Death was an American death metal band from Altamonte Springs, Florida. Formed in 1984 under the name Mantas, the group originally consisted of guitarist and vocalist Chuck Schuldiner, second guitarist Frederick "Rick Rozz" DeLillo, and drummer and vocalist Barney "Kam" Lee. The band went through many personnel changes during its tenure, before disbanding in December 2001 upon Schuldiner's death. The final lineup of Death featured Schuldiner on guitars and vocals, Shannon Hamm on guitars, Richard Christy on drums (both from 1997 until 2001), and Scott Clendenin on bass (from 1997 until 2001).
Chuck Schuldiner formed Mantas in 1984 with drummer/vocalist Kam Lee and guitarist Rick Rozz. [1] The band recorded its first rehearsal demo in early 1984, which is known unofficially as Emotional. [2] The recording featured a temporary bassist called Dave Tett, who left after just a few rehearsals and was the band's only bassist during its tenure as Mantas. [3] The group released its first official demo, Death by Metal, in the summer of 1984. [3] In September, the band briefly broke up for "two or three weeks", and returned in October under the new name of Death. [2] Reign of Terror was recorded later that month. [4]
Shortly after the recording of the Infernal Death demo in March 1985, Rozz left Death; Schuldiner and Lee recorded Rigor Mortis the next month. [5] During the summer, guitarist Matt Olivo and bassist Scott Carlson joined the band, however after Lee left and they struggled to find a replacement, the pair left after just a few months. [6] In September, Schuldiner relocated to San Francisco, California and built a new Death lineup with bassist Erik Meade and former D.R.I. drummer Eric Brecht. The trio released Back from the Dead in October, before both new members left in December and Schuldiner returned to Florida. [7]
Death took a brief hiatus in early 1986, while Schuldiner briefly rehearsed with Canadian group Slaughter. [8] In March, the guitarist and vocalist moved to San Francisco again, where he formed a new incarnation of Death with drummer Chris Reifert. [3] Working as a two-piece, with Schuldiner handling bass duties, the group issued the demo Mutilation in April, which led to the band signing a deal with Combat Records. [9] In November the band recorded its debut full-length album, Scream Bloody Gore , which was issued the following May. Before the album's release, the duo was briefly joined by second guitarist John Hand. [10]
Around the time of the release of Scream Bloody Gore, Schuldiner moved back to Florida without Reifert, who opted to stay in San Francisco. [11] He subsequently enlisted former guitarist Rick Rozz along with bassist Terry Butler and drummer Bill Andrews from Massacre for a new incarnation of Death. [12] The group issued Leprosy in 1988, however Butler did not feature on the album and bass was instead performed by Schuldiner. [13] During the subsequent touring cycle, Rozz was dismissed from Death and temporarily replaced by Cynic's Paul Masvidal for a handful of Mexican shows. [14]
After "a few weeks" with Mark Carter, [7] the band was joined by guitarist James Murphy in the summer of 1989. [11] Spiritual Healing was recorded at the end of the year and released the following February. [7] During the subsequent tour, Murphy was fired and the guitarist role changed a number of times – first, Masvidal returned to complete a run of shows in April 1990, before Evildead's Albert Gonzales took over for shows between August and October. [7] When Schuldiner refused to perform in Europe at the end of the year due to poor management and organization of the tour, the remaining members completed the tour without him, using members of the road crew as stand-ins. [11]
Schuldiner parted ways with Butler and Andrews after their tour without him, and in April 1991 he returned to record Human with Masvidal, Sadus bassist Steve Di Giorgio, and Masvidal's Cynic bandmate Sean Reinert on drums. [4] Di Giorgio was unable to commit to the band full-time due to commitments with Sadus, so he was replaced on the subsequent touring cycle by Scott Carino. [7] In spring 1992, Death was forced to cancel a run of shows in the UK due to financial issues. [15]
In early 1993, Schuldiner reunited with bassist Steve Di Giorgio to record Individual Thought Patterns , which also featured King Diamond guitarist Andy LaRocque and former Dark Angel drummer Gene Hoglan. [16] LaRocque was unable to commit full-time to Death, so he was replaced for European festivals in the spring and a US tour in the summer by Ralph Santolla. [17] For a European run later in the year, Forbidden's Craig Locicero took over when Santolla returned to his main band Eyewitness. [7]
By early 1995, Di Giorgio had left Death and LaRocque had confirmed his inability to return. [11] Schuldiner asked former Watchtower bassist Doug Keyser to join the band, but he declined, [7] which led Schuldiner to add bassist Kelly Conlon and guitarist Bobby Koelble in time for the recording of Symbolic . [18] [19] After the album's release, the group performed at several European festivals, before Conlon was dismissed and replaced for subsequent tour dates by Brian Benson. [7] [20]
Early the next year, Schuldiner announced the disbandment of Death and the formation of Control Denied, [21] following a disagreement with Roadrunner Records. [22] The new group initially featured vocalist B.C. Richards, [23] though he left the band in 1997. [24] An early lineup of the band included guitarist Shannon Hamm, bassist Benson and drummer Chris Williams. [11]
Death returned in the summer of 1997, [11] with Control Denied members Hamm, Scott Clendenin (who by that time had replaced Benson on bass) and Richard Christy (the replacement for drummer Williams) featuring in the new incarnation of the band. [25] This lineup issued The Sound of Perseverance , Death's final studio album, in 1998. [26] After a tour promoting the album, Schuldiner returned to focus on recording the second Control Denied album. [11] However, in 1999 he was diagnosed with pontine glioma, for which he underwent surgery in January 2000. [27] Despite initially improving, Schuldiner's condition worsened in 2001, and on December 13 he died. [28] Shortly before his death, the band issued its first two live albums. [29]
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chuck Schuldiner |
|
| all Death releases | |
Barney "Kam" Lee | 1984–1985 |
|
| |
Rick Rozz (Frederick DeLillo) |
| guitars |
| |
Dave Tett | 1984 | bass | none (performed on the first Mantas rehearsal tape) | |
Scott Carlson | 1985 |
| none (performed on Death rehearsal tapes 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11) | |
Matt Olivo | guitars | |||
Erik Meade | bass | Back from the Dead (1985) | ||
Eric Brecht | drums | |||
Chris Reifert | 1986–1987 |
| ||
John Hand | 1986 | guitars | none | |
Terry Butler | 1987–1990 | bass |
| |
Bill Andrews | drums |
| ||
Paul Masvidal |
| guitars |
| |
Mark Carter | 1989 | none | ||
James Murphy | 1989–1990 | Spiritual Healing (1990) | ||
Albert Gonzales | 1990 (touring) | Live 1990, 1991 Unknown (2020) | ||
Louie Carrisalez | vocals | none | ||
Walter Trachsler | guitars | |||
Sean Reinert | 1991–1992 (died 2020) | drums |
| |
Steve Di Giorgio |
| bass |
| |
Scott Carino | 1991–1992 (touring only) |
| ||
Gene Hoglan | 1993–1995 | drums |
| |
Andy LaRocque | 1993 (session) | guitars | Individual Thought Patterns (1993) | |
Ralph Santolla | 1993 (touring)(died 2018) | Detroit, MI 1993 (2020) | ||
Craig Locicero | 1993 (touring) | none | ||
Bobby Koelble | 1995 |
| ||
Kelly Conlon | bass | Symbolic (1995) | ||
Brian Benson | 1995 (touring) |
| ||
Shannon Hamm | 1997–2001 | guitars | all Death releases from The Sound of Perseverance (1998) to Vivus! (2012) | |
Scott Clendenin | 1997–2001 (died 2015) | bass | ||
Richard Christy | 1997–2001 | drums |
Period | Members | Releases |
---|---|---|
Early 1984 (known as Mantas) |
| none |
Early – spring 1984 (known as Mantas) |
| none (one rehearsal tape only) |
Spring – September 1984 (known as Mantas) |
|
|
Band inactive September – October 1984 | ||
October 1984 – March 1985 |
|
|
March – April 1985 |
|
|
Spring – summer 1985 |
| none (rehearsal tapes only) |
September – December 1985 |
|
|
Band inactive December 1985 – February 1986 | ||
March – late 1986 |
|
|
Late 1986 |
| none |
Late 1986 – May 1987 |
| |
June 1987 – May 1989 |
|
|
June 1989 |
| none |
July 1989 |
| |
Summer 1989 – April 1990 |
|
|
April 1990 |
| none |
August – October 1990 |
|
|
October 1990 |
|
|
October – December 1990 (temporary touring lineup) |
| none |
Band inactive January – April 1991 | ||
April 1991 (temporary recording lineup) |
|
|
October 1991 – March 1992 |
|
|
Band inactive spring 1992 – early 1993 | ||
Early 1993 (temporary recording lineup) |
|
|
April – August 1993 |
|
|
September – October 1993 |
| none |
Band inactive late 1993 – late 1994 | ||
January – May 1995 |
|
|
June – October 1995 |
|
|
Band inactive late 1995 – summer 1997 | ||
July 1997 – December 2001 |
|
|
Death was an American death metal band formed in Altamonte Springs, Florida, in 1984 by guitarist Chuck Schuldiner, drummer/vocalist Kam Lee and guitarist Rick Rozz. Death is considered to be among the most influential bands in heavy metal music and a pioneering force in death metal. The band's 1987 debut album, Scream Bloody Gore, has been widely regarded as one of the first death metal records, alongside the first records from Possessed and Necrophagia.
Charles Michael Schuldiner was an American musician. He founded the pioneering death metal band Death in 1983, in which he was the lead vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter and only continuous member until his death in 2001. His obituary in the January 5, 2002, issue of Kerrang! described him as "one of the most significant figures in the history of metal." Schuldiner was ranked No. 10 in Joel McIver's book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists in 2009 and No. 20 in March 2004 Guitar World's "The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists". In 1987, Schuldiner founded the publishing company Mutilation Music, affiliated with performance rights organization BMI. Schuldiner died in 2001 of a brain tumor.
Possessed is an American death metal band, originally formed in 1983. Noted for their fast style of playing and Jeff Becerra's growled vocals, they are often called the first band in the death metal genre, and paved the way for the 1980s Bay Area thrash metal scene, along with Metallica, Exodus, Testament and Death Angel. The band is also notable for featuring future Primus member Larry LaLonde, who was the guitarist for Possessed from 1984 to 1987.
Bay Area thrash metal referred to a steady following of heavy metal bands in the 1980s who formed and gained international status in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. Along with Central Florida, the scene was widely regarded as a starting point of American thrash metal, crossover thrash and death metal.
Scream Bloody Gore is the debut studio album by American death metal band Death, released on May 25, 1987, by Combat Records. It is considered by many to be "the first true death metal record". Chuck Schuldiner, the band’s founder and leader, performed guitar, bass and vocals, and composed all tracks on the album.
Leprosy is the second studio album by American death metal band Death, released on August 12, 1988, by Combat Records. The album is notable in its different tone and quality from the band's 1987 debut, it is the first example of Scott Burns' work heard on many of the death metal and grindcore albums of that era. The cover is featured in Metal: A Headbanger's Journey. It is the first album to feature drummer Bill Andrews and the only one to feature guitarist Rick Rozz.
Spiritual Healing is the third studio album by American death metal band Death, released on February 16, 1990, by Combat Records. It is the band's only album to feature both guitarist James Murphy and bassist Terry Butler and the last to feature drummer Bill Andrews.
Human is the fourth studio album by American death metal band Death, released on October 22, 1991, by Relativity Records. The album marked the beginning of a major stylistic change for Death, being more technically complex and progressive than the band's previous efforts. The lyrics are more introspective when compared to the gore-based lyrics of Scream Bloody Gore and Leprosy or the social commentary on Spiritual Healing. This new style would continue to evolve on all following Death albums. This is the only album to feature Cynic members Paul Masvidal on guitars and Sean Reinert on drums, both 20 at the time, and the first to feature bassist Steve DiGiorgio.
Fate: The Best of Death is a compilation album by Death. It contains songs collected from their first four albums, Scream Bloody Gore (1987), Leprosy (1988), Spiritual Healing (1990) and Human (1991).
Individual Thought Patterns is the fifth studio album by American death metal band Death, released on June 22, 1993, by Relativity Records. It is the only album by the band to feature guitarist Andy LaRocque, the first to feature drummer Gene Hoglan and the second and last to feature bassist Steve DiGiorgio. Manager Eric Greif described the album as "an angry record, angry lyrically", attributing it to his conflict with Chuck Schuldiner at the time.
Deron John Miller is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the rock band CKY, which he co-founded in 1998. Other bands Miller fronts include the progressive metal band Foreign Objects, the melodic death metal band World Under Blood, the death metal band Malevolent Creation, and the alternative metal band 96 Bitter Beings.
Massacre is an American death metal band. They were formed in 1984 by Allen West, Bill Andrews, and Mike Borders, soon after vocalist Kam Lee joined. The band has reunited several times with varying line-ups, most recently in late 2016.
Kelly Conlon is an American bass guitarist. He has been a hired musician with Death and Monstrosity. Conlon currently performs with Agent Steel.
Paul Albert Masvidal is an American musician, best known as the guitarist, singer and a founding member of the progressive metal band Cynic. He has remained a continual member in Cynic for nearly three decades and has developed numerous other projects including Æon Spoke, Onward with Love, and Masvidal. Masvidal was ranked in Loudwire's 66 Best Hard Rock + Metal Guitarists of All Time and 50 Best Metal Songwriters of All Time.
Heathen is an American thrash metal band originating from the San Francisco Bay Area, active from 1984 to 1993 and again from 2001 onwards. Despite never achieving commercial success, the band is often credited – alongside Exodus, Testament, Forbidden, Death Angel and Vio-lence – as one of the leaders of the Bay Area thrash metal scene of the mid-to-late 1980s, and they have gone through several lineup changes, leaving guitarist Lee Altus as the only constant member. To date, Heathen has released four studio albums: Breaking the Silence (1987), Victims of Deception (1991), The Evolution of Chaos (2009) and Empire of the Blind (2020).
Jason Göbel is an American guitarist, best known for being a member of the technical metal band Cynic.
Scott Clendenin was an American musician most notable for his time spent in the bands Death and Control Denied, both of which were formed by Chuck Schuldiner. Following Schuldiner's passing, Death disbanded. In 2012, he played for Death to All, former members of Death paying tribute to Schuldiner, as well as members of Bereft and Obscura. Clendenin died on March 24, 2015, with Death bandmate Richard Christy and Death's former manager Eric Greif expressing their shock and sympathy.
Cynic is an American progressive metal band formed in Miami, Florida by Paul Masvidal in 1987. Masvidal original served solely as the band's guitarist, but later took over as lead vocalist and chief songwriter. Cynic incorporates elements of progressive rock, alternative, and metal.
Florida death metal is a regional scene and stylistic subdivision of death metal. Some of the most significantly pioneering and best-selling death metal acts emerged in Florida, especially in the Tampa Bay area. As a result, Tampa is unofficially known by many death metal fans as the "capital of death metal." The scene coalesced in the mid-1980s through early 1990s around the output of bands such as Death, Nasty Savage, Deicide, Monstrosity, Morbid Angel, Atheist, Obituary, and others. The producer Scott Burns and the studio Morrisound Recording were also instrumental in developing and popularizing the Florida scene. Some bands which originated outside of Florida, such as Malevolent Creation and Cannibal Corpse, relocated to the state in order to participate in this burgeoning scene. The Florida bands featured a more technical approach to the evolving death metal sound, a style which spread beyond the confines of the state, and some were instrumental in creating the progressive death metal subgenre. The death metal genre as a whole, including the Florida scene, declined in popularity in the second half of the 1990s, but many bands within the Florida scene persisted and the scene resurged in popularity in subsequent decades.
Scott Carlson is an American musician, who most notably worked as the lead vocalist and bassist of pioneering grindcore band Repulsion. Additionally, he was briefly the bassist and one of the vocalists of pioneering death metal band Death, as well as bassist of doom metal band Cathedral, bassist and vocalist of Swedish death metal band Death Breath, vocalist of Japanese doom metal band Church of Misery, bassist of hardcore punk band Septic Tank, guitarist of garage rock band The Superbees and guitarist of From Beyond.