Mike Browning


Michael George Browning is an American heavy metal drummer and vocalist.

Life and career

Browning started to play drums at 13 years old. His main influences are Black Sabbath, Slayer, Angel Witch, Mercyful Fate, and Celtic Frost.
Browning was the former drummer/vocalist for death metal pioneers Morbid Angel. He played in the band from 1984 to 1986 and made one official recording with them, Abominations of Desolation; it was not released until 1991, years after Browning left the band. Browning had a very turbulent relationship with Morbid Angel guitarist Trey Azagthoth; Browning's exit from the band was apparently triggered by Azagthoth being involved in an affair with Browning's then girlfriend, leading to an altercation between the two.
Following his departure from Morbid Angel, Browning remained active as the drummer/vocalist for bands in the Florida death metal scene, including Nocturnus, a technical/progressive-oriented death metal band featuring a keyboard player and science fiction-themed lyrics. Browning was the drummer and vocalist for the band on their album The Key and solely played drums on Thresholds before being fired from the band in 1993. The band has now revived under the name "Nocturnus AD", but it's not a reunion because Nocturnus AD contains different members from the original Nocturnus, except Browning. Other projects he participated in during the 1980s and 1990s included Florida death metal bands Incubus and Acheron.
Browning's current band is called After Death, with lyrics concerned with the occult and black magic. He was also involved in Devine Essence and Wolf and Hawk, with metal singer Lisa Lombardo. He is currently residing in Tampa, Florida and has a collection of medieval weapons and Ancient Egyptian artifacts in his home. He also has interest in muscle cars.
In 2008, he released a solo album called "Mike Brownings Inner Workings – Trancemissions" at Pharmafabrik Recordings.
Currently he has a band called Nocturnus AD and their debut album Paradox was released May 24, 2019 on Profound Records.