Destruction (band)

Destruction
Destruction and guests at I Othe Wacken Festival in 2007
Background information
Also known as	Knight of Demon (1982–1984)
Origin	Weil am Rhein, Germany
Genres	Thrash metal teutonic thrash metal black metal (early)
Years active	1982 (1982)–present
Labels	Steamhammer Nuclear Blast AFM
Associated acts	Kreator Sodom Tankard Poltergeist
Website	www.destruction.de
Members	Schmier Mike Sifringer Wawrzyniec Dramowicz
Past members	Tommy Sandmann Harry Wilkens André Grieder Oliver Kaiser Thomas Rosenmerkel Christian Engler Michael Piranio Sven Vormann Marc Reign

Destruction is a German thrash metal band. They are considered one of the "Big 4" of the German thrash metal scene, the others being Kreator, Sodom and Tankard. Along with Venom (UK), Bathory (Sweden) and Celtic Frost (Switzerland), three of those four German bands (Tankard being the exception) are often credited with helping pioneer black metal, by containing several elements of what was to become the genre. Destruction was originally named Knight of Demon, but changed their name in 1984. For most of the 1990s, Destruction was not signed to a record label and was forced to self-produce their albums until they signed a contract with Nuclear Blast in the early 2000s.

Inspired by Iron Maiden, Mercyful Fate, Motörhead and Venom, Destruction were formed as Knight of Demon in 1982. The original line-up featured vocalist and bassist Schmier, 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 (also released in 1987), then a live recording Live Without Sense in 1989, and Cracked Brain in 1990. In 1989, before the recording sessions of Cracked Brain began, Schmier left the band, and was replaced by Poltergeist frontman André Grieder. Mike Sifringer continued to release albums under the moniker of "Neo-Destruction".