Destruction (band)

Destruction
Destruction at the Wacken Festival in 2007
Background information
Origin	Weil am Rhein, Germany
Genres	Thrash metal
Years active	1982–present
Labels	Steamhammer, Nuclear Blast, AFM
Website	www.destruction.de/
Members
Schmier Mike Sifringer Vaaver (Wawrzyniec Dramowicz)
Past members
Thomas Rosenmerkel Harry Wilkens Michael "Ano" Piranio Christian Engler Tommy Sandmann Oliver "Olly" Kaiser Sven Vormann Marc Reign

Destruction is a German thrash metal band. They are considered one of the "three kings" of the Teutonic thrash metal scene, the others being Kreator and Sodom. All three of these bands are often credited with helping pioneer death metal, by containing several elements of what was to become the genre. Destruction were originally named Knight of Demon but changed their name in 1984.

For most of the 1990s, Destruction were not signed to a major record label and was forced to self-produce their albums, until they signed a contract with Nuclear Blast in the 2000s.

Biography

Inspired by Iron Maiden, Mercyful Fate, Motörhead and Venom. Destruction was formed as "Knight of Demon" in 1982. The original line-up featured vocalist and bassist Marcel 'Schmier' Schirmer, drummer Tommy Sandmann, and guitarist Mike Sifringer. They soon changed their name to "Destruction" and released a demo titled Bestial Invasion of Hell in 1984. After this the group signed with Steamhammer Records and released an EP titled Sentence Of Death later that year.

Destruction released their first full-length album titled Infernal Overkill in 1985, followed by Eternal Devastation in 1986. The trio then added a second guitarist, Harry Wilkens, and released the EP Mad Butcher in 1987, followed by the full length album Release from Agony in 1988, then a live recording Live Without Sense in 1989, and Cracked Brain in 1990. In 1989, Schmier left the band and Mike Sifringer continued to release albums under the moniker of "Neo-Destruction".

In 1999, Schmier rejoined, and things began to look up for the band as they signed a record deal with Nuclear Blast. They then released three more albums: All Hell Breaks Loose in 2000, The Antichrist in 2001, and Metal Discharge in 2003. The band would then sign with AFM Records and release Inventor of Evil in 2005. The band's latest album, Day Of Reckoning, was released in February 2011.

A European tour with Overkill is scheduled for March 2011. Headlining dates in South America and North America are being planned for April and May.

Members

Current members

• Vocals, Bass: Schmier (1983–1989, 1999–Present)
• Guitars: Mike Sifringer (1983–Present)
• Drums: Vaaver (Wawrzyniec Dramowicz) (2010–Present)

Former members

• Vocals: André Grieder (1990)
• Vocals: Thomas Rosenmerkel (1993–1999)
• Guitars: Harry Wilkens (1987–1990)
• Guitars: Michael 'Ano' Piranio (1993–1999)
• Drums: Tommy Sandmann (1983–1987)
• Drums: Oliver 'Olly' Kaiser (1987–1999)
• Drums: Sven Vormann (1999–2002)
• Drums: Marc Reign (2002–2010)

Guest musicians

• Vocals: Peter Tägtgren (2000)

Tägtgren appeared with Schmier on the track Total Desaster 2000 from the All Hell Breaks Loose album.

• Vocals: Peter 'Biff' Byford (2005)
• Vocals: Doro Pesch (2005)
• Vocals: Stian 'Shagrath' Thorensen (2005)
• Vocals: Björn 'Speed' Strid (2005)
• Vocals: Paul Dianno (2005)
• Vocals: Messiah Marcolin (2005)
• Vocals: Mark Osegueda (2005)
• Vocals: Peter 'Peavy' Wagner (2005)
• Vocals: Peter Tägtgren (2005)

All of these artists, with Schmier, were featured on the same song, 2005's "The Alliance of Hellhoundz", from the Inventor of Evil album.

• Vocals: Peter 'Peavy' Wagner (2007)
• Vocals: Oddleif Stensland (2007)
• Vocals: Bobby 'Blitz' Ellsworth (2007)
• Vocals: Tom 'Angelripper' Such (2007)

All of these artists, with Schmier, appeared at the Wacken Open-Air Festival in 2007 on the track The Alliance of Hellhoundz, recorded for the 2009 live album The Curse of The Antichrist: Live In Agony.

• Guitar: Ol Drake (live 2009, studio 2011)

Evile guitarist, he played the Caos Emergent Festival in Portugal on September 13, as a replacement for Mike Sifringer who broke two fingers in Belgium at the Vlamrock Festival on August 29. Then went on to play as Destruction's second guitarist as a guest onstage at Damnation Festival.
Following this, Drake was invited to play some solos and melodies on the 2011 album Day of Reckoning

Discography

Studio albums

• Infernal Overkill (1985)
• Eternal Devastation (1986)
• Release from Agony (1988)
• Cracked Brain (1990)
• The Least Successful Human Cannonball (1998)
• All Hell Breaks Loose (2000)
• The Antichrist (2001)
• Metal Discharge (2003)
• Inventor of Evil (2005)
• D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. (2008)
• Day of Reckoning (2011)

EPs

• Sentence of Death (1984)
• Mad Butcher (1987)
• Destruction (1993)
• Them Not Me (1995)

Live albums

• Live Without Sense (1988/1989)
• Alive Devastation (2002)
• The Curse of The Antichrist: Live In Agony (2009)

Compilation

• The Best of Destruction (1998)
• Thrash Anthems (2007)

DVDs

• Alive Devastation (2002)
• Live Discharge (2004)
• A Savage Symphony - The History of Annihilation (2010)

Demos

• Bestial Invasion Of Hell (1984)
• The Butcher Strikes Back (1999)

External links

• Official website
• Interview With Mike Sifringer