Post Mortem was an American

thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an Extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, ...

band, formed in 1982 in suburban

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. The band also helped pioneer the underground subgenre of death metal.

History

The band formed when its members were still in high school. They rehearsed every day, often rushing home to write music after classes. John McCarthy penned the personal songs while drummer Rick McIver wrote the gore lyrics. John Alexander helped write most of the songs. "Our whole concept was that we honestly didn't give a fuck. That's why we're lumped in with

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

as well as

metal A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...

," McCarthy said, adding, "It's much better to piss off people who think they're pissed off than to piss off your grandma or your mother or your father." Post Mortem's debut album, '' Coroner's Office'', was released in 1986. ''Coroner's Office'' continues to find new listeners and is now as remembered for its unusual styling and flirtation with

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

and punk. The album proved very influential, as it brought musical experimentation common in metal among bands like

Cephalic Carnage Cephalic Carnage is an American death metal band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1992. The band comprises vocalist Leonard Leal, guitarists Steve Goldberg and Brian Hopp, drummer John Merryman and bassist Nick Schendzielos. Cephalic Carnage has re ...

and

The Dillinger Escape Plan The Dillinger Escape Plan is an American metalcore band. The band was formed in 1997 in Morris Plains, New Jersey by guitarist Ben Weinman, bassist Adam Doll, vocalist Dimitri Minakakis, and drummer Chris Pennie. The band's use of Consonance and ...

. The band consists of John McCarthy (vocals), John Alexander (guitar), Mark Kelley (bass), and Rick "Ricky Magic" McIver (drums). Contrary to popular belief, Post Mortem were not named after the

Slayer Slayer is an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style made them ...

song, which was released in 1986.

Seth Putnam Seth Edward Putnam (May 15, 1968 – June 11, 2011) was an American musician best known as the founder and sole consistent member of grindcore band Anal Cunt. Throughout his career, Putnam was also involved in numerous side projects. Biograph ...

, vocalist for

Anal Cunt Anal Cunt, also called AxCx and A.C., was an American grindcore band that formed in Newton, Massachusetts, in 1988. From its inception, the band underwent a number of line-up changes and never had a bassist. The band, known for its flippant and ...

, almost joined Post Mortem a few times, but did not actually do so until 1990 after Anal Cunt's first brief breakup. Putnam played various shows with the band and recorded one song with them; there are also live tapes and rehearsal tapes that exist with him on vocals. They did a tour in January 1991 that was supposed to be with Yugoslavian band Patareni but they could not leave their country. They did some more local shows and prepared for a new album until Putnam quit in 1992. After the death of their previous frontman John McCarthy, Putnam gave an interview and was asked about him. He said: " cCarthywas getting an SSI cheque and getting drunk on Listerine and shit like that. But I was surprised when he died. The strangest thing was that he was a grandfather at age 40. Even when he first had a kid I thought it was strange. He was one of my best friends of all time. I could say bad things about him but I won't because the good times outweigh the bad. In 2008, we played a show in California with Anal Blast and The Meat Shits. People were taking bets if I would die first or Don Decker from Anal Blast. Don died like a year later." Putnam also did vocals on the song "Oh So Evil" on Post Mortem's ''Message from the Dead'' album. Many metal bands have acknowledged the influence of Post Mortem, such as Cianide,

Grief Grief is the response to the loss of something deemed important, particularly to the death of a person to whom or animal to which a Human bonding, bond or affection was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, ...

(who covered the entire ''Coroner's Office'' album),

Disharmonic Orchestra Disharmonic Orchestra is an Austrian death metal/grindcore band. History The band was formed in Klagenfurt in 1987. Two demos were recorded. A gig in Germany with Pungent Stench led to a deal with Nuclear Blast in 1989. The first outcome of th ...

, who covered "(It's Just) A Thought", and Anal Cunt (who covered Post Mortem's "1066").

Members

Current

*Mirai Kawashima – vocals *John Alexander – guitar *Mark Kelley – bass *Rick "Ricky Magic" McIver – drums

Founding

*Norman McIver – vocals *Tom Nelligan – guitar *Mark Kelley – bass *Rick "Ricky Magic" McIver – drums

Notable past

* John McCarthy – vocals (deceased 2009) *

(

) (deceased 2011) * Michelle Meldrum (

Phantom Blue Phantom Blue was an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 1987. Phantom Blue were the first and only female artists to be signed to Mike Varney's Shrapnel Records, only three months after forming. History Formation and main ca ...

and

Meldrum Meldrum was a multinational heavy metal band formed by ex- Phantom Blue guitarist Michelle Meldrum. History American guitarist Michelle Meldrum started her first band Wargod with Strapping Young Lad drummer Gene Hoglan, later going on to fo ...

) (deceased 2008) * Chris Jordan – vocals * Rich Goyette – guitar

Discography

*1982 "Run Amok" – cassette *1983 "Punk After Death" – cassette (recorded in 1982) *1985 "The Dead Shall Rise" – cassette *1985 "Death to the Masses" – cassette *1986 "Turkey on Your Nose..." – cassette *1986 ''Speed Metal Hell II'' – various artists *1986 ''Thrash Metal Attack!'' – various artists *1986 '' Coroner's Office'' – debut album *1987 "The Missing Link" – EP *1988 ''Beatings are in Order'' – album *1989 ''Festival of Fun'' – album *1990 "Ring Around the Rectum" – single *1990 "Seasoned NoSalt Makes My Beef Stew Taste Like My Beef Stew" – single *1991 ''Killed by the Machinery of Sorrow'' – compilation album *1993 ''Destined for Failure'' – album *1994 ''Court Metrage'' – various artists *1995 ''Convolutions'' – album *2007 ''Deterioration of the Flesh'' – live and some previously unreleased material *2009 ''Message from the Dead'' – album

References

External links

Official websiteJohn McCarthy, at 40; was lead singer for local thrash rockers Post Mortem
{{Authority control American thrash metal musical groups Heavy metal musical groups from Massachusetts Musical groups established in 1982 1982 establishments in Massachusetts