Officially there have been over 30 musicians involved with the band Christian Death. Formed in Los Angeles and fronted by a then 16 year old vocalist / lyricist Rozz Williams, the band released the first album “Only Theatre Of Pain” in 1982. A dark, sinister style of punk rock. The album gained massive underground success. Valor said that at this time, the band stopped making music.
Singer Rozz then joined the band “Pompeii 99” founded by singer, guitarist, song writer Valor. Rozz took over vocals leaving Valor to focus on guitar. Before Rozz joined Pompeii 99, the band had already released their fist album “Look At Yourself” to much acclaim, which had an apocalyptic theme with a punk rock flavor. The Pompeii 99 had been planning their first tour when it was proposed by their French record company, to merge Pompeii 99 into a new version of Christian Death which after some debate was agreed upon. Thus, began the new Christian Death and the first Pompeii 99 tour became the first Christian Death tour.
Part way through the tour, the band stopped in Wales to record songs, some of which were originally intended for the next Pompeii 99 album. The fusion of which led to the unique sound of the classic “Catastrophe Ballet.” Like the first Pompeii 99 album, Catastrophe Ballet had an apocalyptic theme, however the music morphed into something not quite Pompeii 99 and nothing like the first Christian Death album. After the tour, the band returned to L.A. to later record the 3rd Christian Death album “Ashes” which was a post apocalyptic vision of a cold and bleak future.
After confirming the second tour in 1985, Valor reported that singer Rozz quit the band. Valor returned to vocals, and the band embarked on the second tour. In Italy, the band recorded the mini album “The Wind Kissed Pictures,” a surrealist view of a mystical past. Almost immediately, work began on the fourth full length album “Atrocities” inspired by the atrocities of World War II and the connection to future shock waves.
While continuously touring in 1987, the band released the fifth and now classic album “The Scriptures,” the theme of which explored world religion and how the legacy of these beliefs impact our world today.
1988 Brought the music world the release of “Sex & Drugs & Jesus Christ.” This was a turning point for the band. The cover depicted a provocative, shocking image of Jesus shooting up heroin. This was a full frontal attack by Valor against the Church with a scathing heretical mockery of organized Christianity. The band then found themselves confronted by protesters, riots and bomb threats. These events and the band’s imagery and fashion since its inception, went on to influence bands including Nine Inch Nails, Korn, Marilyn Manson, Type O Negative, almost every so called “Goth” band ever formed, as well as others from other musical genres.
1989 saw the release of the double album epic “All the Love, All the Hate” interpreting the juxtaposition between life and death, day and night, man and woman, black and white.
In 1991 came the release of “Insanus, Ultio, proditio, Misericordiaque,” with its theme of an ancient dream state.
By 1994, female vocalist and bass guitarist Maitri, (the now second most continuous member of Christian Death) joined the band to record “Sexy Death God,” which proclaimed sexual freedom in the face of religious adversity.
In 1996 came the release of “Prophecies” with its theme based on the Apocalyptic prophecies of soothsayers throughout the ages.
In 1997, Rozz left the world. A report on this will be released in a future issue of subnormal magazine online.
In 1998, Christian Death released “Pornographic Messiah” a colorful elaborate return to the sex versus religion theme.
In 1999, Christian Death released “Born Again anti Christian” which featured members of Cradle of Filth and a song sung by Dani Filth. In 2000 the band promoted the album on tour with Cradle Of Filth. While on tour with Cradle Of Filth, former Cradle of Filth Drummer Will Was Sargenson played in Christian Death.
In 2002, Maitri the second most continuous member of Christian Death released her debut album and band “Lover Of Sin” with songs and production collaboration by Valor. Later that year, Cradle Of Filth guitarist Gian Peres joined Christian Death for the 2003 tour, Lover Of Sin was the support, with Tony Norman of Morbid Angel on guitar, Howard Davis of Evans Blue on drums and Juan Punchy Gonzalez on guitar.
In 2007 and 2008, Christian Death released their 13th studio album “American Inquisition.” On the strength of it’s success, the band did a massive four European tours and one U.S.A. tour, all in 2008.
In 2009, Christian Death re-released a massive ten back catalogue albums on Season Of Mist Records and their world wide touring frenzy continued.
Music T.V. Show VH1 stated, “Christian Death take a relentlessly confrontational stand against organized religion and conventional morality, with an appetite for provocation that makes Marilyn Manson look like Stryper.”
Rolling Stone Magazine called Christian Death “One of the top ten goth bands of all time.”
Singer Valor states, “I have nothing (personally) against Christians. I just want them to open up their minds a little.”
Christian Death will be performing the final U.S. date of their 2013 tour in Los Angeles at Los Globos on 3040 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles,CA, 90026, along with Fangs on Fur, Catholic Spit, Death on The Radio, The Goons, Untoward Children, and Nightmare Enterprises, with Christian Death headlining. Doors open at 7pm, and tickets are just $15. All ages, with I.D. 21 for alcohol beverages.
Hear and see one of the early classic songs by Valor with Christian Death in the video here below:
