It was released on May 24, 2019, by Dine Alone Records and was the band's first new material in three years after their fourth album, IV.

Destroyer is the first album with Rachel Fannan (from Sleepy Sun) and Adam Bulgasem (from Dommengang and Soft Kill).

The album was first announced on March 7, 2019, with the release of a single, "Future Shade", described by the lead singer, Stephen McBean, as a "warping" and "rending".

[9] David Nadelle of Tiny Mix Tapes described "Boogie Lover" as a "bevy of heavy friends both old and new", referring to the appearances by Jeremy Schmidt, Kliph Scurlock (The Flaming Lips), Kid Millions (Oneida), Rachel Fannan (Sleepy Sun) and Adam Bulgasem (Dommengang).

[11] Also writing for Stereogum, Tom Breihan praised "Licensed to Drive", saying the track "starts out with eerie horror-movie theatrics, locks into ’70s-style dragon-trudge metal, and climaxes with a wild Edgar Winter-ish synth solo.