Post Mortem was an American
thrash metal band, formed in 1982 in suburban
Boston, Massachusetts. The band also helped pioneer the underground subgenre of death metal.
History
The band formed when its members were still in high school. They rehearsed every day, often rushing home to write music after classes. John McCarthy penned the personal songs while drummer Rick McIver wrote the gore lyrics. John Alexander helped write most of the songs. "Our whole concept was that we honestly didn't give a fuck. That's why we're lumped in with
punk rock as well as
metal," McCarthy said, adding, "It's much better to piss off people who think they're pissed off than to piss off your grandma or your mother or your father."
Post Mortem's debut album, ''
Coroner's Office'', was released in 1986. ''Coroner's Office'' continues to find new listeners and is now as remembered for its unusual styling and flirtation with
jazz and punk. The album proved very influential, as it brought musical experimentation common in metal among bands like
Cephalic Carnage and
The Dillinger Escape Plan.
The band consists of John McCarthy (vocals), John Alexander (guitar), Mark Kelley (bass), and Rick "Ricky Magic" McIver (drums). Contrary to popular belief, Post Mortem were not named after the
Slayer
Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style ...
song, which was released in 1986.
Seth Putnam, vocalist for
Anal Cunt, almost joined Post Mortem a few times, but did not actually do so until 1990 after Anal Cunt's first brief breakup. Putnam played various shows with the band and recorded one song with them; there are also live tapes and rehearsal tapes that exist with him on vocals. They did a tour in January 1991 that was supposed to be with Yugoslavian band Patareni but they could not leave their country. They did some more local shows and prepared for a new album until Putnam quit in 1992. After the death of their previous frontman John McCarthy, Putnam gave an interview and was asked about him. He said: "
cCarthywas getting an SSI cheque and getting drunk on Listerine and shit like that. But I was surprised when he died. The strangest thing was that he was a grandfather at age 40. Even when he first had a kid I thought it was strange. He was one of my best friends of all time. I could say bad things about him but I won't because the good times outweigh the bad. In 2008, we played a show in California with Anal Blast and The Meat Shits. People were taking bets if I would die first or Don Decker from Anal Blast. Don died like a year later." Putnam also did vocals on the song "Oh So Evil" on Post Mortem's ''Message from the Dead'' album.
Many metal bands have acknowledged the influence of Post Mortem, like Cianide,
Grief
Grief is the response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or some living thing that has died, to which a bond or affection was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, grief also has physical, cogni ...
(who covered the entire ''Coroner's Office'' album),
Disharmonic Orchestra, who covered "(It's Just) A Thought",
Disharmonic Orchestra, ''Mind Seduction'', on Metal Archives
/ref> and Anal Cunt (who covered Post Mortem's "1066").
Members
Current members
*Mirai Kawashima – vocals
*John Alexander – guitar
*Mark Kelley – bass
*Rick "Ricky Magic" McIver – drums
Founding members
*Norman McIver – vocals
*Tom Nelligan – guitar
*Mark Kelley – bass
*Rick "Ricky Magic" McIver – drums
Notable past members
* John McCarthy – vocals (deceased 2009)
* Seth Putnam ( Anal Cunt) (deceased 2011)
* Michelle Meldrum ( Phantom Blue and Meldrum) (deceased 2008)
* Chris Jordan – vocals
* Rich Goyette – guitar
Discography
*1982 "Run Amok" – cassette
*1983 "Punk After Death" – cassette (recorded in 1982)
*1985 "The Dead Shall Rise" – cassette
*1985 "Death to the Masses" – cassette
*1986 "Turkey on Your Nose..." – cassette
*1986 "Speed Metal Hell II" – various artists
*1986 "Thrash Metal Attack!" – various artists
*1986 " Coroner's Office" – debut album (recorded in 1985)
*1987 "The Missing Link" – EP
*1988 "Beatings are in Order" – full-length album
*1989 "Festival of Fun" – full-length album
*1990 "Ring Around the Rectum" – single
*1990 "Seasoned NoSalt Makes My Beef Stew Taste Like My Beef Stew" – single
*1991 "Killed by the Machinery of Sorrow" – compilation CD
*1993 "Destined for Failure" – full-length album
*1994 "Court Metrage" – various artists
*1995 "Convolutions" – full-length album
*2007 "Deterioration of the Flesh" – live and some previously unreleased material
*2009 "Message from the Dead" – full-length album
References
External links
Official websiteJohn McCarthy, at 40; was lead singer for local thrash rockers Post Mortem
{{Authority control
American thrash metal musical groups
Heavy metal musical groups from Massachusetts
Musical groups established in 1982
1982 establishments in Massachusetts