Destruction return to Maryland Deathfest 2026 with an album-focused set built around “Infernal Overkill”, the 1985 classic that helped define the band’s place in Teutonic thrash metal. In this short interview, Marcel “Schmier” Schirmer looks back on the album’s early chaos, the lessons of those formative years, and why the record still feels alive four decades later.
When you play “Infernal Overkill” now, what memories come back most sharply from the time when those songs were first created?
Well, this was the second album, so the recording in Berlin and the progress we made mostly stick in our minds. And yes, there was a lot of crazy partying as wild teenagers — which happens when village boys from the conservative south come to the big-ass city of Berlin! There was also a big step in terms of production and playing on this album. We also toured with Slayer on their “Hell Awaits” tour through Europe at that time. We learned a lot as a very young band then.
When you listen back to “Infernal Overkill” today, do you hear young musicians chasing chaos, or do you hear the foundation of something you unknowingly gave to generations of thrash fans?
I hear an album that is timeless — a band that left its first important marks on the scene. Even with the technical flaws, the album still has its charm, and it sounds good to me to this day. I’m proud of all the early work. We were young kids. I was 17 when we got signed. When we recorded “Infernal Overkill”, I was 18 years old and very green, but we absorbed all the experience and became a real band back then. It was the foundation of it all.
Returning to Maryland Deathfest after 2022 with this album-focused set, what do you want younger fans to understand about the spirit of early Destruction?
Well, I think the riffs speak for themselves. They stood the test of time. After 40 years, it is still great fun to play them. That is most important to me. You cannot teach a vibe; you have to feel it. So I’m sure a lot of the younger metalheads will catch the vibe and join the pit. Thrash metal’s energy works best live, fresh and raw, and this album has it all. We are very excited to perform this record in Baltimore very soon. See you in the pit!
See Destruction at Maryland Deathfest 2026 on Saturday May 23, 2026 at Market Place.
Tickets are now on sale at https://deathfests.com/tickets
