Destruktor Interview

 

1. Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

We have been giving the new album some promo, sending out parcels, getting more merch printed, and have played a couple of gigs, with our next one in a few days for a fest in Tasmania, the little island in the south east of Australia. It is our first time playing there, and expecting to have a killer time for our 1 night stay.

We have more gigs coming up, and will lock in some more gigs over the coming 12 months, and eventually we will start playing with a some riffs that are locked in the vault in the next few months to keep the irons in the fire consistently for this current phase of Destruktor.

2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

It is probably just as much for others to judge as it is me, but from my perspective, Indomitable is the wildest thing we have done. there is no softening of our previous compositions. I think we have a slightly heavier, slightly more Death Metal leaning on this album. Production wise, it was put together a little differently than our previous 2 albums, which is part of that wilder factor. There was less cleaning up of drum sounds for instance. We have always had a playing live sort of attitude to our studio recordings, and this one is probably more "live" than Nailed or Opprobrium. Not much "dropping in" and the like, in nearly all aspects.

3.This is also your first full length in 9 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

After Opprorium was released, we played a few gigs over the next couple of years, then we dismissed our bass player (Brad) on, had a small break, and then started work on Indomitable. We added Chris to the fold on Bass late 2019, then not long after securing his services, Covid fucked the world, and we were all sort of cooped up, and unable to rehearse. I could not even have 1 person come over, and things moved slowly until we got our freedom back and zoned in on finishing the album off. I am not going to rush or force things. Quality over quantity.

4.Over the years the band has covered some Satanic, Luciferian, Occult and Anti Christianity themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?

We have covered many things over time, and almost lean exclusively to the darker themes. It is more the blasphemous, anti-christian stuff I leant to in the early days, and that is partly because of things like Motley Crue-"Shout at the Devil", W.A.S.P, Megadeth, Metallica. It was part of what attracted me to the music in part. It was the music primarily, but the imagery and look back when I was 10/11 grabbed hold of me. Later, stuff like Beherit, Blasphemy, Mayhem, Morbid Angel took all that stuff to the next level, and as 16 year old, my path was set. I didn't exactly have a nice upbringing, and the rebellious stuff, and I could relate to this stuff more than anything else.

I went on to read some various philosophical books when I was younger, The Satanic Bible had some influence on me, among a few more off kilter things I read at the time, but ultimately, I am a skeptic when it comes to spirits, magic, gods and anything in that realm. I think most people choose to believe in unknown things to help them have more of an understanding of life and death. I am much more in the Athiest, Agnostic, Skeptic realm than the mystical realm. Lyrically, I now have a lot of life experience, and whilst religion, blasphemy and the like will play a part moving forward, who knows what lyrics will translate from my current state of mind for the next creations.

5.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored over the years?

Wars, Violence, Abortion, Religion, Inquisitions, Torture, Depression, Suicide, Judgment, Sin, Death and the list goes on.....

6.In the earlier years the band also went through a name changes, what was the cause of the changes and also the decision to keep going under the name of 'Destruktor'?

Simply, when Jarro and I hooked up, we recorded a primitive demo in 1995, and he left the band. I wrote a couple of songs, Jarro decided he wanted to re-join and record a demo, but only if under a new name, with a more aggressive direction that we had become capable of doing. The name Destruktor was conjured in late 1996/early 97 ahead of recoding the demo in Mid 1997.

7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

This is the 3rd LP cover that Mark Riddick has done for us, and once again derived with some suggestions and some drafting whilst he created what you see on the cover. This artwork is basically in direct relation to the title track. Indomitable is about Death itself, and one line in the song goes "I am the poisoned arrow aimed at the target on your back", so the poison dripping off the reapers arrow is in direct reference to that line within the song, and also why we went with a Bow and Arrow as the weapon of choice.

8.The band has been around for almost 30 years, what is it that motivates you to keep going after 3 decades?

Through thick and thin, Destruktor has always been there. It is what I/we do. We are all muso's, not just extreme metalheads. It is a creative outlet, it is somewhat kathartic. It matches my energy, it makes life a bit more interesting. It gives me something to look forward to outside of the shitty everyday existence. Work, Sleep, Work, Sleep. Gotta do something other than sitting on your arse with the time you have in between that tiresome process.

We still have things to be done with the band. Hopefully some international gigs transpire over the next couple of years. We have plenty of unconquered territories to desecrate.

9.Out of all the shows and tours the band has done over the years, which one stands out the most?

ON a personal level, playing a recent party gig for my cousins 50th is a special one. He was unwell, and passed only a month or so later.

Of the more usual gigs, the first time in New Zealand was pretty wild. We turned up to Wellington for our first show in NZ, with Heresiarchs first ever gig, and we turn up to impaled lamb rams heads on stakes, stillborn lambs wrapped in barbed wire above the stage, the smell of animal blood mixed with incense in this smallish, darkish room. That was very memorable, and the day after we played in Auckland, and the joint was packed, and they were falling all over the fucking place, knocking the mics and foldback over, tripping up over each other, stumbling left right and center.

We have had some great gigs in Australia, but those 2 in NZ stand out, and of course playing Hells HEadbash in the USA was something else again, and a lifetime highlight, not just  because of the gig we played, but the slot was prime time basically, and I got to see heaps of fucking killer bands, and went to Cedar Point after Jim from Nunslaughter organized some shit at the last minute for me.

So many killer memories, and so many more to come I hope.

10.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

We played with Nile in Adelaide basically the day the album was released, then the party gig in Melbourne in December, and then just the other day with Sinister in Melbourne. Next week Hobart (Tasmanie), then Melbourne in March, then Sydney in April, then probably Brisbane in May, maybe Adelaide again before another Melbourne gig. From there, hopefully we have a plan to play overseas, and begin writing for album number 4. If we get suitable offers anywhere in the world, we can seriously look at them over the coming 2-3 years before I expect the next album is well progressed.

11.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and death metal?

Over the years we have had a very good run. No particular gossip, no real controversy, and pretty much always well received. People generally know what they are gonna get with us. It has taken quite some time for more Australians to click onto us, and is fair to say most of our fanbase is overseas, and has been ever since we released our demo. It continues to be strong, but more fuckers are hearing us than ever before it seems.

12.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

I don't expect things to change much at all. We have enough scope to deliver something a little outside our box, but it will only push the boundaries a little bit. Predominantly ravaging, fast, extreme metal for those that don't wanna hear any fucking around. I would not be surprised if we push the black metal style we've done a little more than we did on Indomitable, maybe add a bit more mood, which we have done in the past, but a little less on Indomitable. Once again, not a repeat of our previous works, more a slight advancement of ability in playing and songwriting. The black side of things will come naturally with a grimmer mindset from my end at least.

13.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?

Fuck, we listen to a whole heap of shit, varying from day to day, including non metal shit of very random styles. There is a heap of shit we all hate, but we meet in the middle with stuff like Deicide and Morbid Angel (and plenty of other classic metal bands-Metallica for instance). I couldn't tell you what Jared and Chris are playing as it changes day to day. Chris does keep up with the new releases perpetually, but Jared and I have varying interest in that side of things. I have had Judas Priest-"Invincible Shield" blaring on the stereo in my car, and it's once again some killer stuff. thing is, even the average songs have a killer lead, or a great vocal melody scattered throughout, so it keeps me interested enough to be familiar with all the songs after just a few listens. Not one band (well metal anyway) can claim to have put out so many consistently good releases, with very few lower points, over such 5 decades, let alone 4 decades. Sure, Painkiller is the greatest of the more modern ones, but either side of the are some killer albums, and then you go back to the 74-79 period, and that shit is untouchable. they have a great beginning, middle and end, simple.

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Thanks for the interview.

OUT NOW----Unholy Trinity Comp CD-$15AUS + post

OUT OCTOBER-Indomitable-3rd full length--Pre-order below

https://destruktor.bandcamp.com/album/indomitable

www.facebook.com/destruktorofficial

www.instagram.com/destruktorofficial