Origin: Los Angeles, California, USA  
Genres: Christian Metal, Thrash Metal
DISBANDED
Last update/review: June 28, 2025

Vengeance Rising

Vengeance Rising (known as just Vengeance in their early days, with the Rising suffix added for legal reasons) was one of the standout Christian speed metal bands of the early nineties, with a style that paired nicely with then-labelmates Deliverance. Two albums were released before a major lineup split ensued, with vocalist Roger Martinez retaining the name and continuing with a new lineup, and the other four members at that time departing, eventually to form Die Happy. Martinez' crew released two more albums and then disbanded. After several years of silence, Martinez returned to the scene, but with an abrupt change of personal views, as he is now fervently anti-Christian. He promised new recordings with a new lineup, but nothing ever came of this.

In 2004 the early lineup members (the aforementioned Die Happy quartet) reformed, at first chosing Vengeance as their name, but then changing it to Once Dead, named after the VR album. In the intervening years some of the members have played gigs as both Once Dead and Vengeance Rising.

Last Lineup

Roger Martinez

vocals/rhythm guitar RIP: June 26, 2025, cancer, age 62

Jamie Mitchell

lead guitar

Joe Monsorb'nik

bass

Jonny Vasquez

drums

Former Members/Guests

Larry Farkas

guitars (ex-Die Happy, ex-Once Dead)

Doug Thieme

guitars (ex-Die Happy, ex-Once Dead)

Derek Sean

lead guitar

Roger Dale Martin

bass (ex-Die Happy, ex-Once Dead)

Glenn Mancaruso

drums (ex-Die Happy, ex-Once Dead)

Chris Hyde

drums (ex-Deliverance)


Discography


Human Sacrifice  
1989 Intense
  1. Human Sacrifice
  2. Burn
  3. Mulligan Stew
  4. Receive Him
  5. I Love Hating Evil
  6. Fatal Delay
  7. White Throne
  8. Salvation
  9. From The Dead
  10. Ascension
  11. He Is God
  12. Fill This Place With Blood
  13. Beheaded
  • Roger Martinez
  • Larry Farkas
  • Doug Thieme
  • Roger Dale Martin
  • Glenn Mancaruso


Once Dead  
1990 Intense
  1. Warfare
  2. Can't Get Out
  3. Cut Into Pieces
  4. Frontal Lobotomy
  5. Herod's Violent Death
  6. The Whipping Post
  7. The Wrath To Come
  8. Space Truckin
  9. Out Of The Will
  10. Arise
  11. Into The Abyss
  12. Among The Dead
  13. Interruption
  • Roger Martinez
  • Larry Farkas
  • Doug Thieme
  • Roger Dale Martin
  • Glenn Mancaruso


Destruction Comes  
1991 Intense
  1. You Can't Stop It
  2. The Rising
  3. Before The Time
  4. The Sword
  5. He Don't Own Nothing
  6. Countless Corpses
  7. Thanatos
  8. You Will Bow
  9. Hyde Under Pressure
  10. Raegoul
  • Roger Martinez
  • Derek Sean
  • Chris Hyde


Released Upon The Earth  
1992 Intense
  1. Help Me
  2. The Damnation Of Judas And The Salvation Of The Theif
  3. Released Upon The Earth
  4. Human Dark Potential
  5. Instruments Of Data
  6. Lest You Be Judged
  7. Out Of Bounds
  8. Bishop Of Souls
  9. Tion
  10. You Will Be Hated
  • Roger Martinez
  • Jamie Mitchell
  • Joe Monsorb'nik
  • Jonny Vasquez


Anthology (compilation)  
1993 Intense
  1. Before the time
  2. Bishop of souls
  3. Can't get out
  4. Countless corpses
  5. Human sacrafice
  6. Instruments of death
  7. Into the abyss
  8. Mulligan's stew
  9. Out of the will
  10. Warfare
  11. White throne
  12. You can't stop it
  13. You will be hated



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