Saint Vitus (band)
Saint Vitus is an American doom metal band. Many consider Saint Vitus to be an influential doom metal band which helped start the genre in the late 1970s and early 1980s, along with their contemporaries Pentagram, Witchfinder General, Trouble and Candlemass.
Saint Vitus | |
|---|---|
 Saint Vitus' lead singer Scott "Wino" Weinrich performing in Kansas, 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Genres | Heavy metal Hard rock Doom metal |
| Years active | 1978–1996 2003 2008–present |
| Labels | SST Records Nuclear Blast Roadrunner Records Southern Lord Records Hellhound Records Season of Mist |
| Associated acts | Spirit Caravan The Obsessed The Hidden Hand Place of Skulls Count Raven Debris, Inc. |
| Members | Mark Adams Dave Chandler Scott Weinrich Henry Vasquez |
| Past members | Scott Reagers Armando Acosta Chritus Linderson |
History
Saint Vitus formed in Los Angeles, California in 1978. Their original lineup was Scott Reagers (vocals), Dave Chandler (guitarist), Mark Adams (drums) and Armando Acosta (drums). Saint Vitus was known as Tyrant until 1980, when they changed their name to their current name Saint Vitus, which was inspired by the song "St. Vitus' Dance" by Black Sabbath, a band they have cited as one of their major influences.
Around 1983, Greg Ginn of Black Flag signed Saint Vitus to his label SST Records and the band managed to record their first album, which is self-titled. It came out in 1984, and later that year, the embarked on their first-ever tour with Black Flag, another band that Saint Vitus is influenced by and would latercover their song "Thirsty and Miserable" for their 1987 EP with the same title. Their second album Hallow's Victim and the The Walking Dead EP were both released in 1985.
Saint Vitus experienced their first lineup change when Scott "Wino" Weinrich replaced Reagers on vocals in 1986. They would achieve moderate success with the next three albums, including Born Too Late, which has been cited as their best-selling release, but they were never able to become a popular band. Weinrich eventually left the band in 1991 to focus on the reunion of The Obsessed, which was his band before he joined Saint Vitus. He was replaced by Chritus Linderson, who sang on C.O.D. (1992), the sixth Saint Vitus studio album, before he left the band.
In 1994, Saint Vitus reunited with their original singer Scott Reagers. With him, the band recorded their seventh studio album Die Healing (1995) and then broke up in 1996. The band reunited twice, in 2003 and 2008, with the Born Too Late lineup. After 31 years in the band, Acosta left Saint Vitus in 2009 and was replaced by Henry Vasquez. This new incarnation recently completed a new album, entitled Lillie: F-65, which was released on April 27, 2012.
Discography
Saint Vitus' full-length studio albums include:
- Saint Vitus (1984)
- Hallow's Victim (1985)
- Born Too Late (1986)
- Mournful Cries (1988)
- V (1990)
- C.O.D. (1992)
- Die Healing (1995)
- Lillie: F-65 (2012)
- Saint Vitus (2019)
Their other recordings include The Walking Dead and Thirsty and Miserable EPs (released in 1985 and 1987 respectively), the live album Live (1990) and the compilation album Heavier Than Thou (1991).