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Amen Information
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'Amen' (sometimes all-capitalised to 'AMEN') is a cross-genre hard rock band mainly taking influence from heavy metal music and 1980s punk rock. They have had a number of different band members, with lead vocalist Casey Chaos the only surviving member of the original lineup. They hae been voted "Overall Best Band in the World" and "Best Live Band in the World" by readers of Metal Hammer Magazine. Like iconic industrial rockers Nine Inch Nails, the band's frontman writes all the music and lyrics and performs all instruments (bar drums, since the album Amen) for studio recordings.
History
Early recordings were created ca. 1994 by Casey Chaos in the basement of his Los Angeles home, playing each instrument himself and using the name Amen to release the subsequent EP. Chaos later met Paul Figueroa through the LA music scene, and they formed a partnership. In the following months and years, the band expanded to include drummer Shannon Larkin, guitarist Sonny Mayo and bassist John Fahnestock, and they were signed to metal label Roadrunner Records.
Following the release of their epnoymous album, produced by Ross Robinson, the band were set to tour Europe in December of 1999. This did not happen, with the band blaming a last-minute withdrawal of funding shortly prior to departure. Following this incident, Amen and Roadrunner went their separate ways. Subsequently several band members left, accompanied by a perceived drop in popularity. Chaos was helped out by friend Daron Malakian, whom he had met while both Amen and Malakian's band System of a Down were touring Australia as part of the Big Day Out music festival. Amen were the first band signed to Malakian's EatUrMusic label, and their subsequent release, Death Before Musick, was regarded as being a mild commercial success.
The 2005 tour supporting the album Death Before Musick was postponed when Chaos was rushed into hospital. Apparently against medical advice the tour was restarted a couple of months late.
Members
:Many members have participated in other projects. These are listed under Trivia.
Current line-up
*Casey Chaos - vocals (on stage), guitar, bass, vocals (in studio)
*John King - guitar (on stage)
*Nate Manor - bass (on stage)
*Shannon Larkin - drums (studio) - ex Snot, Godsmack
Former members
*John Fahnestock
*Paul Figueroa
*Sonny Mayo
*Scott S. Sorry
*Matt Montgomery (Piggy)
*Rich Jones
*Acey Slade
*Luke Johnson
*Jinxx
*Joe Letz
Discography
Albums
*Slave - (1995, Drag-U-La Records)
*Amen - (1999, Roadrunner Records)
*We Have Come For Your Parents - (2001, Virgin Records)
*Join, Or Die - (2003, Refuse Music)
*Death Before Musick - (2004, EatUrMusic/Columbia)
*Pisstory, A Catalouge of Accidents/A Lifetime of Mistakes - (2005, Refuse Music)
Singles
*"Coma America"- (1999, Roadrunner Records)
*"The Price Of Reality" - (2001, Virgin Records)
*"Too Hard To Be Free" - (2001, Virgin Records)
*"The Waiting 18" - (2001, Virgin Records)
*"California's Bleeding" - (2004, EatUrMusic/Columbia)
Trivia
*Paul Figueroa formerly played for Scaterd Few and is currently with a band called Bluebird.
*Scott S. Sorry now plays in Brides Of Destruction
*Acey Slade now plays in Murderdolls/Trashlight Vision.
*Jinxx now plays in The Drastics/The Dreaming.
*Matt Montgomery and Joe Letz now play in Piggy D And The Evacuation Plan.
*Casey Chaos provide vocals for Black Metal Supegroup SCUM
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