As previously reported, Texas-based metallers THE DESTRO will release their new album, Harmony Of Discord, via Ironclad Recordings/Metal Blade Records, on October 13th.

"On writing this new album we threw away multiple riffs going on in songs, we cut out any soloing and it's twice as heavy as our other material and totally focused" says guitarist Nick Emde. "As a guitarist I'm influenced by NAPALM DEATH as they are completely fast, completely brutal with no filler but it leaves you satisfied."

While the word harmony and The Destro don't exactly seem a likely fit, Emde found the inspiration in a metaphor. "I was at a VanGogh exhibition a few years back. This one picture showed these men working in a hayfield plowing and whatnot and they were in abject poverty but in this absolutely beautiful country setting. The piece was called Harmony And Discord but it struck me immediately as a metaphor for the band because to a lot of people they think it's a waste of life to play this perceived negative music for no money, living in a van playing every night in a different city but we find harmony in this lifestyle and find this music uplifting to the spirit."

The new songs reflect this spirit and exorcise a lot of demons for the band "Inbetween albums we just had a lot of trying experiences including deaths of family members, deterioration of personal relationships and general homelessness. Those negative emotions and experiences went straight to our writing to the point where I can honestly say playing these new songs completely release all those feelings for me" Emde reveals.

The band live in Dallas, TX but Emde, vocalist Eric Daughtry and drummer John Garrett hail from smaller climes "We all grew up together in Gainesville TX while is about 75 miles outside of Dallas. It's totally hick, totally redneck and totally without a music venue. Being from there and from Texas in general made it easier to find our own sound because we're from the middle of America, we have no scene to follow and no one's coattails to ride." Playing together for years the band (which now includes bassist Brad Kirkland) eventually found their direction and chipped away at their sound. "We were working shit jobs but we had this plan that we stuck to which was get a house in Dallas, write everyday, record our own music, get our own merch. In time we self-released a CD and I sent it off to labels to check out. Within a week we were getting offers."

One of those offers was from Trevor Phipps, frontman of UNEARTH and owner of Ironclad Recordings. Emde recalls, "I was at my waiter job and I got a call from Trevor saying Unearth was in Dallas and one of the bands had to drop off the date and he wanted us to play in their place tonight. It was about three hours notice and I said yes without talking to the other guys. We got there with thirty minutes to spare and played to about 400 kids, it was like our unofficial label showcase" Phipps signed them immediately.

Harmony Of Discord was recorded with Unearth's Ken Susi at System Studios. Harmony Of Discord's artwork can be viewed on the left (click image to enlarge).

Harmony Of Discord tracklisting:

'Justifiers Of Malice'

'Thorns Of Truth'

'Pestilence Of Deceit'

'Angel Killer'

'Mouth Of The Heretic'

'Persistence Of Ignorance'

'Dead Eyes Divide'

'Overcome (The Flame)'

'Face Down In Regret'