Formed in Lörrach, Weil am Rhein, Baden-Württemberg during 1983 under their original title of KNIGHT OF DEMON this German Speed Metal band went on to win much acclaim and healthy album sales. The band, fronted by the well known figure of Schmier (a.k.a. Marcel Schirmer) alongside guitarist Michael Siffringer and drummer Tommy Sandmann (Thomas Senmann), made their recording debut when they recorded the 'Speed Kills' demo. A second set of demos, 'Bestial Invasion', featured the track 'Mad Butcher', which was to become so popular that it would feature as the leading title track on a 1987 issued EP. The band's debut full-length album, 'Infernal Overkill', was released in 1985.

The 1986 'Eternal Devastation' album, released through Steamhammer Records, was produced by Manfred Neurer. Upon completion of the album Senmann quit the music business to become a policeman and for tour duties DESTRUCTION drafted Chris Witchhunter of SODOM. The follow up 'Mad Butcher' EP, released in 1987, notably featured a cover version of the PLASMATICS 'The Damned'. This release was the first with additional guitarist Harold Wilkens and new drummer Oliver Kaiser. DESTRUCTION scored notable sales with the 'Mad Butcher' EP and with renewed fire opened for MOTÖRHEAD on their 1987 European tour including their first British show at the Brixton Academy. They kept up the momentum with their first shows in America including dates opening for SLAYER.

'Release From Agony', produced by Kalle Trapp, enabled DESTRUCTION to break into the worldwide market. DESTRUCTION returned to Britain once more in 1989 supporting CELTIC FROST promoting their live album 'Live Without Sense' which was recorded at shows in Austria, Spain and Portugal.

In 1990 the band fired Schmier claiming his studio performances were below par. Schmier began negotiations with PAGANINI but ended up fronting a totally new outfit HEADHUNTER. Schmier's place was filled by former POLTERGEIST vocalist Andre Grieder and the resulting album, 'Cracked Brain', provided fans with more of the same gut wrenching fare only let down by an appaling cover of THE KNACK's 'My Sharonna'. In early 1991 ex-ARTILLERY vocalist Flemming Ronsdorf joined DESTRUCTION but lasted barely two weeks.

DESTRUCTION then entered a phase of their career later dubbed as "Neo-Destruction". Signing to the Brain Butcher label the band re-debuted with the 1994 'Destruction' EP, this effort signalling a radical move away from their Thrash heritage. The band at this juncture comprised Sifringer, Engler and Kaiser alongside the EPHEMERA'S PARTY duo of vocalist Thomas Rosenmerkel and guitarist Michael Piranio. The 'Them Not Me' and 1998 album 'Least Successful Human Cannonball' followed suit. This version of the group dissolved, Rosenmerkel and Piranio duly re-creating EPHEMERA'S PARTY.

Schmier and Siffringer resolved their differences in 1999 and DESTRUCTION put in some triumphant return performances at European festivals. Sure enough the band, with new drummer Sven Vormann, signed to Nuclear Blast for the 2000 Peter Tägtgren produced album 'All Hell Breaks Loose'. As a bridge between the DESTRUCTION history of yore and the band's renewed position the classic 'Mad Butcher' track from the 1984 'Sentence Of Death' EP, a firm fan favourite, was answered with a new cut entitled 'The Butcher Strikes Back'.

Sales were strong and the album attained a number 67 position on the national German album charts. A brief warm-up tour led to European festivals performances. DESTRUCTION would then hit the road as part of the 'Nuclear Blast Festival' roadshow packaged alongside HYPOCRISY, KATAKLYSM, CREMATORY and RAISE HELL. The partnership with Canadians KATAKLYSM was re-forged with American dates which saw DYING FETUS as openers.

During April 2001 the group once again entered Abyss Studios with Peter Tägtgren to record the follow up 'The Antichrist'. The album ran into a whole slew of production problems when finished copies were found to have the track order compiled incorrectly, sleeves printed in red instead of full colour and mysterious sound drop outs on the "hidden" bonus track 'Curse The Gods'. These initial mispressings would soon be snapped up by eager collectors. The problems did not end there though as the album would also be seized by Swiss customs officials but later released.

DESTRUCTION parted ways with drummer Sven Vormann during October, replacing him with Berliner Marc Reign, a veteran of ORTH and GUNJAH. Meantime Vormann founded JESUS CHRYSLER SUPERSKUNK, linking up with ex-DESTRUCTION singer Thomas Rosenmerkel and erstwhile HATE SQUAD man Michael Gerstlauer working alongside vocalist Thomas Rosenmerkel, DRYROT guitarist Micheal Gerstlauer and Necromonicon bass player Bernhard 'Erna' Matt.

DESTRUCTION initiated a nostalgic Thrash Metal mammoth tour of Germany with compatriots SODOM and KREATOR commencing 26th December in Ludwigsburg and running through into the new year. The band's successful live alliance with KREATOR would be furthered abroad as the pairing revealed tour plans for dates in Brazil, Chile, Peru, Colombia and Venezuala throughout August and September. The Thrash union would then hit North America with CEPHALIC CARNAGE and DECEMBER in tow. DESTRUCTION would also be confirmed as headliners at the anti racism benefit gig 'The Mosh Club Open Air' in Kolmberg. The band also cut a rendition of 'Whiplash' for a Nuclear Blast METALLICA tribute collection. However, during October the ongoing would tour would be put in jeopardy when Schmier broke bones in his hand. Although he continueed to play for a further two weeks with his hand in a cast this only exacerbated the damage.

The band announced their debut Japanese shows for May 2003 at the Shibuya Club Quattro in Tokyo revealing a special live record 'Alive Destruction' would be issued by King Records to mark the event. In a display of genuine altruism, DESTRUCTION's September 2003 studio album 'Metal Discharge' was announced as having the first 10'000 copies coming complete with a bonus CD compilation of up and coming Thrash acts.

With the ignition of a new Gulf War against Iraq in March DESTRUCTION weighed in with their own salutory political statement issuing a downloadable cover version of THE EXPLOITED's 'Fuck The U.S.A.'. The band would be confirmed as co-headliners for the 'X-Mass Festivals' European tour commencing in London on December 7th, heading up a strong billing incorporating DEICIDE, AMON AMARTH, NILE, GRAVEWORM, DEW-SCENTED, MISERY INDEX and DISBELIEF. The band's own heaviness would curtail the projected Antwerp show of this leg of dates though when during soundcheck large pieces of concrete started to rain down from the ceiling!

Japanese versions of the September 2003 album 'Metal Discharge' came complete with four extra demo cuts. European limited editions added a bonus disc incorporating covers of THE EXPLOITED's 'Fuck The U.S.A.', IRON MAIDEN's 'Killers' and METALLICA's 'Whiplash' as well as a previously unreleased 1999 take of 'Bestial Invasion' and demo cuts 'The Butcher Strikes Back', 'Nailed To The Cross' and 'Metal Discharge'. The band embarked upon the 'Live Discharge – Latino' tour of Brazil in April 2004. They would be joined onstage at The Blackmore bar in São Paulo by a guesting Andreas Kisser of SEPULTURA for 'Curse Of The Gods' and a rendition of METALLICA's 'Whiplash'. Unfortunately a projected date in Costa Rica was shelved when band members became ill.

Further trouble ensued following a May gig in Brescia, Italy as drummer Marc Reign was arrested by security at Milan airport. Apparently the musician's chrome bullet belt's triggered officials suspicion and the band was detained until they could convince the authorities the ammunition was blank and merely for show.

That same year the band would have their classic cut 'Curse The Gods' chosen as a pioneering piece of music for a compilation assembled by DARKTHRONE drummer Fenriz, released through Peaceville Records and entitled 'Fenriz Presents The Best Of Old School Black Metal'. In January 2005 DESTRUCTION switched labels to Andy Allendörfer of SQUEALER's AFM Records label . That February the band entered the studio with Peter Tägtgren of HYPOCRISY and PAIN acting as producer to cut a new album given a title 'Inventor Of Evil'. Former IRON MAIDEN singer PAUL DIANNO guested on the track 'The Alliance Of Hellhoundz'. Shortly afterward the band announced a whole slew of world famous guest participations including DORO, Biff Byford of SAXON, Shagrath of DIMMU BORGIR, Björn "Speed" Strid of SOILWORK, Messiah Marcolin of CANDLEMASS, Mark Osegueda of DEATH ANGEL and Peter "Peavy" Wagner from RAGE.

Retro Heavy Metal band, POWERGOD, cut a cover version of 'Total Desater' for inclusion on their 'Long Live The Loud - That's Metal Lesson II' released through Massacre Records in July 2005. Schmier guested in the studio on this version. The frontman also put in a showing on Italian act ELVENKING's 'The Winter Wake'.

European dates in November had the band sharing stages with Swedish Doom veterans CANDLEMASS and Finland's DEATHCHAIN. The first leg of dates would be opened by Belgians AFTER ALL with the latter half supported by German act PERZONAL WAR.

A string of South American gigs took place in April 2006, although dates in Cordoba and Rosario, Argentina, and Asuncion, Paraguay, were cancelled due to "huge organisational problems and transportion issues'. DESTRUCTION scored a placing on the 'Metal Crusaders' North American tour, set to take place in May and June 2006 alongside KATAKLYSM, GRAVEWORM, VADER, SPEEDKILL/HATE and THE ABSENCE, replacing NUCLEAR ASSAULT who had withdrawn due to an "urgent immediate family situation". DESTRUCTION put in Spanish and Portuguese dates in late November.

DESTRUCTION teamed up with SADUS and MUNICIPAL WASTE for a North American tour throughout January and February 2007. These dates would be in promotion for the AFM album 'Thrash Anthems', a collection of re-recorded classic tracks plus two new tracks 'Deposition (Your Heads Will Roll)' and 'Profanity'. This set was recorded at House of Music Studio in Germany and Little Creek Studio in Switzerland with engineers Gerd Krenz, Franky Winkelmann and GURD / POLTERGEIST man VO Pulver with mixing handled by Jacob Hansen. Schmier also contributed vocals to the song 'Bloodsucker' recorded by RAGE guitarist VICTOR SMOLSKI included on a 2007 Nuclear Blast Records' 20th anniversary compilation album.

DESTRUCTION partnered with INTO ETERNITY, MUNICIPAL WASTE and HIRAX for the "Thrash Till Death Over North America" shows in January and February 2007.

The 'D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N.' album was released on 22nd August 2008 via AFM Records. Gary Holt, of EXODUS, and Jeff Waters, from ANNIHILATOR.

DESTRUCTION undertook the "D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. - 25 Years Of Total Destruction" North American trek with KRISIUN and MANTIC RITUAL throughout March and April 2009. DESTRUCTION, CEPHALIC CARNAGE and INTO ETERNITY then teamed up for the 'Extreme The Dojo Vol. 21' mini-tour of Japan in May, performing in Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo.

Guitarist Mike Sifringer broke the middle finger on his left hand at the 'Vlamrock' festival in Belgium during August when an over eager fan kick jumped the musician by accident. Meantime, 'The Curse Of The Antichrist - Live In Agony', a new double live album, saw release in Europe throgh AFM Records on 25th September. A US release came on 13th October.

The group performed at the U.K.'s Damnation Festival, taking place Saturday, 24th October 2009 at Leeds University Union. 

Garry Sharpe-Young