Destroy Destroy Destroy
Encyclopedia
Destroy Destroy Destroy is an American heavy metal
band formed in Murfreesboro
, Tennessee
in late February 2003. With a line-up of Brian Kemp (vocals), Jeremiah Scott (guitar), and Andrew Hall (drums), they began writing songs; Soon thereafter, Destroy Destroy Destroy completed their outfit with Way Barrier (guitar), Adam Phillips (bass), and Brian Shorter (keyboards). The group then, started playing shows locally and recorded a self-financed EP, entitled Kill or Be Killed. They have released two studio album
s, Devour the Power
(2006) and Battle Sluts
(2009), both through Black Market Activities
.
The band defines their sound as a blend of "elements from the early thrash metal
and glam metal
bands of the 1980s and 1990s, to the current sounds of Scandinavian melodic death metal
and viking metal
bands of today." Destroy Destroy Destroy played their first show in a pizzeria as opening band for Mastodon
.
, power metal
, symphonic black metal
, thrash metal
, and viking metal
. Chad Bowar of About.com
, defined Destroy Destroy Destroy as a "versatile band, which incorporates many genres into their sound" and that "their songs are sometimes orchestral and majestic with lots of keyboards, and other times harsh and intense with blast beat
s and breakdowns." Bowar noted Destroy Destroy Destroy's musical traits, stating, "The Viking influence comes with spoken word
interludes and lyrics talking about battles, mythical beasts and lost worlds. Destroy Destroy Destroy also has a lot of Bay Area thrash
influences along with European melodic death stylings. Power metal is another genre their music encompasses with frenetic guitar shredding, epic arrangements and atmospheric keyboards."
Allmusic writer Alex Henderson, stated that Devour the Power "would have been identified as a power metal-oriented disc with progressive metal
influences, some thrash [metal] parts and some black metal
-style blast beats." Even defining Destroy Destroy Destroy as a symphonic black metal act, Henderson observed, "Battle Sluts, like other symphonic black metal discs, was not recorded with black metal purists in mind; Destroy Destroy Destroy aren't pretending to be Gorgoroth
or Marduk
, and melody is a high priority throughout this Viking-themed outing."
Although the band is native of Tennessee
, their music "employ the techniques and styles of metal made popular in Europe", specifically the Scandinavian countries like Norway, Sweden, and/or Finland—with a "Nordic-sound", blending "melody and aggression". Destroy Destroy Destroy is compared to bands like Iron Maiden
, Queensrÿche
, Manowar, Judas Priest
, and Dream Theater
, citing as influence Metallica
and Pantera
.
Former
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band formed in Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
in late February 2003. With a line-up of Brian Kemp (vocals), Jeremiah Scott (guitar), and Andrew Hall (drums), they began writing songs; Soon thereafter, Destroy Destroy Destroy completed their outfit with Way Barrier (guitar), Adam Phillips (bass), and Brian Shorter (keyboards). The group then, started playing shows locally and recorded a self-financed EP, entitled Kill or Be Killed. They have released two studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
s, Devour the Power
Devour the Power
Devour the Power is the debut album by American heavy metal band Destroy Destroy Destroy.- Track listing :- Personnel :*Bryan Kemp — lead vocals*Jeremiah Scott — guitar*Way Barrier — guitar*Adam Phillips - bass guitar*Eric W. Brown — drums...
(2006) and Battle Sluts
Battle Sluts
- Personnel :* Bryan Kemp — lead vocals* Jeremiah Scott — lead guitar, backing vocals* Way Barrier — guitar, backing vocals* Adam Phillips — bass guitar, backing vocals* Brian Shorter — keys, backing vocals- Additional personnel :...
(2009), both through Black Market Activities
Black Market Activities
Black Market Activities is an independent record label which was founded in 2003 by Guy Kozowyk, the singer of the Boston, Massachusetts, based metal band The Red Chord.-History:...
.
The band defines their sound as a blend of "elements from the early thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
and glam metal
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
bands of the 1980s and 1990s, to the current sounds of Scandinavian melodic death metal
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
and viking metal
Viking metal
Viking metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its galloping pace, keyboard-rich anthemic sound, bleakness and dramatic emphasis on lyrical themes of Norse mythology, Norse paganism, and the Viking Age...
bands of today." Destroy Destroy Destroy played their first show in a pizzeria as opening band for Mastodon
Mastodon (band)
Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1999. The band is composed of bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor...
.
Musical style and influences
Destroy Destroy Destroy's musical style was described by critics with a variety of music genres, such as, melodic death metalMelodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
, power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
, symphonic black metal
Symphonic black metal
Symphonic black metal is a black metal subgenre that emerged in the mid to late 1990s. The genre is known for its symphonic and orchestral elements and is centralized in Europe.-Characteristics:...
, thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
, and viking metal
Viking metal
Viking metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its galloping pace, keyboard-rich anthemic sound, bleakness and dramatic emphasis on lyrical themes of Norse mythology, Norse paganism, and the Viking Age...
. Chad Bowar of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
, defined Destroy Destroy Destroy as a "versatile band, which incorporates many genres into their sound" and that "their songs are sometimes orchestral and majestic with lots of keyboards, and other times harsh and intense with blast beat
Blast beat
A blast beat is a drum beat often associated with extreme metal and grindcore, although its usage predates the genres, and is utilised by many different styles of metal...
s and breakdowns." Bowar noted Destroy Destroy Destroy's musical traits, stating, "The Viking influence comes with spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
interludes and lyrics talking about battles, mythical beasts and lost worlds. Destroy Destroy Destroy also has a lot of Bay Area thrash
Bay Area thrash metal
Bay Area thrash metal, or "Bay Area thrash", referred to a steady following of heavy metal bands in the 1980s who formed and gained international status in the San Francisco Bay Area, California...
influences along with European melodic death stylings. Power metal is another genre their music encompasses with frenetic guitar shredding, epic arrangements and atmospheric keyboards."
Allmusic writer Alex Henderson, stated that Devour the Power "would have been identified as a power metal-oriented disc with progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
influences, some thrash [metal] parts and some black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
-style blast beats." Even defining Destroy Destroy Destroy as a symphonic black metal act, Henderson observed, "Battle Sluts, like other symphonic black metal discs, was not recorded with black metal purists in mind; Destroy Destroy Destroy aren't pretending to be Gorgoroth
Gorgoroth
Gorgoroth is a Norwegian black metal band based in Bergen. Formed in 1992 by Infernus , the band is named after the dead plateau of evil and darkness in the land of Mordor from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. The group is currently signed to Regain Records and have released...
or Marduk
Marduk (band)
Marduk is a black metal band from Norrköping, Sweden. The band formed in 1990 and released their first record in 1991. Their name is derived from the Babylonian god Marduk, patron deity of Babylon.-Musical style:...
, and melody is a high priority throughout this Viking-themed outing."
Although the band is native of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, their music "employ the techniques and styles of metal made popular in Europe", specifically the Scandinavian countries like Norway, Sweden, and/or Finland—with a "Nordic-sound", blending "melody and aggression". Destroy Destroy Destroy is compared to bands like Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, Queensrÿche
Queensrÿche
thumb|250px|right|Queensrÿche's classic line-up performing at the [[Sauna Open Air Metal Festival]] 2011 in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]. Left to right: bass Eddie Jackson, lead vocals Geoff Tate, drums Scott Rockenfield and guitars Michael Wilton....
, Manowar, Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
, and Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
, citing as influence Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
and Pantera
Pantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
.
Members
Current- Chris Bazor – lead vocals
- Way Barrier – lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
- Jeremiah Scott – rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
- Adam Phillips – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Andrew Core – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Brian Shorter – keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
Former
- Eric W. BrownEric W. BrownEric W. Brown is an American musician, artist, songwriter, vocalist, drummer and producer. Currently residing in Denver, CO, he has also lived and worked in Nashville, TN and his hometown of Silver Spring, MD...
– Drums - Andrew Hall- Drums
- David Shaw - Drums
- Jessica Lambert - Keyboards
- Alex Gellette- Keyboards
- Keith Williams- Keyboards
- Courtney Edwards Burgess- Keyboards
- Bryan Kemp- Vocals