Angelcorpse is a blackened death metal band formed in 1995 by Gene Palubicki and Pete Helmkamp in Kansas City, MO.Regarding the band’s name, Pete Helmkamp stated in an interview; “We put it as two words on the demo, so Osmose learned it that way.
But that was just a mistake at the printers…It was one of those flukes. But it is just a single word… It just seems to look more visually pleasing as a single word. It fits with the phonetics: we say ‘Angelcorpse’, not ‘Angel Corpse’.
”“Hammer of Gods”, the debut album from Osmose Productions (France), was recorded in July still as a three piece. Then Bill Taylor joined in October on rhythm guitar to make Angelcorpse a four piece.
Angelcorpse supported Impaled Nazarene in Europe in December and recorded a live EP from one of the shows on that tour.In May, the Wolflust EP was recorded with the full lineup , and several shows, including the Milwaukee Metalfest.
These were played in the USA during the rest of the year.The second Angelcorpse album, “Exterminate”, was recorded in November 1997 at Morrisound Studios. “Exterminate”, also released on Osmose, successfully captured the furious nature of the band’s sound.
With such songs as “Christhammer”, “Sons of Vengeance”, and “Wartorn” truly representing the direction that Angelcorpse would continue to go down.After the release of “Exterminate” in 1998, drummer Tony Laureano replaced Longstreth in March.
Angelcorpse played the April ‘No Mercy II Festivals’ in Europe, which consisted of 11 shows with Immortal, Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, Marduk and God Dethroned. This was an intial high for the group touring with some truly popular acts.
Rave reviews in magazines such as Terrorizer, Metal Maniacs, Pit, and numerous others, followed in the wake of the European and North American tours which became about later.In November, Angelcorpse relocated to Tampa, Florida, where their work began in earnest on their third album: “The Inexorable”.
A follow up tour of the USA with Incantation and Krisiun in January/February 1999 spread the band further. A split EP with Martire and several covers for Dwell Records were recorded in April 1999.But after that recording they split up that same year.
However, they soon returned in 2006. After a few reports and rumours, the band finalised that they were to record new material. Their 4th Full-length album entitled ‘Of Lucifer and Lightning’ was released in Spring 2007 through Osmose Productions.
The band then split in 2009.
