Born to perish? This statement does not apply to the Thrash Metal legends Destruction, though their new album “Born To Perish” will certainly create a furore on August 9th. The brand-new line-up featuring the Canadian drum animal Randy Black and Swiss shred-master Damir Eskić, together with veterans Schmier and Mike, is here to bring you musical destruction. This is a new chapter in the long, impressive history of the band.We catch up with frontman Schmier to get the low down on the new songs.
Andrew: So hows things with you? Must be getting pretty excited with this new album to be released next month?
Schmier: Yeah of course, when it comes closer you always have to see that for us the album was already recorded since March or so. So for us it’s a great thing that now people can finally hear the album, the first journalists can have the first reviews now and the fans can have the first teaser and the first video now online. It’s time, you know, because as musicians there’s all these new ways of doing things and it also means several months of sitting on an album that noone can hear yet until it’s out. So now it’s the exciting last couple of weeks before the album is out and it just feels great.
Andrew: Well let’s run through the album then, take us through the process. I know you had a couple of new guys come in and add their stuff as well so how did the process go for you guys?
Schmier: I mean the biggest difference was definitely that we could finally record an album with full guitar power. That means no thinking of our live situation about how we do this live, there was no limitations this time in the studio and in the writing process. In the past we always had to step down and say, ‘Na we cannot do this, we cannot do that. We cannot do twin guitars’, because live it’s not going to sound right. So now we can really compose out of the fullest and that was really inspiring and awesome and we could shoot all the cannons at once and it sounds great of course.
Andrew: I had a quick preview of the new songs earlier today and it really sounds heavier and bigger than you’ve done before and I guess having that second guitar really made a lot of the difference.
Schmier: Yeah it did because in the past with the trio, we have always been aware that we shouldn’t overdo the studio work with the guitars because as a live band you don’t use any backups, we’re just three people on stage. We always wanted to stay honest and true and now with a second guitar, it was just more possible and of course we have chosen the right guys in the band. Damir (Eskic, guitars) is a fantastic player so he adds a lot of extra shredding in the band and the thing is we can also do that live now. The band sounds better live, we can play double lead solos again and harmony solos. Also with a fourth band member there’s more activity on stage also so it’s a kind of win-win for us all and now that we’re a 4 piece for several months, we’ve played a lot of shows, I’m asking myself, ‘Why didn’t we do it earlier?’ But the timing had to be right and for this new album it felt like the time is right and we can finally do it. You also have to find the right people also.
Andrew: Yeah definitely, of course and the last time we spoke which was just before you came down to Australia, we talked about Randy Black on the drums and I mentioned I’m a huge fan of his work because I love the band Annihlator as well. But what was it like working with him on the drums on his first Destruction album?
Schmier: Randy has played so many shows with us before we recorded the album so he was really aware of what’s going on and it was a really big help. When we started composing, he actually also contributed some really cool drum beats and patterns, that was something we did do in the past, that we had some drum beats first and started to compose riffs and melodies over the top of the drum beats. This time we used that approach on 2 of the songs, Randy has a very good swing in his playing and he is very tight in his drumming so we could really use all of that to make really strong songs. Of course he has a lot of experience also that helps a lot in the recording process, that he can really make a really tight performance. He’s also a fun guy to work with, the young guys get nervous and experienced guys know what to do and use all the power and all the experience and that of course was a great thing. He didn’t have to fuck around, gets it right away. Randy was always one of my favorite drummers and of course now it’s fantastic that he plays on a Destruction album.
READ THE REVIEW OF “BORN TO PERISH” HERE
Andrew: It sounds fantastic and one of the first songs that came out was the title track, it’s a great song and I do love that song but I have to say one of my favorites on there so far is the song “Tyrants Of The Netherworld”. I absolutely loved listening to that one, that must of been a fun one to record.
Schmier: Oh yeah that was the fastest, “Born To Perish” and “Tyrants” are the two fastest on the album. It’s typical thrashy song and also Randy has been in the band for a while, that’s the top speed for a drummer. Around 220 beats per minute, that’s when the double bass starts to get painful. It’s easy for a drummer like him but it’s fun and it’s going to be a great live track.
Andrew: And speaking of the live situation, I guess you guys will be heading out on tour. I hear you have been hitting the road with Overkill right?
Schmier: Yeah we already did a tour with Overkill and Flotsam & Jetsam in March in Europe and it was sold out everywhere. It was called Killfest and now we have Killfest part 2 which brings us with Overkill and Flotsam again, also in Europe we’re playing certain countries like Germany and Holland and Belgium and also more shows in France and Portugal this time. So it’s a continuation of the Killfest but we will also tour as headliners later in the beginning of next year coming back to headline a European tour. We’ll also headline the States and over in Asia also and hopefully come back to Australia, it will be great to be back in Oz to show the new power of Destruction.
Andrew: Yeah definitely, we saw you last year and absolutely loved watching you guys. It was the first time I had seen you guys live and I’ve been a fan for a long time so it was great to see you guys down here. How did the tour go for you guys?
Schmier: Oh it was great! It was the most shows we had played in Australia and there was also some really good venues that we had this time, it was just sad that we couldn’t come over earlier, people had to wait so long. So we really want to try and come back this time so people should buy our albums so that they also have the chance to see us but it was indeed difficult to find promoters in Australia to bring the band down for a while. So hopefully this has changed, the Australian scene and see how it’s been growing these last few years and brought us more shows so hopefully we can come back as fast as possible.
Andrew: Yeah definitely, would love to have you back! So congratulations on the new album, sounds fantastic as I said before and hope it all goes well for you guys.
Schmier: Thanks a lot mate and have a good night!
