Vengeance Rising is a thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California in the United States. The band formed in 1985 as Sacrifice but changed their name to Vengeance the same year, until 1987. The band was formed by Doug Thieme and Roger Dale Martin. They would hire Larry Farkas soon after. The band is known for their amazing albums, as well as the controversy that followed in 1992 when Roger Martinez became an "Atheistic Satanist".
History:
This band's history has been said to be the most bizarre in metal history, I would call that a small overstatement but it is a history filled with very weird occurrences and confusing situations...so here you go, the history of Vengeance Rising.
In 1985, the band began as Sacrifice, with the lineup of Doug Thieme (Guitars) and Roger Dale Martin (Bass). The band would then hire Drummer Steve Bertram. However, Bertram did not last in the band long and would be replaced by Michael "Mike" Betts of Neon Cross. The band's name would change their name to Vengeance, due to the already preexisting death metal band Sacrifice.
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 Happy, 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 censored by Christian bookstores at least partially because of their violent graphical content. Copies of their third release. Destruction Comes, had a censorship sticker covering the male figure, dubbed "Raegoul", exposing half of his body without skin...but I am getting a bit ahead of myself here.
After the name change, in 1986, the band hired Sharon to perform vocals. The band, now consisting on Sharon, Thieme, Betts, and Martin would perform for an additional year until they changed their name to Vengeance Rising, also hiring Larry Farkas on Lead Guitars (ex-Deliverance), Glen Mancaruso on Drums, and Glenn Rogers on Rhythm Guitars (Deliverance). Mancaruso agreed to perform drums temporarily until they were able to find and hire a new drummer. Soon thereafter, they would hire Roger Martinez on Vocals and everything fell into place.
Two weeks later, Rogers would depart from the band, after writing several songs structures.
The band, with the new lineup, signed to Intense Records. The band then recorded and released their debut album, Human Sacrifice. The band toured on the album with the lineup. The same year, the band would release a demo titled Vengeance. In 1989, the band was featured on a split album, featuring Sacred Warrior, Deliverance, Bloodgood, Shout and David Zaffiro. The album was released through Frontline Records.
In 1990, the band released their sophomore album, titled Once Dead. 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 with razor blades", the lyrics were found to be "very Bible based," and matched with the scriptural references from which they were drawn. However the band members began to feel a disconnect with Martinez, as he would not tour with the band in the van. After the Once Dead Tour, the members met with Martinez and arranged a way for him to keep control of all debts that the band had, with Martinez agreeing to the terms. The band members would, however, later on be accused by Martinez of thievery and leaving him to handle all of the band's debts. These claims were not true.
In 1991, Martinez hired Lead Guitarist Derek Sean (ex-Mortification) and Drummer Chris Hyde (ex-Deliverance, ex-Holy Soldier) to perform on the new upcoming album, titled Destruction Comes. The album is generally considered to be a failing album, as the first two albums were considered the best. However some fans appreciate it more than others. The album also featured additional guitars and bass by Jimmy P. Brown II (Deliverance), Victor Macias (Tourniquet) and Jaime Mitchel (Scaterd Few).
After the album was released, Hyde and Sean departed from the band. Martinez only hired Johnny Vasquez officially for drums, while the rest of the musical section he filled with live musicians. Martinez and Vasquez recorded their newest album, Released Upon the Earth. The live band, consisting of Guitarists George Ochoa (Deliverance, ex-Recon) and Daniel Cordova (Shades of Crimson) as well as Michael "Mike" Wagel on Bass. After the album released, the band split up. The band released a compilation album titled Anthology.
Roger Martinez had previously been a part of the Pentecostal Foursquare Church and was baptized there. He eventually joined a church near Hollywood, where he became a pastor. However, by the release of Released Upon the Earth, he had left his pastor position to perform music full-time. While there, he began looking into faith healing, which found to be a fraud. In the mid 1990s, Martinez departed from the Christian faith, telling HM Magazine he was a committed atheist in 1997. There was some speculation that he was never a Christian and he just put on a performance. According to friends of Martinez, Scott Waters (Ultimatum) and Steve Rowe (Mortification), Martinez began to record music that counteracted his Christian career. Martinez then began making death threats towards individuals he claimed "stabbed him in the back", including Steve Rowe, whose band, Mortification, Martinez assisted in getting a record contract.
At this point, he began working on a non-Christian album under the name Vengeance Rising, however, with much luck the venture never saw the light of day and Martinez disappeared for a brief time. The band at the time had several musicians formerly of the Christian metal scene, who had lost their faith.
In 2004, the founding members, Thieme and Martin, alongside Farkas and Mancaruso reformed the band with Ultimatum vocalist Scott Waters to play a reunion show at the Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California. However, since the band gave Martinez the rights to the debts, he claimed that he owned the name of the band as well. He threatened to sue the band so the concert could not happen. The band changed their name to Once Dead, so they could play the show. The band became it's own project, rather than continued on the Vengeance name and legacy.
In 2017, the band, with the help of Roxx Records, re-released Human Sacrifice on vinyl for it's 30th anniversary. On August 9, 2017, it was reported that Vengeance Rising would reunite at the So Cal Metal Fest 2, with the original lineup of Thieme, Martin, Farkas and Macarsuo, with Jim Settle of Hand of Fire performing vocals for the show. The band performed the show with no incident. The band is currently signed to unspecified label and is working on new music. Despite being known as Vengeance Rising, the band is changing their name to something else. The band returned to the moniker of Once Dead, with the change of Roger Sampson of Precious Death on Drums.
All in all a turbulent history and a really bizarre story as well. However with all its ups and downs one really can't deny the impact this band made on metal music as a whole. I know musicians in all types of metal bands, from traditional, to thrash, to death, to black, even the most guttural of grind bands who have sited at least the debut album as an influence. It was an amazing band who's legacy goes far beyond the controversies and the conflicts, and exists as a beacon of metal mastery that all interested bands can aspire to.
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