Choosing Death Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Cast of Characters

  Introduction

  Foreword

  Chapter 1 - Punk is a Rotting Corpse

  Chapter 2 - Whirlwind Struggle

  Chapter 3 - Death By Metal

  Chapter 4 - Acroos the Open Sea

  Chapter 5 - Success?

  Chapter 6 - Mass Appeal Madness

  Chapter 7 - Corporation Pull-In

  Chapter 8 - Fall From Grace

  Chapter 9 - Back From the Dead

  Chapter 10 - Altering the Future

  Life After Death

  Choosing Death Essential Discography

  About the author

  Copyright Page

  Edited by Eóin Ennis

  Copy Editing by Amy Gallick and Patty Moran

  Book Design by Rick Mariani

  Front and Back Cover Design and Concept by Orion Landau and Jonathan Canady

  Front Cover Photo Credits:

  Obituary photo: Tim Hubbard

  Carcass photo: Ingrid Martin

  Napalm Death author unknown

  Morbid Angel photo: Frank White

  Back Cover Photo Credits:

  Nile photo: Scott Kinkade

  Repulsion author unknown

  Cannibal Corpse photo: Frank White

  Napalm Death photo: Nick Royles

  Nihilist author unknown

  Death photo: Alex McKnight

  www.feralhouse.com

  www.choosingdeath.com

  Thanks a Lot:

  Mikael Åkerfeldt, Simon Alper, Mike Amott, Matt Anker, Ann at Moonfog Productions, Irving Azoff, Trey Azagthoth, Chris Barnes, Jeff Becerra, Jo Bench, Jonas Bjorler, Justin Broadrick, Mike Browning, Richard Brunelle, Nick Bullen, Terry Butler, Scott Carlson, Mitch Carpenter, Paul Carty, Max Cavalera, Uffe Cerderlund, Steve Charlesworth, Monte Conner, Daniel Coston, Steve Disrupter, Ross Dolan, Lee Dorrian, Kristen Driscoll, Johan Edlund, Mike Faley, Benjamin Falgoust, Jill Farthing, Andy Farrow, Fenriz, Maria Ferrero, King Fowley, Tim Fraser, Anders Fridén, Oscar Garcia, Joaquim Ghirotti, Lou Giordano, Ian Glasper, Angela Gossow, David Gray, Nick Green, Barney Greenway, Matt Harvey, Johnny Hedlund, Scott Helland, Dave Hewson, Rich Hoak, Paula Hogan, Sean Hogan, Nick Holmes, Scott Hull, Tim Hubbard, Pete Hurley, Anders Jakobson, Andy Johnson, Joey Jordison, David Kahne, Robert Kampf, Matti Kärki, Erich Keller, Scott Kinkade, Patrick Klopf, Christopher Krabathor, Borivoj Krgin, Vicky Langham, Kam Lee, Danny Lilker, Tomas Lindberg, Lisa the Wolf, Patrick Lowe, Gregor Mackintosh, Mad Mex of Philadelphia, Kelli Malella, J Mascis, John McEntee, Jason Mendonca, Flo Mounier, James Murphy, Jennifer Murray, Naki, Alex Newport, Eva Nue, Hilary Okun, Matt Olivo, Ken Owen, Aaron Pepelis, Trevor Peres, Jesse Pintado, Riki Rachtman, Jack Rabid, Chris Radok, Will Rahmer, Chris Reifert, Curran Reynolds, Colin Richarson, Lora Richarson, Tony “Bones” Roberts, Calvin Robertshaw, Julia Robinson, Michelle Roche, the inspiration of Henry Rollins, Nick Royles, Daz Russell, Erik Rutan, Samoth, Karl Sanders, Jörgen Sandström, Richard Santos, Josh Sarubin, Jane Schuldiner, Dan Seagrave, Kevin Sharp, Tomas Skogsberg, Brian Slagel, Mike Smith, Paul Speckmann, Markus Staiger, Bill Steer, Peter Tägtgren, John Tardy, Steve Tucker, Alex Wank, Alex Webster, Heather West, Frank White, Jim Whiteley, Robert Williams, Peter Wiwczarek, Brian Woody, Doug Wright, Loana dP Valencia, George Vallee, David Vincent

  Very Special Thanks:

  Mom, Dad, James Zack Wesser, Adam Parfrey and Feral House, John Peel, Sheila Ravenscroft, Steven Blush, Jarrod Tranguch, Günter Ford, Nicke Andersson, Mitch Dickinson, Mr. Pants, Martin Nesbitt, Ben Morgan, Maria Gonzales, Brian Baker, Hammy, Mark Adams, Jamie Leary, Scott Hungarter, Robert Roberts-Jolly, and all at Red Flag Media, Scott Burns, Greg Wineman, Chris Sleboda, Brian Stillman, Jonathan Selzer, Philip Anselmo, Dieter Szczypiniski, Dan Tobin, Michael Mazur, Debbie Sellnow, and all at Mazur PR, Orion Landau, Jon Canady, Carl Schultz, Natalie Rauch, Matt Jacobson and all at Relapse Records

  Couldn’t-Have-Done-It-Without-You Thanks (those who suffered the most):

  Alex Mulcahy, Eóin Ennis, Patty Moran, Scott Koerber, Brent DeFranco, Rick Mariani, Gordon Conrad, Jeff Walker, Shane Embury, Mick Harris, Jim Welch, Digby Pearson, Nick Terry

  A Very Extra Special Thank You:

  To my extraordinarily patient and encouraging girl Amy Gallick

  This book is dedicated to the lasting memory of Richard Mudrian (1949—2003).

  Cast of Characters

  Mikael Åkerfeldt: Opeth bassist 1990—1992, Opeth guitarist/vocalist 1992 to present

  Mike Amott: Carnage guitarist 1988—1990, Carcass guitarist 1990—1994, Arch Enemy guitarist 1996 to present

  Nicke Andersson: Nihilist drummer 1987—1989, Entombed drummer 1989—1997

  Irving Azoff: Giant Records founder; CEO 1989—1999

  Trey Azagthoth: Morbid Angel guitarist 1983 to present

  Chris Barnes: Cannibal Corpse vocalist 1988—1996, Six Feet Under vocalist 1994 to present

  Jeff Becerra: Possessed guitarist/vocalist 1983—1987

  Jo Bench: Bolt Thrower bassist 1987 to present

  Glen Benton: Amon bassist/vocalist 1987—1990, Deicide bassist/vocalist 1990 to present

  Justin Broadrick: Napalm Death guitarist 1985—1986, Head of David drummer 1986—1988, Godflesh guitarist/vocalist 1988—2002

  Mike Browning: Morbid Angel drummer 1983—1986 drummer/vocalist 1985—1986, Nocturnus drummer/vocalist 1987—1991, drummer 1992

  Richard Brunelle: Morbid Angel guitarist 1985—1992

  Karl Buechner: Earth Crisis vocalist 1991—2001

  Nick Bullen: Napalm Death frontman 1981—1986

  Scott Burns: American death metal producer

  Terry Butler: Massacre bassist 1986—1987, 1990—1992, Death bassist 1987-1990, Six Feet Under bassist 1994 to present

  Scott Carlson: Tempter bassist/vocalist 1983—1984, Ultraviolence bassist/vocalist 1984, Genocide bassist/vocalist 1984—1986, Repulsion bassist/vocalist 1986—1989, 1990, 1991

  Max Cavalera: Sepultura guitarist/vocalist 1984—1996

  Steve Charlesworth: Heresy drummer 1985—1988

  Monte Conner: Roadrunner Records A&R

  Mitch Dickinson: Unseen Terror guitarist 1985—1987, Heresy guitarist 1986—1988

  Ross Dolan: Immolation bassist/vocalist 1988 to present

  Lee Dorrian: Napalm Death vocalist 1987—1989, Cathedral vocalist 1989 to present

  Shane Embury: Napalm Death bassist 1987 to present

  Mike Faley: Metal Blade President

  Fenriz: Darkthrone drummer 1987 to present

  Johan Edlund: Tiamat guitarist/vocalist 1988 to present

  Ben Falgoust: Soilent Green vocalist 1993 to present

  Günter Ford: World Management

  King Fowley: Deceased drummer/vocalist 1985—2002, Deceased vocalist 2002 to present

  Anders Fridén: Dark Tranquillity vocalist 1989—1994, In Flames vocalist 1994 to present

  Oscar Garcia: Terrorizer guitarist/vocalist 1986—1988, 1989

  Lou Giordano: American hardcore producer

  Angela Gossow: Arch Enemy vocalist 2001 to present

  David Gray: Akercocke drummer 1996 to present

  Barney Greenway: Benediction vocalist 1988—1989, Napalm Death vocalist 1989 to present

  Hammy: Peaceville Records founder

  Mick Harris: Napalm Death drummer 1986—1991, Extreme Noise Terror drummer 1987—1988

  Johnny Hedlund: Nihilist bassist 1988—1989, Unleashed frontman 1989 to present

  Dave Hewson: Slaughter (Canada) guitarist 1984—1990

  Terrance Hobbs: Suffocation guitarist 1989—1998, 2002 to present

  Nick Holmes: Paradise Lost vocalist 1988 to present

 
; Scott Hull: Agoraphobic Nosebleed guitarist 1994 to present, Pig Destroyer guitarist 1997 to present

  Pete Hurley: Extreme Noise Terror guitarist 1985—1995

  Matt Jacobson: Relapse Records founder

  Anders Jakobson: Nasum drummer 1994 to present

  Joey Jordison: Slipknot drummer 1995 to present

  David Kahne: Head of Columbia A&R 1991—1995

  Robert Kampf: Century Media Records founder

  Matti Kärki: Carnage vocalist 1990, Dismember vocalist 1990 to present

  Erich Keller: Fear of God vocalist 1987—1988

  Patrick Klopf: Disharmonic Orchestra guitarist/vocalist 1987 to present

  Christopher Krabathor: Krabathor guitarist/vocalist 1984 to present

  Borivoj Krgin: Extreme music journalist, Godly Records co-founder

  Kam Lee: Mantas drummer/vocalist 1983—1984, Death drummer/vocalist, 1984—1985, Massacre vocalist 1985—1994

  Danny Lilker: Brutal Truth bassist 1990—1998

  Tomas Lindberg: Grotesque vocalist 1987—1990, At the Gates vocalist 1990—1996

  Gregor Mackintosh: Paradise Lost guitarist 1988 to present

  J Mascis: Deep Wound drummer 1981—1984

  John McEntee: Incantation guitarist 1989—2003, guitarist/vocalist 2003 to present

  Flo Mounier: Cryptopsy drummer 1992 to present

  James Murphy: Death guitarist 1989—1990, Obituary guitarist 1990—1991, Disincarnate guitarist 1991—1994

  Martin Nesbitt: Earache Records 1988—1991, Carcass Manager 1991—1996

  Eva Nue: US Headbanger’s Ball associate producer 1989—1994

  Matt Olivo: Tempter guitarist 1983—1984, Ultraviolence guitarist 1984, Genocide guitarist 1984—1986, Repulsion guitarist 1986—1989, 1990, 1991

  Ken Owen: Carcass drummer 1985—1996

  Digby Pearson: Earache Records founder

  Justin Pearson: The Locust bassist/vocalist 1995 to present

  John Peel: BBC Radio 1 DJ

  Trevor Peres: Xecutioner guitarist 1984—1989, Obituary guitarist 1989—1998

  Jesse Pintado: Terrorizer guitarist 1986—1988, 1989, Napalm Death guitarist 1989 to present

  Riki Rachtman: Headbanger’s Ball host 1990—1994

  Will Rahmer: Mortician bassist/vocalist 1989 to present

  Chris Reifert: Death drummer 1986—1987, Autopsy drummer/vocalist 1987—1995, Abscess drummer/vocalist 1994 to present

  Tony “Bones” Roberts: Discharge guitarist 1977—1982

  Calvin Robertshaw: My Dying Bride guitarist 1990—1999

  Colin Richardson: English death metal and grindcore producer

  Daz Russell: English hardcore promoter

  Erik Rutan: Morbid Angel guitarist 1993—1997, 1999—2003, Hate Eternal guitarist/ vocalist 1997 to present

  Samoth: Emperor guitarist 1991—2001, Zyklon guitarist 1998 to present

  Karl Sanders: Nile guitarist 1993 to present

  Jörgen Sandström: Corpse guitarist/vocalist 1986, Grave guitarist/vocalist 1987—1995, Entombed bassist 1996 to present

  Josh Sarubin: Columbia Records A&R 1992—1999

  Chuck Schuldiner: Mantas guitarist/vocalist 1983—1984, Death guitarist/vocalist, 1984—2001

  Jane Schuldiner: Mother of Chuck Schuldiner

  Dan Seagrave: Album cover artist

  Kevin Sharp: Extreme music journalist, Brutal Truth vocalist 1990—1998

  Tomas Skogsberg: Swedish death metal producer

  Brian Slagel: Metal Blade CEO

  Paul Speckmann: Master guitarist/vocalist 1983 to present, Deathstrike guitarist/vocalist in early 1980s.

  Markus Staiger: Nuclear Blast Records founder

  Bill Steer: Napalm Death guitarist 1987—1989, Carcass guitarist/vocalist 1985—1996

  John Tardy: Xecutioner vocalist 1984—1989, Obituary vocalist 1989-1998

  Nick Terry: Terrorizer Magazine editor 1996—2000

  Dan Tobin: Earache Records A&R

  Steve Tucker: Morbid Angel bassist/vocalist 1997—2002, 2003 to present

  Jeff Walker: Carcass bassist/vocalist 1987—1996

  Alex Wank: Pungent Stench drummer 1988 to present

  Alex Webster: Cannibal Corpse bassist 1988 to present

  Jim Welch: Relativity 1989-1991, Earache US 1991—1993, Columbia Records A&R 1993—1996.

  Jim Whiteley: Napalm Death bassist 1987

  Robert Williams: Siege drummer 1983—1986, 1990

  Peter Wiwczarek: Vader guitarist/vocalist 1983 to present

  David Vincent: Morbid Angel bassist/vocalist 1986—1996

  Introduction by John Peel

  The sun shines. Trees bud. If I opened the window, I’m sure I would hear birds singing. And this morning, when I took the dogs for a walk, I found a fully-grown deer dead in the stream that gurgles past our house, half its head blown away by a hunter. This, I thought, as I watched the dogs evacuating their bowels at the roadside, is an omen from God—or if not from God, from Vashti, Handmaiden of Baal or someone like her—to warn me that I’d better sit down and get that book introduction written.

  But where to start?

  Well, I could whirl you back in time to the mid-’50s and try to explain yet again the impact that hearing Elvis for the first time had on my young and bourgeois life, or I could tell you about the gig I did at Southampton University with Hendrix, but it might make more sense to return to a riverside pub in Putney, London, at the end of 1986.

  I don’t recall whose idea it was, but I’d trekked to Putney to see the Stupids. Punk, let me remind you, had happened nine years earlier and had evolved into art rock subgenres every bit as beastly as the muck that it had, in theory, swept aside. What was needed, my BBC Radio 1 producer, John Walters, and I felt, was a return to rousing vulgarity. What we were looking for was a band that, metaphorically at least, lit their farts on stage. The Stupids, bless them, were that band. Was that band? Who cares?

  The Stupids were funny, fast, loud, clever/stupid and they took the piss out of Walters and myself. They also came from East Anglia, the part of the country in which I still live and in which the deer discussed above died. They were shit hot and local. How could you not love them? They also told me—warned might be a better word—of another local phenomenon, Extreme Noise Terror. ENT, with Mick Harris on drums and with charismatic, blue-haired Dean Jones on vocals, played from time to time at the Caribbean Centre in nearby Ipswich, so I took Sheila, my wife, and our son, William, to see them play. That’s the way to bring up your kids. Trust me, I know. ENT were amazing. So were their fans. Any track more than 20 seconds long was greeted with derisive cries of “too long, too slow” or “fucking prog-rockers” from the Caribbean Centre faithful, most of whom looked as though they had but recently risen from shallow graves alongside the A12, the arterial road that runs from London to Ipswich. The only disappointment for Sheila, William and me was that the band, constrained, no doubt, by economic factors, wasn’t loud enough. We wanted to leave the Centre with blood trickling from our ears.