Oh boy, are you guys ready for some hot takes from the thrash metal world? 🤯 I just got done reading an interview with Schmier, the bassist/vocalist of German thrash metal veterans DESTRUCTION, and I’m still trying to pick my jaw up from the floor. 🤯 Apparently, Schmier thinks that album covers should still be a thing, and that they should actually reflect the style and lyrics of the music. What a wild concept, right? 🙄 I mean, who needs some generic, photoshopped image when you can have a cover that actually tells you something about the music? 🤷♂️
So, Schmier was talking to Jadranka Janković Nešić on her podcast “Rock Talk” (because, you know, the world was just missing a podcast called “Rock Talk” 🙄), and he said that DESTRUCTION has always had good covers and good videos. Wow, what a bold claim. 🤔 I mean, who hasn’t seen their iconic album covers and thought, “Yeah, this is definitely a thrash metal band”? 🤷♂️ But seriously, Schmier thinks that album covers are important because they help identify the genre and style of the music. He said, “The identification of an album is the cover, and it should express the lyrics and the feel of the record, and I think it’s still important.” Okay, Schmier, we get it, you like album covers. 🙄
The Age of A.I.
But here’s where things get really interesting. Schmier was asked about the role of A.I. in music, and let me tell you, he’s not a fan. 🙅♂️ He thinks that A.I.-generated music is “basically stolen” because it takes from original music without paying the artists. Wow, what a shocking take from a musician who has been in the industry for decades. 🙄 I mean, who wouldn’t want to use A.I. to create music that sounds exactly like every other generic metal band out there? 🤷♂️ But seriously, Schmier has a point. A.I.-generated music can be a bit of a grey area, and it’s not always clear who should get credit (or blame) for the music.
Schmier also talked about how DESTRUCTION has always worked with real artists to create their album covers, and how they plan to keep doing that even in the age of A.I. 🎨 Because, you know, there’s nothing quite like a hand-painted album cover to make your music stand out from the crowd. 🤣 But hey, at least they’re consistent, right? 🙄 I mean, who needs A.I. when you can have a real artist who can create something truly unique and special? 🤷♂️
DESTRUCTION’s Latest Ventures
So, what’s new with DESTRUCTION? 🤔 Well, they recently supported TESTAMENT on their “Thrash Of The Titans” world tour, which is a pretty big deal. 🤟 They also released their 16th studio album, “Birth Of Malice”, in March 2025 via Napalm Records. 📀 And, fun fact, the album was recorded at Little Creek Studio in Switzerland by V.O. Pulver. 🇨🇭 Because, you know, Switzerland is the hub of thrash metal. 🙄
Schmier is joined in DESTRUCTION’s current lineup by guitarists Damir Eskić and Martin Furia, along with drummer Randy Black. 🤝 And, in case you were wondering, Furia mixed and mastered the album at The Black Mancave in Hannover, Germany. 🇩🇪 Because, you know, that’s exactly what every metal band needs – a studio with a name that sounds like a metal song title. 🤣
So, there you have it, folks. 🤷♂️ DESTRUCTION is still out there, thrashing away, and making music that’s true to their roots. 🤟 And, who knows, maybe one day they’ll even use A.I. to create their music. 🤖 Just kidding, that would never happen. 🙅♂️ But hey, at least they’re still making music that’s worth listening to, right? 🤷♂️
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
