction is a German thrash metal band formed in 1982. They have been credited as one of the "Big Four" of the German thrash metal scene, the others being Kreator, Sodom and Tankard.[3] In addition to helping pioneer black metal,[4][5] Destruction was part of the second wave of thrash metal in the mid-to-late 1980s, along with American bands Testament, Sacred Reich, Death Angel and Dark Angel.[3][6] For most of the 1990s, the band was not signed to a record label and self-produced their albums until they signed a contract with Nuclear Blast in the early 2000s.
The band was formed in Weil am Rhein as Knight of Demon in 1982, inspired by Iron Maiden, Mercyful Fate, Motörhead and Venom. The lineup featured Ulf Kühne on vocals, Mike Sifringer on guitar, Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer on bass and Tommy Sandmann on drums. Kühne was kicked out of the band due to conflict with Sifringer over a girl. Schmier took over vocal duties. They were then known as Destruction and released a demo titled Bestial Invasion of Hell on 10 August 1984. After this, the group signed with Steamhammer Records and released an EP titled Sentence of Death on 10 November.
In 1989, during the initial recording sessions of the fourth studio album Cracked Brain, Schmier was fired from the band and was replaced by Poltergeist frontman André Grieder, the only album with him. The album was released in 1990.[8] Guitarist Mike Sifringer remained and continued to release material under the moniker of "Neo-Destruction", featuring vocalist Thomas Rosenmerkel, second guitarist Michael Piranio, bassist Christian Engler and continuing drummer Oliver Kaiser. The first recording was the self-titled Destruction EP in 1994, followed by the Them Not Me EP in 1995 and the album The Least Successful Human Cannonball in 1998.
In 1999, the lineup was disassembled and Schmier rejoined with the addition of new drummer Sven Vormann, returning Destruction as a trio. They signed a record deal with Nuclear Blast and released three new albums; All Hell Breaks Loose in 2000, The Antichrist in 2001, and Metal Discharge in 2003,[9][10][11][12][13] with Marc Reign replacing Vormann. The second live album Alive Devastation was released on 26 March 2003,[14] followed by the release of a live DVD titled Live Discharge: 20 Years of Total Destruction on 4 March 2004.[15][16][17] Reign was temporarily arrested on 24 May 2004 following the band's performance in Brescia due to the stage accessories, which was confiscated as a result.[18] Destruction would then sign with AFM Records[19] and release Inventor of Evil on 22 August 2005.[20][21][22][23][24] That album was followed a compilation album titled Thrash Anthems on 19 January 2007, featuring re-recorded material,[25] and the next studio album D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. on 29 August 2008.[26][27][28] The third live album The Curse of the Antichrist: Live in Agony was released 25 September 2009,[29][30][31][32][33][34][35] followed by the second DVD release A Savage Symphony - The History of Annihilation on 29 January 2010.[36][37]
Drummer Marc Reign would leave the band in 2010[38] and be replaced by Polish drummer Wawrzyniec "Vaaver" Dramowicz. On 18 February 2011, the twelfth album Day of Reckoning was released.[39][40] The band's thirteenth studio album Spiritual Genocide was released on 23 November 2012.[41] Their next album Under Attack was released on 13 May 2016.[42] Through an exclusive PledgeMusic campaign, Destruction released the sequel album to Thrash Anthems titled Thrash Anthems II on 18 July 2017, featuring more re-recordings of classic songs.[43][44][45]
Destruction performing in 2017
On 23 January 2018, Vaaver left Destruction "for family reasons", according to Schmier. He took time off in 2015 to be with his family following the birth of his second child. Randy Black would temporarily replace him until the band finds a "worthy successor".[46][47] He was later announced as the band's new drummer.[48] On 28 February 2019, Swiss guitarist Damir Eskic joined the band.[49] This new lineup recorded the fifteenth studio album Born to Perish, which was released on 9 August 2019.[50][51] It is rooted in their traditional style of thrash metal and received good reviews.[52] The fifth live album Born to Thrash was released on 8 May 2020.[53][54]
On 16 July 2021, Destruction performed at the Area 53 Festival in Leoben without rhythm guitarist Mike Sifringer.[55] Schmier explained in a Facebook post that Sifringer had not answered his emails and questioned his status, and that there was a problem that led to the decision to continue without him and would release a statement planned for 19 August.[56] Sifringer's departure was confirmed that day and was replaced by new guitarist Martin Furia, followed by the release of a new single titled "State of Apathy", featuring the band's first recording appearance with Furia.[57] On 13 August, the sixth live album Live Attack was released.[58] On 16 December, a music video of the title track from the sixteenth studio album Diabolical was released. The album was released on 8 April 2022 in celebration of the band's 40th anniversary.[59]
On 31 July 2023, it was announced that Destruction (along with Kreator, Sodom and Tankard) were on the bill for the Klash of the Ruhrpott festival, which is scheduled to take place on 20 July 2024 at Amphitheater Gelsenkirchen in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, making this the first time that all of the "Big Teutonic Four" bands have performed together.[60]
In January 2024, Destruction announced that they are working on new songs for their upcoming sixteenth studio album for a 2025 release.[61]
Thrash metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and fast tempo. The songs usually use fast percussive beats and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead guitar work. The lyrical subject matter often includes criticism of The Establishment, opposition to armed conflicts, and at times shares a disdain for the Christian religion with that of black metal. The language is typically direct and denunciatory, an approach borrowed from Punk.
Kreator is a German thrash metal band from Essen, formed in 1982. Their current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Miland "Mille" Petrozza, drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil, lead guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, and bassist Frédéric Leclercq. The band's lineup has changed multiple times throughout its 42-year career, most noticeably with their bassists and lead guitarists. Petrozza and Reil are the only two original members left in Kreator, although the latter took a break from the band from 1994 to 1996. Yli-Sirniö has been the lead guitarist of Kreator since 2001, while Leclercq joined in 2019 as the replacement of Christian "Speesy" Giesler, who had been a member of the band since 1994.
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band formed in Belo Horizonte in 1984 by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera. The band was a major force in the groove metal, thrash metal and death metal genres during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments drawing influence from alternative metal, world music, nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial metal. Sepultura has also been credited as one of the second wave of thrash metal acts from the late 1980s to early-to-mid-1990s.
Sodom is a German thrash metal band from Gelsenkirchen, formed in 1981. They have gone through many lineup changes, leaving bassist/vocalist Tom Angelripper as the only constant member. The band is currently composed of Angelripper, guitarists Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik and Yorck Segatz, and drummer Toni Merkel. Along with Kreator, Destruction and Tankard, Sodom has been referred to as one of the "Big Four" of Teutonic thrash metal. Sodom heavily influenced the German black metal scene. In addition, the band is regarded as a pioneer of death metal. Mike McPadden wrote that the most Venom-blackened of German "Three Kings", Sodom further merged thrash and death metal into a "wicked and decadent sound".
Tankard is a German thrash metal band from Frankfurt, founded in 1982. Alongside Kreator, Destruction and Sodom, Tankard is often considered one of the "Big Four" of Teutonic thrash metal. Stylistically, Tankard have consistently played thrash metal that thematically centres primarily on alcohol reverence, unlike the remaining "Big Teutonic Four", who are all known for covering such topics related to death, politics, violence and anti-fascism.
Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1979 in Richmond, California. Their current lineup consists of guitarists Gary Holt and Lee Altus, bassist Jack Gibson, drummer Tom Hunting, and lead vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza. There are no original members left in Exodus other than Hunting, who has departed from the band twice, in 1989 and 2004, but rejoined in 2007. Exodus is also notable for including a then-unknown Kirk Hammett, who was the band's lead guitarist from its inception to his departure in 1983, when he left to join fellow Bay Area thrash metal band Metallica as Dave Mustaine's replacement. Holt has been most consistent member throughout various lineup changes and breakups, and is the only member to appear on all of Exodus' recordings. Much of the band's career has also been affected by feuds between both band members and record companies, two extended hiatuses, deaths of former band members and drug addictions.
Death Angel is an American thrash metal band from Daly City, California, initially active from 1982 to 1991 and again since 2001. It has released nine studio albums, two demo tapes, one box set and three live albums. The band has gone through several line-up changes, leaving guitarist Rob Cavestany as the only constant member; he and vocalist Mark Osegueda are the only members of to appear on all of their studio albums.
Evile are an English thrash metal band from Huddersfield, formed in 2004. They have experienced numerous line-up changes over the years, with drummer Ben Carter being the only member of the original line-up to have stayed consistently. The current line-up consists of Carter, lead guitarist and vocalist Ol Drake, bassist Joel Graham, and rhythm guitarist Adam Smith, who replaced Drake's older brother Matt in 2020.
Persecution Mania is the second studio album by German thrash metal band Sodom, released on 1 December 1987 by Steamhammer/SPV. The album marked the beginning of the change in sound from having elements of thrash metal, speed metal and black metal to mostly being thrash metal. As well as defining Sodom's sound, it exemplified the thrash metal genre at a time when it arguably peaked in popularity. The album also bore similarity to the music of other German bands such as Destruction and Kreator, and the term "Teutonic" thrash was coined from this.
Mad Butcher is the second EP by German thrash metal band Destruction, released on March 6, 1987. Thomas Sandmannhad left the band and two new members had entered the group: a new drummer, Oliver Kaiser, and a new guitarist, Harry Wilkens. This is the band's first studio recording featuring a four-piece lineup, instead of a trio.
Onslaught are a British thrash metal band from Bristol, England, active from 1982 to 1991 and again since 2005. The band initially drew influences from US and British hardcore punk bands such as Discharge and the Exploited, as well as the new wave of British heavy metal, and eventually adopted a straightforward thrash metal sound. They have been recognised as pioneers of the British thrash metal scene, and have been referred to as one of the country's so-called "big four", along with Sabbat, Xentrix and Acid Reign. To date, Onslaught have released seven studio albums, one compilation, four singles and two live recordings: a live album and a live DVD.
Inventor of Evil is the ninth studio album by German thrash metal band Destruction, released on August 22, 2005.
The Antichrist is the seventh album by German thrash metal band Destruction, released on September 15, 2001 through Nuclear Blast.
Cracked Brain is the fourth full-length studio album by German thrash metal band Destruction, released on May 1, 1990. It is the band's only album to feature André Grieder of Poltergeist, replacing Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer, who was fired after the initial sessions for the album. Also featured is a cover of The Knack song "My Sharona".
Thrash Anthems is an album released by the German thrash metal band Destruction on January 19, 2007. It is a compilation of re-recordings of old songs and two new songs: "Deposition " and "Profanity".
Metal Discharge is the eighth full-length album by German thrash metal band Destruction, released on September 22, 2003.
Teutonic thrash metal is a regional scene of thrash metal music that originated within German-speaking countries during the 1980s, and its title is a reference to the Germanic tribe. Along with Bay Area thrash metal, East Coast thrash metal, and Brazilian thrash metal, this was one of the major scenes of thrash metal in the 1980s, and it was developed and popularized by four German bands – Destruction, Kreator, Sodom and Tankard – that have been referred to as "The Big Four of Teutonic Thrash". The label of 'Big Four' has often been rejected, emerging from the belief that the influence and popularity of Tankard was far less than that of the other 3, leading to the alternate title, "the Teutonic Trio".
Day of Reckoning is the eleventh studio album by German thrash metal band Destruction. It was released on 18 February 2011 in Europe and 8 March 2011 in North America via Nuclear Blast. The first limited edition of the album does not have the band's logo on the booklet while the vinyl version and second pressing of the CD show a red Destruction logo on it.
Spiritual Genocide is the twelfth studio album by German thrash metal band Destruction. It was released as a celebration of the band's 30th anniversary.
Under Attack is the thirteenth studio album by the German thrash metal band Destruction, released on 13 May 2016.
References
↑ Larkin, Colin (1998). The encyclopedia of popular music Vol.2. London: MUSE UK Ltd. p.1494.
↑ Patterson, Dayal (2013). Black Metal - Evolution of the Cult. Port Townsend, Washington, USA: Feral House. p.64.
↑ McPadden, Mike (2012). If you like Metallica: here are over 200 bands, CDs, movies, and other oddities that you will love. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA: Backbeat Books. p.74.
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