SINGLE REVIEW: Destroya – Recover

‘…it is a relief to uncover an outfit willing to bring back the nihilistic rage that grunge also became home to…’

Wasting time does not appear to be in the nature of Leeds-based three-piece Destroya. Emerging in early 2025, the band have climbed to headline status across Yorkshire, and are poised to headline legendary Leeds grassroots venue Key Club on September 20th. Setting up the scene for this, the band have unleashed the track they open up their sets with as their debut single.

‘Recover’ sees Destroya decorating themselves with shades of groove metal as they barrel towards listeners with raw, retro aggression. Pummelling riffs attack the eardrum with an unrepentant loudness, although the violence belies a surprising degree of complexity. Drums bounce with a nu-metal swagger, whilst the smoking bass lines tie the instrumental elements together tightly; the whole affair belongs on a classic early 00’s Robot Wars montage

Snaking in and out of these densely stacked layers of ferocity are the bleak, snarling vocals of Liv McNally. Trapped within the well of her own misery, McNally is clawing her way back into the world with wickedly cathartic spite. Despite the swirling aggression all around her, McNally is a commanding presence, making sense of the musical violence with her fiery low register and old school hard rock grit.

Destroya show real promise; in a world in which grunge revivalist bands lean heavy on the moodier and melancholic aspects, it is a relief to uncover an outfit willing to bring back the nihilistic rage that grunge also became home to. If ‘Recover’ is what kicks off the Destroya party, then one can only imagine what they have to offer when the show truly gets going.

For Fans Of: Nirvana, TNL VZN, Rage Against The Machine, The Matriarchy, Hole

Featured photo credit belongs to Natasha Koziarska.

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