Schmier — founder, bassist, and frontman of DESTRUCTION — and Denise Dörner, co-director of the acclaimed new documentary “The Art Of Destruction” about the iconic German thrash metal band, sat down for a discussion at the Beyond The Gates festival in Norway. They explored the film’s making, from exclusive behind-the-scenes tales to the intense legacy of German thrash history.
Regarding what his initial reaction was when the idea of a DESTRUCTION documentary was first proposed, Schmier said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Nobody ever asked me to do a movie about my band, so I was, like, ‘It’s cool, but how is it gonna be?’ We didn’t know at that time. And I didn’t know we were gonna film for four and a half years. We thought it’s gonna be one tour, a little filming here, a little filming there, and then that’s it… That’s why the movie turned out so cool, because we had to face a lot of problems, and it’s in there.”
Asked if it felt strange for him and his DESTRUCTION bandmates to allow that degree of access to the group as well as to him personally, Schmier said: “I think it just happened, because we got closer [to the filmmakers] over time. In the beginning, you feel uncomfortable when somebody walks behind you with a camera all the time. But over time, we became closer to them as friends and humans, and then they got very close. And I also watched some documentaries at that time to get an idea, how is it gonna be? And I think the best documentaries that I watched was the Liebling documentary [‘Last Days Here’], the Bobby Liebling [PENTAGRAM frontman] one, or Lady Gaga [‘Gaga: Five Foot Two’] or the ANVIL one [Anvil! The Story Of Anvil’] — documentaries that are real, that show the real thing, not just praising the band, just catching the moment and catching the stuff behind the curtain. So when I had the first cut, I was, like, ‘How many scenes do we have to delete here?’ But they convinced me that it’s cool to leave stuff in that also maybe at the moment it feels weird for you as a musician, but it reveals something behind the curtain that’s cool.”
Founded in Weil am Rhein in 1982, the thrash metal band DESTRUCTION is one of the “Big Three” of German thrash metal alongside KREATOR and SODOM. With their uncompromising music and energetic live performances, they have won millions of fans worldwide and released numerous albums that are considered classics of the genre. The documentary “The Art Of Destruction” by Ili Jelusic and Denise Dörner offers a unique insight behind the scenes of this influential band. Schmier and guitarist Mike Sifringer, both in their mid-50s, are transitioning to a new phase in their lives and dream of touring the world together with SODOM and KREATOR. But unexpected events call their plans into question and threaten the existence of the band.
Over a period of five years, the filmmakers accompanied the band and collected exclusive material that stands out from traditional, interview-heavy documentaries. In reportage-like scenes, the viewer dives deep into the world of DESTRUCTION and experiences the highs and lows of life as a heavy metal musician, from gigs in small, sweaty clubs to huge open-air stages. Schmier always remains true to his convictions and leads the band through every challenge.
“The Art Of Destruction” uncompromisingly shows what it means to live a life for heavy metal, providing intimate insights into the passion and fighting spirit of one of thrash metal’s most influential bands.
DESTRUCTION‘s 16th studio album, “Birth Of Malice”, was released on March 7 via Napalm Records.
Schmier is joined in DESTRUCTION‘s current lineup by guitarists Martin Furia and Damir Eskić, along with drummer Randy Black.
“Birth Of Malice” was recorded at Switzerland’s Little Creek Studio by V.O. Pulver. Guitarist Martin Furia mixed and mastered the masterpiece at The Black Mancave in Hannover, Germany.
DESTRUCTION‘s massive career has seen many successes, with the band hitting stages at the world’s biggest festivals around the world like Hellfest, Wacken Open Air, Graspop Metal Meeting and México Metal Fest.
In August 2021, DESTRUCTION officially parted ways with Sifringer and replaced him with Martin Furia. The Argentinian-born, Belgian-based Furia is best known for his work as sound engineer and producer for such bands as NERVOSA and EVIL INVADERS.
Sifringer was the only member of DESTRUCTION to have remained constant throughout the band’s career. Schmier appeared on DESTRUCTION‘s first three albums before exiting the band and being replaced by POLTERGEIST vocalist André Grieder. André‘s sole recorded appearance with DESTRUCTION was on the “Cracked Brain” album, which came out in 1990. Schmier rejoined DESTRUCTION in 1999.
DESTRUCTION 2025 is:
Schmier – Bass, Vocals
Martin Furia – Guitars
Randy Black – Drums
Damir Eskić – Guitars