Death SS


Death SS is an Italian heavy metal band.

Biography

Death SS was formed in 1977 in Pesaro by Steve Sylvester, a future member of the Ordo Templi Orientis, and Paul Chain, who would later embrace an experimental form of doom metal with his solo project, Paul Chain Violet Theatre. The band combined elements of horror, occultism and heavy metal to become a pioneer in horror metal and black metal; the musical style is called “horror music” by the band. Sylvester left the band in 1982 and Chain replaced him with Sanctis Ghoram before closing the project in 1984 to start his solo career. Sylvester reformed the band in 1988. This new incarnation of the band recorded their first full-length album, ...in Death of Steve Sylvester. There would be many line-up changes in the years to come, with Sylvester once again being the only constant.
The album Panic was partially recorded in the US, with Neil Kernon as a producer, because the band liked his work for artists like Queensrÿche, Judas Priest, Dokken, Nevermore, David Bowie, Rush and Skrew and had, according to Sylvester, “a particular touch in the dark side of Heavy Metal that we were looking for”. The band's management contacted Kernon, who accepted after listening to the band's demos of the new songs. The album was released in 2000 by Sylvester's own label, Lucifer Rising, and Dream Catcher.

Members

;Current members
;Former members

Discography

Albums

The band is one of the sources of inspiration for the Swedish heavy metal band Ghost.