Kam Lee
Encyclopedia
Kam Lee is an American
singer. He is best known for his vocal contributions to an early incarnation of Death (called Mantas) in 1983–84, and later joined Massacre in 1985, founded and formed by Bill Andrews.
Lee early on employed the vocal style called the death grunt or death growl, taking influence from the then Celtic Frost
vocalist Thomas Gabriel Fischer
(a.k.a. Tom G Warrior). Massacre recorded 2 demo tapes that were heavily distributed using the tape trading
system but did not lead to a record deal. The band dissolved when members Rick Rozz
, Bill Andrews
and Terry Butler
left to join a later inception of Chuck Schuldiner
's Death; however, the subsequent citing of Massacre as influences by bands such as Napalm Death
signified a great interest in the defunct act within the death metal
community. This led to a reformation and the recording of the album From Beyond on Earache Records
, made up mainly of reworking of the songs featured on the original 1985 & 1986 demo tapes.
Lyrically, Lee drew heavily from the stories of American author H. P. Lovecraft
, and the album's cover art featured a painting by artist Ed Repka
representing creatures from Lovecraft's imagination. Lee also played drums in both Mantas and Death as well as vocals. He has also been a member of many other short-lived bands. In 2006 he joined a band with Terry Butler
(Death
/Massacre/Six Feet Under
), Sam Williams and Curtis Beeson called Denial Fiend of whom released their debut "They Rise" on October 16, 2007. In that same month, Massacre played their final gig in the United States on October 6, 2007. October 26, Massacre began their final tour dubbed "Re-Animated" in Berlin, Germany.
In 2009, Lee started the death metal band Bone Gnawer, with Rogga Johansson, Morgan Lie, and Ronnie Bjornstrom. Later that year, Lee and Johansson would form another death metal band called The Grotesquery, along with members Johan Berglund and Brynjar Helgetun.
Lee has been cast as a serial killer in the independent horror film Deep Seeded, scheduled for a 2011 release.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer. He is best known for his vocal contributions to an early incarnation of Death (called Mantas) in 1983–84, and later joined Massacre in 1985, founded and formed by Bill Andrews.
Lee early on employed the vocal style called the death grunt or death growl, taking influence from the then Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost was a metal band from Zürich, Switzerland. They are known for their heavy influence on the extreme metal genres. The group was first active from 1984 to 1993, and re-formed in 2001. Following Tom Gabriel Fischer's departure in 2008, Celtic Frost decided to break up again...
vocalist Thomas Gabriel Fischer
Thomas Gabriel Fischer
Thomas Gabriel Fischer , earlier known by his stage name of "Tom Gabriel Warrior", is a Swiss singer and guitarist. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of the death metal style of singing or growling. Together with Bruce Day and Steve Warrior he formed the seminal metal band Hellhammer in...
(a.k.a. Tom G Warrior). Massacre recorded 2 demo tapes that were heavily distributed using the tape trading
Tape trading
Tape trading is an unofficial method of distribution of demo tapes encompassing musical genres such as punk, hardcore, and extreme metal. The practice which was most prevalent during the 1980s and 1990s, also saw people distribute recordings of live music shows...
system but did not lead to a record deal. The band dissolved when members Rick Rozz
Rick Rozz
Rick Rozz is an American guitarist. Spent his formative years in Apopka, Florida, attending Lake Brantley High School. He is best known for his work with the death metal bands Death and Massacre...
, Bill Andrews
Bill Andrews (drummer)
Bill Andrews is an American drummer. He is best known for his work with Death and Massacre.-Discography:* Death - Leprosy * Death - Spiritual Healing * Massacre - From Beyond...
and Terry Butler
Terry Butler
Terry Butler of Tampa, Florida, U.S., is the current bassist in the death metal band Obituary. He was also a member of Six Feet Under, Massacre and Death...
left to join a later inception of Chuck Schuldiner
Chuck Schuldiner
Charles Michael "Chuck" Schuldiner was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist.Schuldiner was the singer, songwriter, and guitarist of the band Death, which he founded in 1983, initially under the name Mantas. He also recorded as guitarist and songwriter with his other band, Control Denied...
's Death; however, the subsequent citing of Massacre as influences by bands such as Napalm Death
Napalm Death
Napalm Death are a death metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1981. While none of its original members remain in the group, the lineup of vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway, bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch Harris and drummer Danny Herrera has remained consistent for most of the band's ...
signified a great interest in the defunct act within the death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
community. This led to a reformation and the recording of the album From Beyond on Earache Records
Earache Records
Earache Records is a heavy metal-oriented record label based in Nottingham, UK and New York, USA. It helped to pioneer extreme metal by releasing many of the earliest grindcore and death metal records in the period 1988-1994.-History:...
, made up mainly of reworking of the songs featured on the original 1985 & 1986 demo tapes.
Lyrically, Lee drew heavily from the stories of American author H. P. Lovecraft
H. P. Lovecraft
Howard Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
, and the album's cover art featured a painting by artist Ed Repka
Ed Repka
Edward J. Repka is an American artist best known for creating album covers for heavy metal music bands as well as shirt designs, including those featuring Megadeth's mascot Vic Rattlehead. Repka's portfolio also includes Dark Angel's logo and model designs for the Hellraiser films...
representing creatures from Lovecraft's imagination. Lee also played drums in both Mantas and Death as well as vocals. He has also been a member of many other short-lived bands. In 2006 he joined a band with Terry Butler
Terry Butler
Terry Butler of Tampa, Florida, U.S., is the current bassist in the death metal band Obituary. He was also a member of Six Feet Under, Massacre and Death...
(Death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
/Massacre/Six Feet Under
Six Feet Under (band)
Six Feet Under is an American death metal band from Tampa, Florida, formed in 1993. The band was originally a side project by Cannibal Corpse vocalist Chris Barnes with guitarist Allen West of Obituary...
), Sam Williams and Curtis Beeson called Denial Fiend of whom released their debut "They Rise" on October 16, 2007. In that same month, Massacre played their final gig in the United States on October 6, 2007. October 26, Massacre began their final tour dubbed "Re-Animated" in Berlin, Germany.
In 2009, Lee started the death metal band Bone Gnawer, with Rogga Johansson, Morgan Lie, and Ronnie Bjornstrom. Later that year, Lee and Johansson would form another death metal band called The Grotesquery, along with members Johan Berglund and Brynjar Helgetun.
Lee has been cast as a serial killer in the independent horror film Deep Seeded, scheduled for a 2011 release.