Death SS

Death SS
Origin Pesaro, Italy
Genres Heavy metal, doom metal, speed metal (early), industrial metal (later)
Years active 1977 - 1984
1988 - present
Labels Minotauro Records
Discomagic Records
Contempo Records
Lucifer Rising Records
Live Global
Website deathss.com
Members Members

Death SS (later also intended as a contraction of In Death of Steve Sylvester) is an Italian heavy metal band. Formed as a classical heavy metal-oriented outfit, since the release of Do What Thou Wilt they've chosen to focus on gothic and industrial metal.

Biography

Death SS was formed in 1977 in Pesaro by Steve Sylvester, who was a member of the Ordo Templi Orientis,[1] and Paul Chain, who would later embrace an experimental form of doom metal with his solo project, Paul Chain Violet Theatre. The band combined elements of horror, occultism and heavy metal to become a pioneer in horror metal[2] and black metal;[3] the musical style is called “horror music” by the band.[4] Sylvester left the band in 1982 and Chain replaced him with Sanctis Ghoram (featured on the Evil Metal EP) before closing the project in 1984 to start his solo career. Sylvester reformed the band in 1988 (with him being the only original member). This new incarnation of the band recorded their first full-length album, ...in Death of Steve Sylvester. There would be many line-up changes in the years to come, with Sylvester once again being the only constant.

The album Panic was partially recorded in the USA, with Neil Kernon as a producer, because the band liked his work for artists like Queensrÿche, Judas Priest, Dokken, Nevermore, David Bowie, Rush and Skrew and had, according to Sylvester, “a particular touch in the dark side of Heavy Metal […] that we were looking for”. The band’s management contacted Kernon, who accepted after listening to the band’s demos of the new songs. The album was released in 2000 by Sylvester’s own label, Lucifer Rising, and Dream Catcher.[1]

Members

Current members
Former members

  • Paul Chain - guitar, backing vocals, organ (1977-1984)
  • Claud Galley - rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1980-1981), bass (1981-1984)
  • Danny Hughes (Daniele Ugolini)- bass, backing vocals (1977-1978)
  • Danny Hughes (Gabriele Tommasini) - bass, backing vocals (1978-1981)
  • Tommy Chaste (Tommaso Castaldi) - drums (1977-1979)
  • Thomas Chaste (Franco Caforio) - drums (1979-1980)
  • Thomas "Hand" Chaste (Andrea Vianelli) - drums (1981-1984)
  • Sanctis Ghoram - lead vocals (1982-1984)
  • Kurt Templar - guitar, backing vocals (1987-1991)
  • Boris Hunter - drums (1987-1991)
  • Christian Wise - guitar, backing vocals (1987-1989)
  • Erik Landley - bass (1987-1989)
  • Kevin Reynolds - guitar, backing vocals (1989-1991)
  • Alberto Simonini - guitar, backing vocals (1989)
  • Marc Habey - bass, backing vocals (1989-1990)
  • Jason Minelli - guitar, backing vocals (1991-1994)
  • Maurizio Figliolia - guitar, backing vocals (1991)
  • Ross Lukather - drums (1991-1997, 2005)
  • Marcel Skirr - keyboards, synthesizers, backing vocals (1992-1993)
  • Al Priest - guitar, backing vocals (1991-1994)
  • Andy Barrington - bass, backing vocals (1990-1993)
  • Judas Kenton - bass, backing vocals (1994-1996)
  • Vincent Phibes - guitar, backing vocals (1994-1997)
  • Emil Bandera - guitar, backing vocals (1996-2006)
  • Oleg Smirnoff - keyboards, synthesizers, backing vocals (1997-2005)
  • Felix Moon - guitar, backing vocals (1994-1998)
  • Simon Garth (Nardo Lunardi) - guitar, backing vocals (1998)
  • Simon Garth (Ilario Danti) - guitar, backing vocals (1998)
  • Andrei Karloff - bass, backing vocals (1997-1999)
  • Kaiser Sose - bass, backing vocals (1999-2002)
  • Bob Daemon - bass, backing vocals (2002-2005)
  • Anton Chaney - drums (1997-2005)
  • Dave Simeone - drums (2006-2008)
  • Francis Thorn - guitar, backing vocals (2007-2008)

Discography

Albums

Live albums

Singles/EPs

Compilations

Trivia

The band is one of the sources of inspiration for the Swedish heavy metal band Ghost.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 Yiva Asker: Death SS. In: Jon Kristiansen: Metalion: The Slayer Mag Diaries. Brooklyn, NY: Bazillion Points Books 2011, p. 472ff.
  2. ↑ All Music Guide to the band
  3. ↑ Emperor. In: Jon Kristiansen: Metalion: The Slayer Mag Diaries. Brooklyn, NY: Bazillion Points Books 2011, p. 274.
  4. ↑ Jean: Death SS.
  5. ↑ Interwiew of a Nameless Ghoul by Loudwire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XURdcV4ELcM

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, May 07, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.