German thrash metal legends DESTRUCTION played their first concert with their newly announced lineup at the Arena Wien in Vienna on March 9, to what the venue confirmed was a sold-out crowd of 4,200 fans. The show, which served as a preview of the band's upcoming spring European tour, featured the return of founding bassist/vocalist Schmier alongside guitarist Damir Eskic and new addition guitarist Martin Furia, who replaces Mike Sifringer — the guitarist who had been with DESTRUCTION in various capacities since the band's formation in 1982.
The departure of Sifringer, announced in January 2026, was the most significant personnel change in DESTRUCTION's history and created genuine uncertainty about the band's future. Martin Furia, a Chilean-born guitarist who has toured with TOXIK and DEATH DTA, was confirmed as Sifringer's permanent replacement in February 2026, with Schmier expressing confidence that Furia brings "the technical ability and the fire that this music demands." The Vienna show represented his debut performance with the band.
By all accounts, the debut was a triumph. Audience reviews posted across social media and metal forums consistently praised Furia's adaptation to the DESTRUCTION catalog, describing his playing as "jaw-droppingly precise and authentically aggressive." The setlist drew from across DESTRUCTION's catalog, including thrash classics like "Mad Butcher," "Cracked Brain," "Life Without Sense," and "Nailed to the Cross," as well as material from their more recent albums. Schmier addressed the audience before the final song of the evening, acknowledging Sifringer's enormous contribution to DESTRUCTION and expressing that "the spirit of what we built together lives in every note we play."