Destructor

Originating from Cleveland, Ohio, Destructor operated as a lesser-known thrash metal act of the 1980s whose abbreviated run ended abruptly due to tragedy. The lineup came together in 1983 around Dave Overkill handling vocals and guitar, Pat Rabid on guitar, Paul Warhead on bass, and Matt Flammable behind the drums. Closely trailing the initial wave of thrash trailblazers including Metallica and Slayer, the band landed a contract with the Cleveland independent Auburn Records immediately following their debut performance in 1984. Dave Holocaust, born Janieca, entered on bass in time for the initial recording dates. Sessions originally planned as an EP instead yielded the full-length Maximum Destruction, issued in 1985. Though unrefined in execution, the album demonstrated strong potential and earned favorable notice throughout the metal underground, which in turn produced a co-release arrangement between Auburn and the major label Island for the next effort. Work on the projected follow-up Decibel Casualties commenced in late 1987. Tragically, Dave Holocaust was fatally stabbed on January 1, 1988, and with the Island agreement also collapsing, the surviving members chose to disband rather than proceed without their lost colleague. Nothing further emerged until Listenable Records reissued Maximum Destruction in 1999, appending excerpts from the shelved second album and prompting the remaining original members to resume activity. The outcome was Sonic Bullet in 2002, which drew extensively from unreleased 1980s material and enlisted bassist Jamie Boulder, also known as Jamie Walters, of the band Boulder.