About
The original Vengeance lineup formed in 1986 in South Bay, CA and was made-up of Doug Thieme, Roger Dale Martin, Glen Mancaruso, Mike Betts (Neon Cross) and a girl singer named Sharon. The name of the band right up to their first gig was Sacrifice. Sacrifice was to perform their first gig with Barren Cross, Malacia and Neon Cross, but the name was changed to Vengeance a week before the gig. Glenn Rogers (Deliverance), who wrote much of the material on the band's first album came in later in 1986. In 1987 Pastor Bob Beeman brought together singer Roger Martinez and Vengeance. Guitarist Larry Farkas would replace Glenn Rogers well before their first album would be recorded. The band was a Christian variation on the emerging thrash metal scene. They were one of the best thrash bands to come out of the Sanctuary Christian metal movement of the mid-80's. Shortly after their first album was released, they had a problem over the rights to the name as another band owned the rights to record under the name, but not to tour under it. They decided to change their name to Vengeance Rising to avoid confusion. Only one thousand copies of their first album were pressed to CD without the word "Rising" under the Vengeance logo. This lineup, considered by most to be the classic Vengeance Rising lineup, produced two successful albums that helped make them one of the few bands in the genre to cross over into the secular music scene. Band leader Roger Martinez became a pastor for Sanctuary, began producing teaching tapes about Christianity, as well as forming alliances with other big-name Christian leaders. After the "Once Dead" tour the band discovered that they were hopelessly in debt. Everyone but Martinez bailed and formed Die Happy, while Martinez scrambled to form another lineup and record a new album for Intense Records, as the band had already missed their deadline for a new CD. He found drummer Chris Hyde (Deliverance) and guitarist Derek Sean and continued forward with himself on guitar and bass. Roger released to more albums that sold relatively well, but did not do well enough to erase the huge debt he was left with from his former bandmates. Struggling with his faith, the strain of his situation, and feeling betrayed by his friends and former band mates, he vehemently turned from Christianity and the friends he had surrounded himself with and began announcing he was an atheist and began dabbling in the occult. He began to make tapes counteracting the tapes he made during his Christian career, and re-formed Vengeance Rising with a new lineup and a decidedly evil message. He built a website that renounced his previous output and posted articles about Christian leaders that were aimed at making them look foolish, but only proved to make Roger ridiculous. Roger began making death threats on people he claimed 'stabbed him in the back' including his friend Steve Rowe of Mortification, a band Roger helped get their first record contract. Roger claimed to release a CD called "Realms of Blasphemy" on Halloween of 2000, but this recording never actually happened and/or never surfaced. Former drummer Shannon Frye (Avenger of Blood) claims that Roger was impossible to work with and could not hold on to members long enough to even record a demo. When the tragic terrorist hijackings of 9/11/2001 happened, Martinez offered a free album from his site for military personal only to encourage the holy war against Christians he constantly talked about. Because of constant interviews and continued curiosity from metal fans and Christians alike, Martinez managed to keep the Vengeance Rising name alive years after the most significant part of his musical career despite not having released anything.
source: www.nolifetilmetal.com/vengeance.htm
|
