Necrophagia was an American
death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, fe ...
band. The band is credited as one of the inaugural groups within the death metal genre, along with
Possessed and
Death
Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
.
History
Early years (1983–1997)
Necrophagia was formed by
Frank "Killjoy" Pucci in 1983. The band name is derived from the act of cannibalizing, or eating a corpse. The word is a combination of the Greek words ' (corpse), and ' (to eat). Necrophagia was a popular group in the underground extreme metal "tape trading" scene. Their first full-length album, ''
Season of the Dead'', was recorded and released in 1987. In 1990, Necrophagia intended to issue an album named ''Ready for Death'', which had been recorded in 1986. But, the band split up, and ''Ready for Death'' was bootlegged in the tape trading scene. ''Ready for Death'' was finally released as part of the ''A Legacy of Horror, Gore and Sickness'' compilation album in 2000.
Phil Anselmo era (1997–2001)
Killjoy befriended
Pantera
Pantera () is an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas formed in 1981, and currently comprised of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, and touring musicians Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante. The group's best-known lineup consist ...
frontman
Phil Anselmo
Philip Hansen Anselmo (born June 30, 1968) is an American heavy metal vocalist best known as the lead singer for Pantera, Down, and Superjoint, amongst other musical projects. He is the owner of Housecore Records.
Anselmo is regarded as one ...
, shortly after Necrophagia's demise. Phil wrote and shared some music with Killjoy, which persuaded him to resurrect Necrophagia in 1997.
Killjoy and Anselmo (who played guitar under the pseudonym Anton Crowley) were joined by Wayne Fabra on drums and Dustin Havnen on bass guitar. Necrophagia released ''
Holocausto de la Morte'', as well as the ''
Black Blood Vomitorium'' EP, with the reformed line-up. Havnen was replaced by Jared Faulk in 2001. In addition, the group enlisted
Gorelord leader Frediablo as second guitarist, and Opal Enthroned on keyboards. Necrophagia released the ''
Cannibal Holocaust
''Cannibal Holocaust'' is a 1980 Italian found footage cannibal horror film directed by Ruggero Deodato and written by Gianfranco Clerici. It stars Robert Kerman as Harold Monroe, an anthropologist from New York University who leads a rescue ...
'' EP in 2001, along with their first DVD, ''Through Eyes of the Dead''. Anselmo, Opal and Fabra departed the band shortly after the release. In addition, the
Housecore/Baphomet Records label founded by Killjoy and Anselmo was dissolved, due to extreme scheduling conflicts and previous commitments.
Frediablo era (2002–2006)
Killjoy and Frediablo remained with Necrophagia. In 2002, the band added Fug (Frediablo's brother) on guitar, Iscariah (formerly of
Immortal
Immortality is the ability to live forever, or eternal life.
Immortal or Immortality may also refer to:
Film
* ''The Immortals'' (1995 film), an American crime film
* ''Immortality'', an alternate title for the 1998 British film ''The Wisdom of ...
) on bass guitar, Titta Tanni (of
Daemonia/New Goblin fame) on drums and Mirai Kawashima (of the Japanese
avant-garde
The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical ...
black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, raw ( lo-fi) recording, unconventional song structures, and an em ...
band
Sigh) on keyboards. Necrophagia released ''The Divine Art of Torture'', ''Harvest Ritual Vol. 1'' and the ''Goblins Be Thine'' EP with the line-up. In addition, Necrophagia released their first live album ''Slit Wrists And Casket Rot'', which was recorded during their "Harvesting the Dead" tour.
Frediablo left the band in early 2006 to concentrate on
Gorelord. He was replaced by Undead Torment.
Recent activity
Necrophagia released ''Death Trip 69'' in May 2011. The album featured several guest appearances, including Casey Chaos from
Amen
Amen ( he, אָמֵן, ; grc, ἀμήν, ; syc, ܐܡܝܢ, ; ar, آمين, ) is an Abrahamic declaration of affirmation which is first found in the Hebrew Bible, and subsequently found in the New Testament. It is used in Jewish, Christian, and ...
, and former
Mayhem vocalist Maniac. ''WhiteWorm Cathedral'' was released in October 2014. Necrophagia supported
1349
Year 1349 ( MCCCXLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–December
* January 22 – An earthquake affects L'Aquila in southern Italy with a maximum Merca ...
on their "Chaos Raids North America" tour in May and June 2015.
On March 18, 2018, vocalist and founding member Killjoy died at the age of 51.
Members
Final lineup
* Shawn Slusarek – drums (2010–2018)
* Serge Streltsov – guitars (2016–2018)
* Jake Arnette – bass (2016–2018)
*
Frank "Killjoy" Pucci – vocals (1983–1987, 1998–2018; died 2018)
Former
* Scrimm – guitars (2012–2015)
* Abigail Lee Nero – guitars (2011–2014)
* Boris Randall – guitars (2010–2011)
* Undead Torment – guitars (2006–2011)
* Fug – guitars (2002–2010)
* Frediablo – guitars (2002–2005)
* Anton Crowley (
Philip Anselmo
Philip Hansen Anselmo (born June 30, 1968) is an American heavy metal vocalist best known as the lead singer for Pantera, Down, and Superjoint, amongst other musical projects. He is the owner of Housecore Records.
Anselmo is regarded as one ...
) – guitars (1998–2001)
* Larry "Madthrash" Madison – guitars (1984–1987)
* Damien Matthews – bass (2010–2015)
* Iscariah – bass (2002–2010)
* Jared Faulk – bass (2001)
* Dustin Havnen – bass (1998–2001)
* Bill "Blaster" Bork – bass (1984–1987)
* Titta Tani – drums (2002–2010)
* Wayne Fabra – drums (1998–2002)
* Joe "Voyer" Blazer – drums (1984–1987)
* Mirai Kawashima – keyboards (2002–2008; 2014)
* Opal Enthroned – keyboards (2001, 2008–2011)
* Steve Lehocky – guitars (2015–2016)
Discography
Studio albums
*''
Season of the Dead'' (1987)
*''
Holocausto de la Morte'' (1998)
*''The Divine Art of Torture'' (2003)
*''Harvest Ritual Volume I'' (2005)
*''Deathtrip 69'' (2011)
*''WhiteWorm Cathedral'' (2014)
Other releases
*''
Death Is Fun'' (compilation) (1995)
*''
Black Blood Vomitorium'' (EP) (2000)
*''A Legacy of Horror, Gore and Sickness'' (compilation) (2000)
*''
Cannibal Holocaust
''Cannibal Holocaust'' is a 1980 Italian found footage cannibal horror film directed by Ruggero Deodato and written by Gianfranco Clerici. It stars Robert Kerman as Harold Monroe, an anthropologist from New York University who leads a rescue ...
'' (EP) (2001)
*''Reverse Voices of the Dead'' (split EP with
Antaeus
Antaeus (; Ancient Greek: Ἀνταῖος ''Antaîos'', "opponent", derived from , ''antao'' – 'I face, I oppose'), known to the Berbers as Anti, was a figure in Berber and Greek mythology. He was famed for his defeat by Heracles as part ...
) (2001)
*''Goblins Be Thine'' (EP) (2004)
*''Slit Wrists and Casket Rot'' (live) (2006)
*''Here Lies Necrophagia: 35 Years of Death Metal'' (compilation) (2019)
Timeline
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id:guitar value:green legend:Guitars
id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards
id:bass value:blue legend:Bass
id:drums value:orange legend:Drums
id:studio value:black legend:Studio_albums
id:other value:gray(0.5) legend:Demos/EPs
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at:11/01/1984 color:other layer:back
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at:06/01/1998 color:black layer:back
at:02/28/2000 color:other layer:back
at:10/22/2001 color:other layer:back
at:02/17/2003 color:black layer:back
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bar:Larry text:"Larry Madison"
bar:Phil text:"Anton Crowley (Philip Anselmo)"
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bar:Frediablo text:"Frediablo"
bar:Undead text:"Undead Torment"
bar:Boris text:"Boris Randall"
bar:Abby text:"Abigail Iee Nero"
bar:Scrimm text:"Scrimm"
bar:Steve text:"Steve Lehocky"
bar:Serge text:"Serge Streltsov"
bar:Opal text:"Opal Enthroned"
bar:Mirai text:"Mirai Kawashima"
bar:Bill text:"Bill Bork"
bar:Dustin text:"Dustin Havnen"
bar:Jared text:"Jared Faulk"
bar:Iscariah text:"Iscariah"
bar:Damien text:"Damien Matthews"
bar:Jake text:"Jake Arnette"
bar:Joe text:"Joe Blazer"
bar:Wayne text:"Wayne Fabra"
bar:Titta text:"Titta Tani"
bar:Shawn text:"Shawn Slusarek"
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bar:Frank from:01/01/1983 till:10/01/1987 color:vocals
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bar:Larry from:01/01/1983 till:10/01/1987 color:guitar
bar:Phil from:01/01/1998 till:11/20/2001 color:guitar
bar:Frediablo from:01/01/2002 till:12/01/2005 color:guitar
bar:Undead from:01/01/2006 till:03/01/2011 color:guitar
bar:Abby from:06/01/2011 till:12/01/2014 color:guitar
bar:Steve from:01/01/2015 till:01/01/2016 color:guitar
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bar:Boris from:06/01/2010 till:12/01/2011 color:guitar
bar:Scrimm from:01/01/2012 till:12/31/2015 color:guitar
bar:Serge from:01/01/2016 till:end color:guitar
bar:Bill from:01/01/1983 till:10/01/1987 color:bass
bar:Dustin from:01/01/1998 till:07/01/2001 color:bass
bar:Jared from:07/01/2001 till:12/01/2001 color:bass
bar:Iscariah from:01/01/2002 till:06/01/2010 color:bass
bar:Damien from:06/01/2010 till:12/31/2015 color:bass
bar:Jake from:01/01/2016 till:end color:bass
bar:Opal from:04/01/2001 till:12/01/2001 color:keys
bar:Mirai from:01/01/2002 till:06/01/2008 color:keys
bar:Opal from:06/01/2008 till:02/01/2011 color:keys
bar:Mirai from:01/01/2014 till:12/31/2014 color:keys
bar:Joe from:01/01/1983 till:10/01/1987 color:drums
bar:Wayne from:01/01/1998 till:06/01/2002 color:drums
bar:Titta from:06/01/2002 till:06/01/2010 color:drums
bar:Shawn from:06/01/2010 till:end color:drums
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
American death metal musical groups
Heavy metal musical groups from Ohio
Musical groups established in 1983
Musical groups disestablished in 2018
1983 establishments in Ohio
2018 disestablishments in Ohio
Musical quintets
Season of Mist artists