All Interviews
Destruktor
Glenn Destruktor
Posted on Jan 31, 2006
by Anders
Destruktor, a thrashing Australian horde I got to know when I received their mini album "Nuclear Storm" last summer, a great album indeed that quickly caught me. I hooked up with mainman, guitarist and vocalist Glenn Destruktor to get answers to my many questions, and they have now landed on my desk and here they are, so you can check it all out... Thrash with speed and brutality, old school as hell and with hints of both death and black metal, what more do we need?
Hails, how are things in Australia as we speak?
Things here are getting fucking hot, new years drinks on the river in 2 days time, and the Aussies are kicking arse in the cricket. 4 days off work, bourbon in the fridge, mix in the bowl, what more could a man want for the time being?
Will you start off by introducing yourself and tell us why you deal with maniacal thrash metal?
I am Glenn, guitarist/singer with Destruktor. We deal in maniacal thrash, or whatever else you want to call it because we love real metal, and love extreme metal, and grew up on the shit. It is the blood in our veins!! This is the best way for me to unleash some fury, playing the instrument I love, and the music I love!!
Will you introduce the rest of the band and tell us what they bring to Destruktor?
Regan plays bass, and has done so for about 8 years with Destruktor, he is the only bass player we have had. He adds stability, constant bass fury, metal/drinking partner, great stage presence, and lately, a bit of vocal work, and has written the lyrics to 'Hail The Black Goat'. Jahred brings more activity because he is the only local drummer Destruktor has had, dedication to the drum stool, enthusiasm, less stress, and his drumming skills are fucking undeniable. He also is a good bloke to have a drink and smoke with!!
How and when was Destruktor formed?
Destruktor was started from the ashes of Aphasia, back in 1997. Jarro contacted me via a radio programme I was doing at the time. We both had the desire to hook up and work on some songs, and thus, the Aphasia demo was released in 1995. After a brief split, we got back together and recorded a demo, "The Holy Trinity... Denied" in 1997. Regan joined in '98, and since then, have faced many hurdles, but have gotten over them, and still we stand!!!
How much material have you so far released?
"The Holy Trinity… Denied" - demo ‘97, "Brutal Desecration" - Rehearsal Tape, "Brutal Desecration" - 7" 2002, "Live Desecration" - Split 7" with Nunslaughter 2002, "Nuclear Storm" - MCD 2004 and the "Brutal Desecration" - Tape with bonus track 2005.
What do you want to accomplish with Destruktor?
Initially it was a demo, after that it was to spread the name, and then do a 7". This took a long time to get done, but I did not stop until it was done. From there it was to get a secure line-up, record, and play a couple of gigs. These days, it is just to further spread the war hymns of Destruktor, and work on playing and recording even better songs, and see what else presents itself, and I guess really to finally do a full length.
If you should describe the sound of Destruktor to a metalhead not knowing the band, how would the description be?
Fast, brutal, blasphemic death metal, with a catchy edge, not really technical. Some say reminds of Kreator/Sodom, Morbid Angel/Angel Corpse, Beherit/Blasphemy. And others mention the aussie style. I guess we are a bit of the lot with our own style. I think we stand alone and can not be compared to one specific style, or one specific band!
How did the band end up with the name Destruktor?
When Jarro and myself got the band fired up again, we discussed names over the phone. Jarro mentioned Destruktor Antichrist, I thought that was a bit crap/long, but there and then we shortened it to Destruktor, and agreed that it needed a K, not a C. Pretty simple really. I think the name suits us very well.
You are now ready with your mini album "Nuclear Storm", how do you feel about the album?
Even though it was recorded over three years ago, I still enjoy listening to it, and Hells Headbangers have done a great job with it. It was a fucking relief to get the MCD out. I have been fucked around with the MLP, but I will be getting Hells Headbangers to do the vinyl versions in the coming couple of months. The response to the MCD has been awesome, we will need to follow it up with some good shit so as not to disappoint!
How has the album been received?
As just mentioned, it has had an awesome response. Maniacs far and wide tell me how much they love it, and that they play it to friends, and they go crazy!! There has been a number of reviews, all of them really good, except for only one review, which was just average. The first thousand copies went in less than a year, and the second thousand is still selling well. With the vinyls still to come, I think by the end of this year, there will have been about 3000 copies spread/sold worldwide. I think this is great for a band that has only done a demo and 7" in the last 8 years. It will be a good platform from which to launch our next assault.
You have entitled the release "Nuclear Storm", what are your thoughts behind that title and what does it symbolize?
We have always utilized some aspect of war in our music, and this is our first one on nuclear war. It is an ever present threat, but a threat that even the most stern of leaders are scared to implement. The repercussions globally will be huge!! "Nuclear Storm" is basically a description of what it would be like to be caught in the eye of the nuclear storm, and obviously, nothing but death remains!!!!
I guess you are the one writing the lyrics in Destruktor, is that correct?
Generally I write most of the lyrics. The exceptions are Jarro had a strong lyrical contribution to "Nuclear Storm" MCD lyrics, and Regan has written the lyrics to 'Hail The Black Goat', apart from this I do the lot. I am open to ideas from band members, I am not a big lyrics writer, but come up with them eventually. They nearly always come last. I just growl nothing words when we are rehearsing newer songs! That gives me ideas on vocal patterns, and I take it from there.
Will you initiate us in your lyrical universe? Favoured themes etc… perhaps going through the tracks on "Nuclear Storm" and tell a bit about each lyric…
Favoured themes are war, death, survival, pain, darkness, and crushing religion. There are exceptions, but these are the themes that have been with us all along, and have a certain amount of realism. I am not into sci-fi or fantasy lyrics. On the MCD, 'Fight Like The Devil' is making a stand, fighting for what you believe, crushing the weak. 'Nuclear Storm' is described above, 'Strive To Conquer' is related to being on the darkside, and utilising it to conquer your own world/destiny, creating a unique path of your own and 'Justice Unleashed' is about unleashing the destroyer within, to put it simply.
How do you get inspired to write your lyrics… do you have to be in a special mood and are there things that trigger your writing?
Lyrics come at random times. Sometimes I try to write lyrics to fit in with the music, sometimes I pull out old lyrics to put them to an already completed songs. Lyrics can come from many sources, such as everyday life, moments of thought/reflection, even watching the news can be an occasional source. I have no real way of doing lyrics, except rehearsing with no real words, then basing the lyrics around how I sing.
Do you have a message to spread with your lyrics?
No, people can take what they want from the lyrics, but they won't find political statements. There are a lot of bands that sing about similar themes, and I think we are another fighter in the war, spreading hate, blasphemy, and playing music as extreme as the words contained within.
Let's talk about the music… How do you come up with that, do you write the tunes together in the band or…?
Nearly always, a song starts by me writing a riff in my own time. They come from fiddling around on guitar. I already have an idea for the drums once the riff is written, and then I will write another riff to follow it up, from there, the song begins to take shape. I will jam a song once I have a couple of riffs, and the songs seem to flow from there. I am open to ideas from the other members, but most of the time I already have the song in my head by that stage. Songs will develop within the band, it's the little things that the other members add that help make Destruktor what it is.
Where do you find inspiration for your music?
It comes easily. I have grown up around music, played music for fucking years, and know what I like. I grew up loving KISS, AC/DC, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, and things evolved to Slayer, Morbid Angel, Kreator, Emperor, Darkthrone. With the amount of crap coming out, with non-metal influence, gay gothic shit, technical blah blah, it is not hard for me to ignore such crap, and make sure I am playing extreme shit, with 100% metal influence, wether that be heavy, thrash, death, black, doom, I do not care, but must be metal to the bone!!! I have no influence from nu-metal shit, progressive/jazzy, gothic, keyboard shit. I am inspired by the last 30 years of classic metal, and follow that path.
Can you mention 3 bands and 3 songs that have meant a lot to you, the way you write music and the sound of Destruktor?
It is always hard to pinpoint with limits of 3, but I'll try... Bands - Morbid Angel, Blasphemy, Krisiun. Songs – 'Demoniac' by Blasphemy, 'Chapel Of Ghouls' by Morbid Angel, 'I Am The Black Wizards' by Emperor. Really, a heap of bands and songs are out there, and I can't say anything in particular has been a standout influence.
How does it look with new material, are you working on some and when do you expect to have a new release out and will it be a full length next time?
For sure we have some new material. Unrecorded complete tunes we have are 'Hail The Black Goat', 'After Death Murmers', 'Inspiration Suicide', and 'Bloodthirsty Meccademon'. Two of these will appear on a split 7" through Hells Headbangers soon, and the others will go to our first full length. We are working on another 3 songs at the moment, so I think we will have half the full length ready in a couple of months.
What can you reveal of nice goodies, like album title, song titles etc…?
If we title the split 7", we will call it "Hail The Black Goat". As for the full length, my only idea so far is "After Death Murmers", but that will probably change. These will be the first recordings with our new drummer. Things are as extreme as ever, not too technical, with occasional heavier moments than in the past. Very much Destruktor, but it's been 3 years since "Nuclear Storm" was recorded, and a new drummer, so it will be a slightly different.
How do you feel about vinyl, you’ve so far released 2 7"s and "Nuclear Storm" will also be released on vinyl, is that a demand from you?
Well "Nuclear Storm" was meant to be on vinyl before MCD, but the label fucked us around. Hells Headbangers will be doing the vinyl version of "Nuclear Storm" shortly. I will always be looking to do a vinyl of all our releases. Both me and Regan have healthy vinyl collections, so we for sure want to add Destruktor vinyls to our collection, so yes, I would say that it is a demand.
What do you see as pros and cons about vinyl…?
Cons of vinyl is that it cost more to send and manufacture, and changing from side a to side b. The pros are a much better looking package (artwork/inlay), a more "real" sound, and a warmer bass sound. There are other pros and cons, but these are the main ones in my mind.
How do you look upon the future of Destruktor?
The future looks healthy, our line up is as solid as it has ever been. We already have plans to record 2 songs, work on new songs, and play 2 gigs in the next 3 months. From there, it will be more gigs, more recording and who knows what else from there.
Will you share your 5 all time favourite albums with us?
The list may vary from week to week, but for now, I offer the following:
Darkthrone - A Blaze In The Northern Sky
Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Morbid Angel - Covenant
Judas Priest - Stained Class/Killing Machine
KISS - KISS
Or Pestilence – "Testimony Of The Ancients", the Emperor MLP, Metallica – "Master Of Puppets" the list goes on........How bout your top 5??
Thanks a ton for answering my questions, if you have something to add, feel free to fire away now!
Cheers for the support. All true maniacs, don't hesitate to get in touch for interviews, trading or info. Fuck off to those that aren't true maniacs.
Things here are getting fucking hot, new years drinks on the river in 2 days time, and the Aussies are kicking arse in the cricket. 4 days off work, bourbon in the fridge, mix in the bowl, what more could a man want for the time being?
Will you start off by introducing yourself and tell us why you deal with maniacal thrash metal?
I am Glenn, guitarist/singer with Destruktor. We deal in maniacal thrash, or whatever else you want to call it because we love real metal, and love extreme metal, and grew up on the shit. It is the blood in our veins!! This is the best way for me to unleash some fury, playing the instrument I love, and the music I love!!
Will you introduce the rest of the band and tell us what they bring to Destruktor?
Regan plays bass, and has done so for about 8 years with Destruktor, he is the only bass player we have had. He adds stability, constant bass fury, metal/drinking partner, great stage presence, and lately, a bit of vocal work, and has written the lyrics to 'Hail The Black Goat'. Jahred brings more activity because he is the only local drummer Destruktor has had, dedication to the drum stool, enthusiasm, less stress, and his drumming skills are fucking undeniable. He also is a good bloke to have a drink and smoke with!!
How and when was Destruktor formed?
Destruktor was started from the ashes of Aphasia, back in 1997. Jarro contacted me via a radio programme I was doing at the time. We both had the desire to hook up and work on some songs, and thus, the Aphasia demo was released in 1995. After a brief split, we got back together and recorded a demo, "The Holy Trinity... Denied" in 1997. Regan joined in '98, and since then, have faced many hurdles, but have gotten over them, and still we stand!!!
How much material have you so far released?
"The Holy Trinity… Denied" - demo ‘97, "Brutal Desecration" - Rehearsal Tape, "Brutal Desecration" - 7" 2002, "Live Desecration" - Split 7" with Nunslaughter 2002, "Nuclear Storm" - MCD 2004 and the "Brutal Desecration" - Tape with bonus track 2005.
What do you want to accomplish with Destruktor?
Initially it was a demo, after that it was to spread the name, and then do a 7". This took a long time to get done, but I did not stop until it was done. From there it was to get a secure line-up, record, and play a couple of gigs. These days, it is just to further spread the war hymns of Destruktor, and work on playing and recording even better songs, and see what else presents itself, and I guess really to finally do a full length.
If you should describe the sound of Destruktor to a metalhead not knowing the band, how would the description be?
Fast, brutal, blasphemic death metal, with a catchy edge, not really technical. Some say reminds of Kreator/Sodom, Morbid Angel/Angel Corpse, Beherit/Blasphemy. And others mention the aussie style. I guess we are a bit of the lot with our own style. I think we stand alone and can not be compared to one specific style, or one specific band!
How did the band end up with the name Destruktor?
When Jarro and myself got the band fired up again, we discussed names over the phone. Jarro mentioned Destruktor Antichrist, I thought that was a bit crap/long, but there and then we shortened it to Destruktor, and agreed that it needed a K, not a C. Pretty simple really. I think the name suits us very well.
You are now ready with your mini album "Nuclear Storm", how do you feel about the album?
Even though it was recorded over three years ago, I still enjoy listening to it, and Hells Headbangers have done a great job with it. It was a fucking relief to get the MCD out. I have been fucked around with the MLP, but I will be getting Hells Headbangers to do the vinyl versions in the coming couple of months. The response to the MCD has been awesome, we will need to follow it up with some good shit so as not to disappoint!
How has the album been received?
As just mentioned, it has had an awesome response. Maniacs far and wide tell me how much they love it, and that they play it to friends, and they go crazy!! There has been a number of reviews, all of them really good, except for only one review, which was just average. The first thousand copies went in less than a year, and the second thousand is still selling well. With the vinyls still to come, I think by the end of this year, there will have been about 3000 copies spread/sold worldwide. I think this is great for a band that has only done a demo and 7" in the last 8 years. It will be a good platform from which to launch our next assault.
You have entitled the release "Nuclear Storm", what are your thoughts behind that title and what does it symbolize?
We have always utilized some aspect of war in our music, and this is our first one on nuclear war. It is an ever present threat, but a threat that even the most stern of leaders are scared to implement. The repercussions globally will be huge!! "Nuclear Storm" is basically a description of what it would be like to be caught in the eye of the nuclear storm, and obviously, nothing but death remains!!!!
I guess you are the one writing the lyrics in Destruktor, is that correct?
Generally I write most of the lyrics. The exceptions are Jarro had a strong lyrical contribution to "Nuclear Storm" MCD lyrics, and Regan has written the lyrics to 'Hail The Black Goat', apart from this I do the lot. I am open to ideas from band members, I am not a big lyrics writer, but come up with them eventually. They nearly always come last. I just growl nothing words when we are rehearsing newer songs! That gives me ideas on vocal patterns, and I take it from there.
Will you initiate us in your lyrical universe? Favoured themes etc… perhaps going through the tracks on "Nuclear Storm" and tell a bit about each lyric…
Favoured themes are war, death, survival, pain, darkness, and crushing religion. There are exceptions, but these are the themes that have been with us all along, and have a certain amount of realism. I am not into sci-fi or fantasy lyrics. On the MCD, 'Fight Like The Devil' is making a stand, fighting for what you believe, crushing the weak. 'Nuclear Storm' is described above, 'Strive To Conquer' is related to being on the darkside, and utilising it to conquer your own world/destiny, creating a unique path of your own and 'Justice Unleashed' is about unleashing the destroyer within, to put it simply.
How do you get inspired to write your lyrics… do you have to be in a special mood and are there things that trigger your writing?
Lyrics come at random times. Sometimes I try to write lyrics to fit in with the music, sometimes I pull out old lyrics to put them to an already completed songs. Lyrics can come from many sources, such as everyday life, moments of thought/reflection, even watching the news can be an occasional source. I have no real way of doing lyrics, except rehearsing with no real words, then basing the lyrics around how I sing.
Do you have a message to spread with your lyrics?
No, people can take what they want from the lyrics, but they won't find political statements. There are a lot of bands that sing about similar themes, and I think we are another fighter in the war, spreading hate, blasphemy, and playing music as extreme as the words contained within.
Let's talk about the music… How do you come up with that, do you write the tunes together in the band or…?
Nearly always, a song starts by me writing a riff in my own time. They come from fiddling around on guitar. I already have an idea for the drums once the riff is written, and then I will write another riff to follow it up, from there, the song begins to take shape. I will jam a song once I have a couple of riffs, and the songs seem to flow from there. I am open to ideas from the other members, but most of the time I already have the song in my head by that stage. Songs will develop within the band, it's the little things that the other members add that help make Destruktor what it is.
Where do you find inspiration for your music?
It comes easily. I have grown up around music, played music for fucking years, and know what I like. I grew up loving KISS, AC/DC, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, and things evolved to Slayer, Morbid Angel, Kreator, Emperor, Darkthrone. With the amount of crap coming out, with non-metal influence, gay gothic shit, technical blah blah, it is not hard for me to ignore such crap, and make sure I am playing extreme shit, with 100% metal influence, wether that be heavy, thrash, death, black, doom, I do not care, but must be metal to the bone!!! I have no influence from nu-metal shit, progressive/jazzy, gothic, keyboard shit. I am inspired by the last 30 years of classic metal, and follow that path.
Can you mention 3 bands and 3 songs that have meant a lot to you, the way you write music and the sound of Destruktor?
It is always hard to pinpoint with limits of 3, but I'll try... Bands - Morbid Angel, Blasphemy, Krisiun. Songs – 'Demoniac' by Blasphemy, 'Chapel Of Ghouls' by Morbid Angel, 'I Am The Black Wizards' by Emperor. Really, a heap of bands and songs are out there, and I can't say anything in particular has been a standout influence.
How does it look with new material, are you working on some and when do you expect to have a new release out and will it be a full length next time?
For sure we have some new material. Unrecorded complete tunes we have are 'Hail The Black Goat', 'After Death Murmers', 'Inspiration Suicide', and 'Bloodthirsty Meccademon'. Two of these will appear on a split 7" through Hells Headbangers soon, and the others will go to our first full length. We are working on another 3 songs at the moment, so I think we will have half the full length ready in a couple of months.
What can you reveal of nice goodies, like album title, song titles etc…?
If we title the split 7", we will call it "Hail The Black Goat". As for the full length, my only idea so far is "After Death Murmers", but that will probably change. These will be the first recordings with our new drummer. Things are as extreme as ever, not too technical, with occasional heavier moments than in the past. Very much Destruktor, but it's been 3 years since "Nuclear Storm" was recorded, and a new drummer, so it will be a slightly different.
How do you feel about vinyl, you’ve so far released 2 7"s and "Nuclear Storm" will also be released on vinyl, is that a demand from you?
Well "Nuclear Storm" was meant to be on vinyl before MCD, but the label fucked us around. Hells Headbangers will be doing the vinyl version of "Nuclear Storm" shortly. I will always be looking to do a vinyl of all our releases. Both me and Regan have healthy vinyl collections, so we for sure want to add Destruktor vinyls to our collection, so yes, I would say that it is a demand.
What do you see as pros and cons about vinyl…?
Cons of vinyl is that it cost more to send and manufacture, and changing from side a to side b. The pros are a much better looking package (artwork/inlay), a more "real" sound, and a warmer bass sound. There are other pros and cons, but these are the main ones in my mind.
How do you look upon the future of Destruktor?
The future looks healthy, our line up is as solid as it has ever been. We already have plans to record 2 songs, work on new songs, and play 2 gigs in the next 3 months. From there, it will be more gigs, more recording and who knows what else from there.
Will you share your 5 all time favourite albums with us?
The list may vary from week to week, but for now, I offer the following:
Darkthrone - A Blaze In The Northern Sky
Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Morbid Angel - Covenant
Judas Priest - Stained Class/Killing Machine
KISS - KISS
Or Pestilence – "Testimony Of The Ancients", the Emperor MLP, Metallica – "Master Of Puppets" the list goes on........How bout your top 5??
Thanks a ton for answering my questions, if you have something to add, feel free to fire away now!
Cheers for the support. All true maniacs, don't hesitate to get in touch for interviews, trading or info. Fuck off to those that aren't true maniacs.
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