german thrash metal veterans DESTRUCTION will release their 16th studio album, “Birth Of Malice”on March 7, 2025 via Napalm Records.
DESTRUCTION founder Schmier once again combines his dual vocal/bass attack with crashing riffs from dual battle ax masters Martin Furia and Damir Eskicwhile Randy Black blasts his drums to new heights. As witnessed on their previous thrash fest “Diabolical” (2022),DESTRUCTION return with their uniquely raw and brutal sound, delivering merciless songs with a touch more variety and groove this time. All 12 songs straight from the butchers hit with a direct, clean sound — resulting in addictive metal anthems for the next generation of thrashers.
Today, the crushing new single “Destruction” has been released and as it’s named after the band, it contains everything DESTRUCTION is revered for. This thrash anthem reflects on the band’s legacy, fueled by razor-sharp riffs and Schmier‘s relentless vocals. With lyrics celebrating their outcast origins and unbreakable metal spirit, “Destruction” is a tribute to over 40 years of thrash dominance.
Schmier comments on DESTRUCTION‘s eponymous battle hymn: “The crushing song ‘Destruction’ is the perfect opener for this album: it builds a bridge between our old-school sound and riffing, including songtitle phrases from classic DESTRUCTION tracks and more shredding and melodic twin lead guitars, that will prick your brain with its razor-sharp leads! The message ‘we are DESTRUCTION‘unites us with our fans worldwide and manifests the bond we have together!
“I see this track in the tradition of a cult song like ‘Curse The Gods’ in the way it is composed — a thrash metal rollercoaster ride galore!”
Regarding the “Destruction” music video, Schmier said: “We filmed this clip in São Paulo, Brazil, one of the top-notch capitals of metal around the globe and a city that means a lot to us as a band. We played here for the first time in 1989 and have returned countless times for amazing concerts, festivals, visits… I feel at home here. Many friends live in this crazy town. ‘Release From Agony’ album cover, in São Paulo. We met GRAVE here the first time and the fans are simply mind-blowing! We wanted to catch the energy of a DESTRUCTION show and appreciate the faithful fans that breathe thrash metal to the core. Without them we are nothing, the lyrics of this song honor and acknowledge our supporters, they are our backbone, they are DESTRUCTION!”
DESTRUCTION‘s newest onslaught is opened by the aforementioned “Destruction”with a luring intro transforming into a true thrashing hymn with razor-sharp guitars honoring the band’s 40-plus-year legacy, where mastermind Schmier reflects on the old days. Like the title “Birth Of Malice” suggests, lyrically, Schmier delves deep in human errors — like selfish behavior on “Greed” and “Evil Never Sleeps”while stomping “ANGST” delivers shredding guitar solos and flirts with our paranoid instinct, criticizing evil forces who prey on the weaknesses of others. A clear statement is made with carnage on “Scumbag Human Race”exploring the mistakes mankind makes and pushing authorities in its memorable chorus “I will count your days!” The same rebellious attitude can be witnessed on the banging “No Kings – No Masters”. DESTRUCTION also shifts to futuristic topics on the album, like the unconscious influence of technology and new forms of war on “Cyber Warfare”. To close this brutal tour de force on a positive note, the thrashing legends celebrate their strong allyship with metal colleagues ACCEPT by their presenting own version of classic neck breaker “Fast As A Shark”. All of these heavy topics are combined in the brutal cover artwork, designed by talented Hungarian artist Gyula Havancsákknown for his works for bands like ACCEPT, KREATOR and BLIND GUARDIAN.
“Birth Of Malice” was recorded at Switzerland’s Little Creek Studio by VO Pulver. Guitarist Martin Furia mixed and mastered the masterpiece at The Black Mancave in Hannover, Germany.
“Birth Of Malice” track listing:
01. Birth Of Malice
02. Destruction
03. Cyber Warfare
04. No Kings – No Masters
05. Scumbag Human Race
06. God Of Gore
07. ANGST
08. Dealer Of Death
09. Evil Never Sleeps
10. Chains Of Sorrow
11. Greed
12. Fast As A Shark
DESTRUCTION‘s massive career has seen many successes, with the band hitting stages at the world’s biggest festivals around the world like hellfest, Wacken Open Air, Graspop Metal Meeting and Mexico Metal Fest.
DESTRUCTIONknown as one of the “Teutonic Four”, alongside KREATOR, SODOM and TANKARDwere reunited with the other three acts at the “Klash Of The Ruhrpott” concert on July 20 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
In a January 2023 interview with Felipe Canales of Chile’s iRock, DESTRUCTION bassist/vocalist Schmier was asked if he and his DESTRUCTION bandmates have ever considered changing their sound in order to reach a wider audience. I responded: “In Germany, we say, ‘Don’t change your winning recipe. Stick to the guns. Stick to what you can do best.’ And for me, what I can do best is playing thrash metal. Every album we do sounds a little bit different, but it will always sound like DESTRUCTION.
“When you get older, it’s very easy to slow down,” Schmier explained. “A lot of musicians, when they [get] older, they wanna slow down; they wanna play blues they wanna play more mellow music. For me, that’s never been the case. I think the older you [get]the more you go crazy about it. You wanna still show the young kids how it’s done. When we go out there to the festivals, we compete… To all those young bands, I could be [their] father, so I have to be the role model. So that’s how I see it. Slowing down and changing something is not what we do.”
As for whether it’s harder for him to play physically challenging music as he gets older, Schmier said: “It’s like in football — the old, experienced player, he has the feel for it. The young player runs more and runs faster. The old player has the eye and the brain. And it’s the same in music. Of course I I have to train harder to go on stage, but my experience of my age is great because I have better voice control. I know more what I want. I know what I don’t want and where the band belongs. certain 40 years in the music business is, of course, a great one.”
DESTRUCTION‘s latest studio album, “Diabolical”came out in April 2022 via Napalm Records.
In August 2021, DESTRUCTION officially parted ways with founding guitarist Michael “Mike” Sifringer and replaced him with Martin Furia. The Argentinian-born, Belgian-based Rage is best known for his work as sound engineer and producer for such bands as NERVOUS and EVIL INVADERS.
Sifringer was the only member of DESTRUCTION to have remained constant throughout the band’s career. Schmier appeared on DESTRUCTION‘s first three albums before exiting the band and being replaced by POLTERGEIST vocalist Andre Grieder. Andre‘s sole recorded appearance with DESTRUCTION was on the “Cracked Brain” album, which came out in 1990. Schmier rejoined DESTRUCTION in 1999.
DESTRUCTION 2024 is:
Schmier – Bass, Vocals
Martin Furia – Guitars
Randy Black – Drums
Damir Eskic – Guitars
Photo credit: Jennifer Gruber
