Mike Alexander (Evile)
Encyclopedia
Michael "Mike" Alexander (22 June 1977 – 5 October 2009) was the bassist of English thrash metal
group Evile
. On 5 October 2009, Alexander died while on tour in Luleå
, Sweden
due to a pulmonary embolism
, a blood clot on the lungs. Evile unveiled a memorial site to Alexander on 25 October 2009.
, England
. In 2000, after Matt Drake
and Ben Carter
formed a Metallica
cover
band, Alexander saw an advertisement in a local guitar store for a 'metal bassist'. After calling Drake and rehearsing with the group, the band (then including Drake's brother Ol Drake
) asked Alexander to join.
In 2004, they formed Evile
. They recorded an EP
All Hallows Eve in 2004 and a demo
Hell Demo in 2006. Soon after, the band signed to Earache Records
, and released their Flemming Rasmussen
produced
debut album
, Enter the Grave
, in 2007. Their second album, Infected Nations
, was released in 2009. Alexander performed with BC Rich bass guitar
s. He also endorsed Kustom and Hartke amplifiers and cabinets and Dunlop bass strings.
, Sweden
on 5 October 2009, during a European tour in support of their new album
, from a pulmonary embolism
, a blood clot on the lungs. He was replaced 2 months later by former Rise to Addiction
bassist Joel Graham
. On Evile's third album (and first without Alexander), Five Serpent's Teeth
, the song "In Memoriam" pays tribute to the late bassist, using a bass riff Alexander used to play during sound checks. He also was given credit for co-writing "Long Live New Flesh."
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
group Evile
Evile
Evile is a thrash metal band from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire in the United Kingdom. Their debut album, Enter the Grave, was produced by Flemming Rasmussen at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark and was released worldwide in 2007 by Earache Records to critical acclaim by fans and critics...
. On 5 October 2009, Alexander died while on tour in Luleå
Luleå
- Transportation :Local buses are run by .A passenger train service is available from Luleå Centralstation on Sweden's national SJ railway service northbound to Narvik on the Norwegian coast, or southbound to Stockholm. See Rail transport in Sweden....
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
due to a pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism is a blockage of the main artery of the lung or one of its branches by a substance that has travelled from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream . Usually this is due to embolism of a thrombus from the deep veins in the legs, a process termed venous thromboembolism...
, a blood clot on the lungs. Evile unveiled a memorial site to Alexander on 25 October 2009.
Biography
Alexander was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In 2000, after Matt Drake
Matt Drake
Matthew "Matt" Drake is the rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist in the English thrash metal group Evile.-Evile:In 2000, Drake and Ben Carter got together to form a covers band...
and Ben Carter
Ben Carter (Evile)
Ben Carter is the drummer of the English thrash metal group, Evile.-Biography:Having a musical family, Carter was always involved with bands and band environments from a young age...
formed a Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
band, Alexander saw an advertisement in a local guitar store for a 'metal bassist'. After calling Drake and rehearsing with the group, the band (then including Drake's brother Ol Drake
Ol Drake
Ol Drake is the lead guitarist of English thrash metal group, Evile.-Biography:...
) asked Alexander to join.
In 2004, they formed Evile
Evile
Evile is a thrash metal band from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire in the United Kingdom. Their debut album, Enter the Grave, was produced by Flemming Rasmussen at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark and was released worldwide in 2007 by Earache Records to critical acclaim by fans and critics...
. They recorded an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
All Hallows Eve in 2004 and a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
Hell Demo in 2006. Soon after, the band signed to Earache Records
Earache Records
Earache Records is a heavy metal-oriented record label based in Nottingham, UK and New York, USA. It helped to pioneer extreme metal by releasing many of the earliest grindcore and death metal records in the period 1988-1994.-History:...
, and released their Flemming Rasmussen
Flemming Rasmussen
Flemming Rasmussen is a Danish engineer, producer, mixer and owner and founder of Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark.-Biography:...
produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
debut album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Enter the Grave
Enter the Grave
Enter the Grave is the debut album by the English thrash metal band Evile. Released on 27 August, 2007 in Europe and on 25 September in North America and Japan, the album received generally favorable critical reviews and entered the UK Rock Chart at number 33. It was produced by Flemming Rasmussen...
, in 2007. Their second album, Infected Nations
Infected Nations
-Band members:* Matt Drake - Lead vocals, rhythm guitar* Ol Drake - Lead guitar,* Mike Alexander - Bass guitar* Ben Carter - Drums...
, was released in 2009. Alexander performed with BC Rich bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
s. He also endorsed Kustom and Hartke amplifiers and cabinets and Dunlop bass strings.
Death
Evile released a statement on 6 October 2009 through the band's label Earache, which paid tribute to Alexander and announced his death. He died in LuleåLuleå
- Transportation :Local buses are run by .A passenger train service is available from Luleå Centralstation on Sweden's national SJ railway service northbound to Narvik on the Norwegian coast, or southbound to Stockholm. See Rail transport in Sweden....
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
on 5 October 2009, during a European tour in support of their new album
Infected Nations
-Band members:* Matt Drake - Lead vocals, rhythm guitar* Ol Drake - Lead guitar,* Mike Alexander - Bass guitar* Ben Carter - Drums...
, from a pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism is a blockage of the main artery of the lung or one of its branches by a substance that has travelled from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream . Usually this is due to embolism of a thrombus from the deep veins in the legs, a process termed venous thromboembolism...
, a blood clot on the lungs. He was replaced 2 months later by former Rise to Addiction
Rise To Addiction
Rise To Addiction is a British heavy metal band formed in 2004 by former Blaze Bayley guitarists John Slater and Steve Wray.A self-titled EP was released on Madman records in 2004 with the help of Harry Armstrong on vocals Rob Naylor on bass, and Ben Calvert on drums.RTA's full touring lineup Rise...
bassist Joel Graham
Joel Graham (musician)
Joel Graham is the bassist of English thrash metal group Evile. He was formerly the bassist of metal band Rise to Addiction.- Biography :Graham was born on Feb 10th 1977, in Dewsbury, England. Graham started playing Bass as his main instrument in 1996 playing in local bands around the West...
. On Evile's third album (and first without Alexander), Five Serpent's Teeth
Five Serpent's Teeth
Five Serpent's Teeth is the third album by the English thrash metal band Evile. It was released on September 26, 2011 in Europe and on October 18, 2011 in North America...
, the song "In Memoriam" pays tribute to the late bassist, using a bass riff Alexander used to play during sound checks. He also was given credit for co-writing "Long Live New Flesh."
Discography
- All Hallows Eve EP (self released) 2004
- Hell Demo (self released) 2006
- Enter the GraveEnter the GraveEnter the Grave is the debut album by the English thrash metal band Evile. Released on 27 August, 2007 in Europe and on 25 September in North America and Japan, the album received generally favorable critical reviews and entered the UK Rock Chart at number 33. It was produced by Flemming Rasmussen...
(Earache RecordsEarache RecordsEarache Records is a heavy metal-oriented record label based in Nottingham, UK and New York, USA. It helped to pioneer extreme metal by releasing many of the earliest grindcore and death metal records in the period 1988-1994.-History:...
) 2007 - Infected NationsInfected Nations-Band members:* Matt Drake - Lead vocals, rhythm guitar* Ol Drake - Lead guitar,* Mike Alexander - Bass guitar* Ben Carter - Drums...
(Earache Records) 2009 - Songwriting credit on Five Serpent's TeethFive Serpent's TeethFive Serpent's Teeth is the third album by the English thrash metal band Evile. It was released on September 26, 2011 in Europe and on October 18, 2011 in North America...
(Earache Records) 2011 - on "In Memoriam" and "Long Live New Flesh".