Blackout: Death metal band Destruktor plays a rare Geelong gig next week.
By Cherie Donnellan
“IN YOUR face” is how lead singer Glenn Lynch describes his death metal band, Destruktor.
He promised the band would impress Geelong’s underground music scene fans with a “no-holds-barred” performance in the city this month.
“We’re pretty lively on stage, to say the least,” Lynch said.
“We push ourselves through the intensity of the music.
“We’re probably one of the most extreme three-piece metal bands in Australia.”
Lynch warned that the band’s music was not for the faint-hearted.
“We sing about heavy themes like death and war.”
Lynch said the niche market for death metal had sent the band through many changes over the past decade and a half.
Destruktor formed in Bendigo in 1997 but relocated to Geelong 10 years later, he said.
Lynch was still its frontman, while its bass player was now Brad Ollis and Jahred Mawdsley was on drums.
Ollis, who hails from Geelong, played some “punishing bass”, Lynch said, while Mawdsley’s drumming was so intense it must “be seen to be believed”.
“Jahred’s an amazing drummer. He’s been asked to play in so many bands but he’s remained loyal to Destruktor”.
Lunch described his introduction to metal as a progressive process with “no turning back” to a softer style.
“I started listening to glam metal like Guns N’ Roses when I was about 10.
“I then started listening to hard rock metal and my music tastes got heavier from there.”
Lynch said Destruktor rarely performed locally despite basing itself in Geelong.
“We only play in Geelong about once a year. That’s the nature of the (metal music) beast.”
However, the band had played at metal music festivals Australia-wide and supported several big-name acts.
“We supported Swedish metal band Dismember and Krisiun from Brazil when they did their last Australian tours,” Lynch said.
He expected Destruktor would tour Europe next year depending on the success of Australian gigs.
“We’ve got people in places like Germany and Chile who have a strong interest in our music,” Lynch said.
“It would be great to be able to meet those fans.”
Lynch considered playing music from the band’s latest album, Nailed, to New Zealand audiences last year as a career highlight.
Lynch said the Geelong gig at the National Hotel on May 12 would be a chance to play a few new songs to prepare for Sydney’s Evil Invaders IV festival.
Other metal bands on the Geelong bill include Thrall, Desecrator and Ignivomous.
