DESTRUCTOR interview
Hi! Maximum Destruction has reached the point where younger bands treat it as a classic rather than simply an old record. Can you still listen to it as the guy who wrote it, or do you mostly hear the things you'd change today?
A: I wouldn't change anything. Maximum Destruction was a perfect time capsule that displayed what we were about in 1984/85. We were young and rough around the edges. These were the first songs we ever wrote in our late teens and early 20's.
The murder of Dave Holocaust changed the band's history forever. Nearly four decades later, is that chapter something you can now discuss with peace of mind, or does it remain impossible to separate from DESTRUCTOR's identity?
A: It is part of our history of course but I am able to remember all of the good times we had with Dave. I had known Dave since 11th grade. The pain in the memory of the night Dave was murdered is something I will always carry with me. I have a lock of Dave's hair that one of his sisters gave me, at the funeral, that I carry with me in my wallet ever since.
You've experienced both the excitement of major-label interest and the disappointment of watching it disappear overnight. Looking back, do you think losing that deal ultimately preserved DESTRUCTOR, or did it cost the band the future it deserved?
A: It's hard to say what the future may have held. We lost everything at the time. Dave, our record deal, our unity and brotherhood. I try not to think of "what if" because that doesn't matter. When the 1990's came around the American metal music scene changed drastically. So who really knows!
Tales of Glory sounds noticeably broader than Blood, Bone, and Fire. Was that expansion a conscious decision, or did the songs naturally refuse to stay within your traditional power-thrash boundaries?
A: Honestly I don't see a drastic difference between the 2 records. I did want to expand the Destructor song writing a little as we always have over the years but to keep the sound, speed and power of what we are all about. I also used songs from 4 different members to make this a Destructor alumni record.
You describe the album as a collection of stories rather than a concept record. Were there moments where you deliberately abandoned historical accuracy because a better metal story mattered more?
A: None of the lyrics are based in history. It is all fiction created in my head.
Jamie Boulder (Athenar) returned to write with you "for old times' sake". Looking back now, do those sessions feel different knowing they became part of his final musical legacy?
A: Jamie has always understood what Destructor should sound like. He wrote the music for Sonic Bullet when he first joined Destructor . Jamie also influenced me and the band to write a little differently. The songs we wrote for what was going to be our second record were a little longer and progressive. Jame was in Destructor for just over 10 years and has always been part of our family. He has gone on to do great things with Midnight. Writing again with Jamie was very natural and we still may write some more together in the future.
You've said this album was much more of a team effort than previous ones. After leading DESTRUCTOR for so many years, was it difficult to surrender some creative control, or did the collaboration immediately make the songs stronger?
A: Not really. I didn't surrender any creative control. Every song I still had say in the final arrangement and wrote the lyrics for etc. So It made if fun for me.
A lot of veteran bands promise that every new album is their strongest work. Fans usually roll their eyes. Why should anyone believe that Tales of Glory genuinely belongs alongside Maximum Destruction instead of simply benefiting from decades of nostalgia?
A: Interesting question. Destructor have never set out to make a lazy record and always have tried to push ourselves over the top. As a songwriter I see the difference but that's inevitable to progress over forty years. 3 of us were just 21 when we recorded Maximum Destruction. It almost feels like a different lifetime ago but Matt and I have always been able to keep the Destructor sound intact. I guess it's up to the fans to decide what their favorite Destructor album is but I do feel that our last 2 records are some of the best songs I have participated in.
Power, speed and thrash metal have all changed dramatically since 1984. Has there ever been a trend that tempted DESTRUCTOR, even briefly, before you decided it simply wasn't your fight?
A: No, I don't think It's in my DNA to change what Destructor should be about. We have always carried the flag and refused to try to do something foolish like jump on a trend. We are what we are and proud to have kept our integrity.
You've now lived long enough to watch musicians who grew up listening to DESTRUCTOR start their own bands. Has there ever been a moment where somebody cited your influence and genuinely caught you off guard?
A: We are honored by bands like IRON CURTAIN from Spain that say we were a big influence on them when they began. It's something that we are grateful to have been able to influence younger bands. When Destructor started we were influenced by bands Like Motorhead, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest and so the cycle continues.
Imagine a twenty-year-old discovers DESTRUCTOR today and starts with Tales of Glory instead of Maximum Destruction. Would that bother you, or is every generation entitled to discover the band in its own way?
A: That doesn't bother me. New fans have to start somewhere. We're just thankful to have been doing this for so long and hope to gather more fans no matter where they start with our catalog of music. It's never too late to discover new music. Good music is timeless.
After everything this band has survived - success, tragedy, breakups and rebirth - what does "glory" actually mean to Dave Overkill in 2026?
A: Glory is the part to still be able to do this at the age of 62. Getting out to play to fans young and old is the glory. Being able to reach people with our music is the glory part. Even in the end there is glory in knowing that the music will live on long after we have passed away. We are forever grateful that we had the opportunities to keep doing what we love and hope it resonates with younger generations.
Thank you for the time and support of Destructor.