Destruction is a German thrash metal band. They are considered one of the "The Big Four" of the German thrash metal scene, the others being Kreator, Sodom and Tankard. Three of those four (Tankard being the exception) are often credited with helping pioneer black metal, by containing several elements of what was to become the genre. Destruction was originally named Knight of Demon, but changed their name in 1984. For most of the 1990s, Destruction was not signed to a record label and was forced to self-produce their albums until they signed a contract with Nuclear Blast in the 2000s.

Biography
Inspired by Iron Maiden, Mercyful Fate, Motörhead and Venom, Destruction were formed as Knight of Demon in 1982. The original line-up featured vocalist and bassist Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer, drummer Tommy Sandmann, and guitarist Mike Sifringer. They soon changed their name to Destruction and released a demo titled Bestial Invasion of Hell in 1984. After this the group signed with Steamhammer Records and released an EP titled Sentence of Death later that year.

Destruction released their first full-length album titled Infernal Overkill in 1985, followed by Eternal Devastation in 1986. The trio then added a second guitarist, Harry Wilkens, and released the EP Mad Butcher in 1987, followed by the full-length album Release from Agony (also released in 1987), then a live recording Live Without Sense in 1989, and Cracked Brain in 1990. In 1989, Schmier left the band and Mike Sifringer continued to release albums under the moniker of "Neo-Destruction".

In 1999, Schmier rejoined, and things began to look up for the band as they signed a record deal with Nuclear Blast. They then released three more albums: All Hell Breaks Loose in 2000, The Antichrist in 2001, and Metal Discharge in 2003. The band would then sign with AFM Records and release Inventor of Evil in 2005. That album was followed two years later by the compilation of re-recorded songs Thrash Anthems (2007), and then a year later by D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. (2008). In February 2011, Destruction released Day of Reckoning.

A European tour with Overkill was scheduled for March 2011. Headlining dates in South America and North America were being planned for April and May.

The band's thirteenth studio album, Spiritual Genocide, was released in November 23, 2012. Their next album, Under Attack, was released on May 13, 2016.

Studio albums
Infernal Overkill (1985)
Eternal Devastation (1986)
Release from Agony (1987)
Cracked Brain (1990)
The Least Successful Human Cannonball (1998)
All Hell Breaks Loose (2000)
The Antichrist (2001)
Metal Discharge (2003)
Inventor of Evil (2005)
Thrash Anthems (2007)
D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. (2008)
Day of Reckoning (2011)
Spiritual Genocide (2012)
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