One of the earliest of the Florida death metal bands of the eighties,
Massacre's early history is closely intertwined with that of
Death.
Massacre was formed around 1984 by guitarist Allen West (later of
Obituary)
and drummer Bill Andrews, initially playing a form of speed metal.
With the arrival of soon-to-be-leader Kam Lee
and guitarist Rick Rozz (both of whom had served with Chuck Schuldiner
in the earliest stages of Death), the musical shifted to death metal.
Eventually a lineup consisting of Lee, Rozz, Andrews, and Terry Butler
stabilized,
but before they could release an album, all but Lee left the band
to record with Schuldiner in Death on that band's Leprosy album,
forcing Lee to disband Massacre.
Around 1989 Lee decided to start up the band again, now featuring Rozz
and
Whiplash
drummer Joe Cangelosi.
This lineup recorded a demo by the name of Second Coming, but
the record label at the time
(Earache)
rejected the demo, and this version of the band also broke up.
Eventually Butler and Andrews returned from Death and in 1991
Massacre finally released an album, From Beyond.
An EP quickly followed, but it would be several years before another
album would appear, in the form of 1996's Promise.
Featuring a different rhythm section, the album was not well received and
they folded for good soon afterward.
Lee has gone on to front a couple of other bands since, and various
incarnations of Massacre have played brief tours over the last few years.
Most recently, Rozz and Butler got yet another version of the band
up and running, finally releasing an album in early 2014, but
as of December 2014 they have once again disbanded.
Recent album: Necrolution,
released on November 8, 2024.
