Vengeance Rising
Encyclopedia
Vengeance Rising is an American Christian
thrash metal
band from Los Angeles, CA. Fronted by vocalist Roger Martinez, they originally formed as Vengeance in 1987, but changed their name in 1989 to avoid conflict with another band from the Netherlands. Band members Larry Farkas, Doug Thieme, Roger Dale Martin, and Glenn Mancaruso left following Once Dead and formed the band Die Happy
. Roger Martinez stayed on to record two more studio albums, but aside from him, Vengeance Rising's lineup changed for each subsequent album. While the group was a ground breaking Christian metal band, today Vengeance Rising is known for vocalist Martinez' turning from Christianity to satanism to atheism, since he has continuously done interviews about it. Allmusic describes Vengeance Rising's history as "one of the most entertaining and bizarre stories in the realm of heavy metal"
, are considered their best. Their debut Human Sacrifice
was called "the most radical Christian album ever released" by HM Magazine
editor Doug Van Pelt. Their penchant for violence extended to the stage, and the band would graphically portray the crucifixion
of Christ at their shows. Extreme graphics also appeared in the cover art of the band's albums. Both Human Sacrifice and Once Dead were pulled from some Christian book sellers at least partially because of their violent graphical content.
A review of Once Dead
in CCM found that the cover of that albums depiction of "resurrection from spiritual death
" was "grisly." Musically, the album showed an influence of speed metal
, with thrash arrangements on some songs, like the cover of Deep Purple
's Space Truckin'
, and "Out Of The Will", which reminded one reviewer of One Bad Pig
. While the vocals often sounded "like someone gargling
razor blades, the lyrics were found to be "very Bible based," and matched with the scriptural references from which they were drawn.
Frontman Roger Martinez had a background in the Pentecostal Foursquare Church, and was baptized there. He eventually rose to be pastor of a Hollywood area church, though by Released Upon The Earth he had left to pursue music full time. While there, he began to look into the practice of "faith healing
", and he claimed to have found it to be a fraud
.
In the mid 1990s, Martinez left the Christian faith
, telling HM that he was a committed atheist in 1997. Today, Martinez has obtained rights to the band name for future projects. According to Scott Waters and Steve Rowe
, Martinez began to make tapes counteracting the tapes he made during his Christian career. He created a website that renounced his previous output and posted articles portraying Christian leaders in a negative light. Martinez then began making death threats to individuals he claimed "stabbed him in the back," which included friend Steve Rowe of Mortification
, a band Martinez helped get their first record contract.
Although he has stated that he is currently working on future material to be released under the name "Vengeance Rising" with more of an anti-Christian, Satanic Atheism theme, no albums have been released. Vocalist Scott Waters of Ultimatum and "Once Dead" stated on his metal music review website that "Allmusic lists two releases... both of which I doubt ever existed... Former drummer Shannon Frye claims that Roger was impossible to work with and could not hold on to members long enough to even record a demo." He also claims that Martinez only kept the name of Vengeance Rising because of "continued curiosity from metal fans and Christians alike."
After the September 11, 2001 attacks occurred, Martinez offered free albums from his website for military personnel to encourage a "holy war against Christians." Former fans and critics believe this to be an attack on former bandmates and Christianity, due to the straining situation of debt that he was left with when band members departed after the "Once Dead Tour".
Former founding members of Vengeance Rising along with Ultimatum vocalist Scott Waters reformed in 2004 to play a reunion show at a small club called Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California. Since Martinez owns the rights to the name "Vengeance Rising," they used the name Once Dead
. They released a DVD of that show called "Return with a Vengeance."
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
thrash metal
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...
band from Los Angeles, CA. Fronted by vocalist Roger Martinez, they originally formed as Vengeance in 1987, but changed their name in 1989 to avoid conflict with another band from the Netherlands. Band members Larry Farkas, Doug Thieme, Roger Dale Martin, and Glenn Mancaruso left following Once Dead and formed the band Die Happy
Die Happy (band)
Die Happy was a Christian metal band that formed in 1990. The band was formed when Vengeance Rising members Larry Farkas, Doug Thieme, Glenn Mancaruso, and Roger Dale Martin split the band, citing unrest with that band's front man and vocalist, Roger Martinez...
. Roger Martinez stayed on to record two more studio albums, but aside from him, Vengeance Rising's lineup changed for each subsequent album. While the group was a ground breaking Christian metal band, today Vengeance Rising is known for vocalist Martinez' turning from Christianity to satanism to atheism, since he has continuously done interviews about it. Allmusic describes Vengeance Rising's history as "one of the most entertaining and bizarre stories in the realm of heavy metal"
Biography
The band was known for its fascination with violent themes, as reflected lyrically in their first two albums. Their first two albums, before the split into Die HappyDie Happy (band)
Die Happy was a Christian metal band that formed in 1990. The band was formed when Vengeance Rising members Larry Farkas, Doug Thieme, Glenn Mancaruso, and Roger Dale Martin split the band, citing unrest with that band's front man and vocalist, Roger Martinez...
, are considered their best. Their debut Human Sacrifice
Human Sacrifice (album)
Human Sacrifice is the first studio album of the Christian death and thrash metal band Vengeance Rising, as the first Christian thrash metal album as it was released in 1988...
was called "the most radical Christian album ever released" by HM Magazine
HM Magazine
HM: The Hard Music Magazine is an American bimonthly publication focusing on both Christianity and hard rock. Articles include news, album and festival reviews, posters, artists to watch, indie artist reviews, devotionals and interviews with Christian artists...
editor Doug Van Pelt. Their penchant for violence extended to the stage, and the band would graphically portray the crucifixion
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
of Christ at their shows. Extreme graphics also appeared in the cover art of the band's albums. Both Human Sacrifice and Once Dead were pulled from some Christian book sellers at least partially because of their violent graphical content.
A review of Once Dead
Once Dead (album)
Once Dead is the second studio album of the Christian death and thrash metal band Vengeance Rising, released in 1990 on Intense Records and re-released on November 2010 on Intense Millennium Records....
in CCM found that the cover of that albums depiction of "resurrection from spiritual death
Spiritual death
In Christian theology, spiritual death is separation from God. Humans are separated from God because of sin, which entered the world through the Fall of Man, and are reconciled to God through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ....
" was "grisly." Musically, the album showed an influence of speed metal
Speed metal
Speed metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from NWOBHM and hardcore punk roots. It is described by Allmusic as "extremely fast, abrasive, and technically demanding" music....
, with thrash arrangements on some songs, like the cover of Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
's Space Truckin'
Space Truckin'
"Space Truckin" is a song by British hard rock band Deep Purple. It is the seventh and final track on the Machine Head album. Its lyrics talk of space travel and it showcases the vocal abilities of singer Ian Gillan and powerful drumming of Ian Paice...
, and "Out Of The Will", which reminded one reviewer of One Bad Pig
One Bad Pig
One Bad Pig is a Christian punk and metal crossover band from Austin, Texas which formed in 1985. The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music describes them as "Quite possibly the most popular hard-punk act ever to arise within the Christian music scene." They were known for their mischief and...
. While the vocals often sounded "like someone gargling
Gargling
Gargling is the act in which one bubbles a liquid in one's mouth. It usually requires that the head be tilted back, allowing a mouthful of liquid to sit in the upper throat. The head can be tilted by extending either the neck or the back, depending on what is comfortable for the gargler...
razor blades, the lyrics were found to be "very Bible based," and matched with the scriptural references from which they were drawn.
Frontman Roger Martinez had a background in the Pentecostal Foursquare Church, and was baptized there. He eventually rose to be pastor of a Hollywood area church, though by Released Upon The Earth he had left to pursue music full time. While there, he began to look into the practice of "faith healing
Faith healing
Faith healing is healing through spiritual means. The healing of a person is brought about by religious faith through prayer and/or rituals that, according to adherents, stimulate a divine presence and power toward correcting disease and disability. Belief in divine intervention in illness or...
", and he claimed to have found it to be a fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
.
In the mid 1990s, Martinez left the Christian faith
Apostasy
Apostasy , 'a defection or revolt', from ἀπό, apo, 'away, apart', στάσις, stasis, 'stand, 'standing') is the formal disaffiliation from or abandonment or renunciation of a religion by a person. One who commits apostasy is known as an apostate. These terms have a pejorative implication in everyday...
, telling HM that he was a committed atheist in 1997. Today, Martinez has obtained rights to the band name for future projects. According to Scott Waters and Steve Rowe
Steve Rowe
Steve Rowe is the founder, bass guitarist, and vocalist of the Australian Christian death metal band Mortification which was considered to be a major pioneer in the genre. Prior to forming Mortification he was in a traditional heavy metal styled Christian band known as LightForce...
, Martinez began to make tapes counteracting the tapes he made during his Christian career. He created a website that renounced his previous output and posted articles portraying Christian leaders in a negative light. Martinez then began making death threats to individuals he claimed "stabbed him in the back," which included friend Steve Rowe of Mortification
Mortification (band)
Mortification is an Australian Christian extreme metal band which was formed in 1987 as a heavy metal group, Lightforce, by mainstay Steve Rowe on bass guitar and vocals. By 1990, in the Melbourne suburb of Moorabbin, they were renamed as Mortification with the line-up of Rowe, Michael Carlisle on...
, a band Martinez helped get their first record contract.
Although he has stated that he is currently working on future material to be released under the name "Vengeance Rising" with more of an anti-Christian, Satanic Atheism theme, no albums have been released. Vocalist Scott Waters of Ultimatum and "Once Dead" stated on his metal music review website that "Allmusic lists two releases... both of which I doubt ever existed... Former drummer Shannon Frye claims that Roger was impossible to work with and could not hold on to members long enough to even record a demo." He also claims that Martinez only kept the name of Vengeance Rising because of "continued curiosity from metal fans and Christians alike."
After the September 11, 2001 attacks occurred, Martinez offered free albums from his website for military personnel to encourage a "holy war against Christians." Former fans and critics believe this to be an attack on former bandmates and Christianity, due to the straining situation of debt that he was left with when band members departed after the "Once Dead Tour".
Former founding members of Vengeance Rising along with Ultimatum vocalist Scott Waters reformed in 2004 to play a reunion show at a small club called Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California. Since Martinez owns the rights to the name "Vengeance Rising," they used the name Once Dead
Once Dead
Once Dead is an American Christian thrash metal band that was formed in 2004 as a reunion of Vengeance Rising, however the vocalist Roger Martinez was not part of the reunion, and because of this the band decided to change their name to Once Dead....
. They released a DVD of that show called "Return with a Vengeance."
Discography
- Human SacrificeHuman Sacrifice (album)Human Sacrifice is the first studio album of the Christian death and thrash metal band Vengeance Rising, as the first Christian thrash metal album as it was released in 1988...
(1989, Intense RecordsIntense RecordsIntense Records was an independent record label whose releases were mostly in the metal genre. Intense was bought out in 1989 by Frontline Records and became an imprint of that company...
, Reviews: Cross Rhythms, PowerMetal.de ) - Once DeadOnce Dead (album)Once Dead is the second studio album of the Christian death and thrash metal band Vengeance Rising, released in 1990 on Intense Records and re-released on November 2010 on Intense Millennium Records....
(1990, Intense, Reviews: Cross Rhythms (1), Cross Rhythms (2)) - Destruction Comes (1991, Intense, Review: Cross Rhythms)
- Released Upon The Earth (1992, Intense)
- Anthology (1993, Intense, compilation)
Members
- Many members have participated in other projects.
- Roger Martinez - vocals/rhythm guitar
- Larry Farkas - (1987–1990) guitars
- Doug Thieme - (1987–1990) guitars
- Roger Martin - (1987–1990) bass
- Glenn Mancaruso - (1987–1990) drums
- Chris Hyde - (1991) drums
- Derek Sean - (1991) lead guitar
- Jamie Mitchell - (1991 Session) lead guitar
- Victor Macias (aka Joe Monsorb'nik) - (1991 Session) bass
- Jimmy Brown (aka Simon Dawg) - (1991 Session)
- Johnny Vasquez - (1991–1992) drums
- George Ochoa - (1992 Tour) guitars
- Daniel Cordova - (1992 Tour) guitars
- Michael Wagel - (1992 Tour) bass
Side projects
- Larry Farkas, Doug Thieme, Roger Martin, and Glenn Mancaruso played in Die Happy.
- Jamie Mitchell played in the punk band Scaterd FewScaterd FewScaterd Few was a Christian punk band originating from Burbank, California. CCM magazine described their music as "pure punk for dread people," stating that it was a cross between Janes Addiction and Charlie Mingus.-Sin Disease era:...
. - Chris Hyde played in Deliverance.
- Daniel Cordova made a guest appearance on "Sons of Thunder" CD by Driver.
- Roger Martinez produced a demo for the band RitualRitualA ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers....
in 1991.
External links
- Vengeance Rising at MySpace
- Info on the Christian-Era "Vengeance Rising" from a fan