Interview with Death Angel

From their first gig at a sandwich stand to a sold tour of Japan, Rob from Death Angel tells of a life where there was no option other than the heaviest metal around. At the age of twelve and eight, Rob and his cousin Andy decided a career as Thrash Metal musicians might be ‘a cool thing to do’. “It was the place and the time we were at, we just somehow gravitated to that music. We were influenced by our parents, they listened to a lot of music like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. We kept digging further and further into music. It kept getting heavier and heavier. We were drawn to the heaviness.” This dream, fueled by a disarming confidence led to the band’s regular gigs around California while most of it’s members where in their early teens. “It was very strange to everyone else around us. To us it seemed like the thing to do. We were just stubborn kids looking for a life of rock and roll. We just wanted to rock and play and rock out... do our thing.” Each performance was typically preceded by skeptical bouncers and nervous bar managers hiding the band backstage. “We had a hard time getting into clubs to. It was really really fun.”

In time the thriving Californian Metal scene realised confidence wasn’t the only thing Death Angel had in abundance. Their talent was intoxicating. From what seemed like innocent beginnings the band (comprising of Rob’s close family) was a regular fixture on the Metal circuit. Kirk Hammett and Cliff Burton, from Metallica, being two of their bands biggest fans. “Kirk produced our demo that got us signed. They were in the scene so we knew each other. Especially Cliff. He was the one that was closest with us.”



Unlike some bickering siblings the close familial ties of the band only gave them a tighter dynamic on and off stage. “ It was the coolest thing. That’s how we lived it form day one. I’m very used to the comfort zone. We know we each like brothers and we fight like brothers at the same time. There is so much mutual respect between us.”

In 1990 tragedy struck as the band’s tour bus crashed, critically injuring drummer Andy Galeon and prompting lead singer Mark Osegueda to pursue a life outside of music. “There was a moment of devastation. Death’s Angel’s not Death Angel without Marc.” In the subsequent down time the rest of the band continued to produce music under various side projects. Eleven years later the band reformed for a one-off performance in 2001. “It was very very interesting. It was also totally amazing. We just didn’t know what to expect. What we had before was so intense. It is like being married to 5 people at the same time. It was strange and we didn’t know what to think. When we hit the stage the crowd just lit up. It was one of the most memorable moments of all time.” Since that gig Death Angel has been performing and producing music without a break.

Now coming to Australia (with Armored Saint in March) Rob finds it hard to contain his excitement at exploring a new frontier. “Going to Australia for the first time ever in our whole lives. This is very very big for us. It’s definitely one of our dreams.” And that extremely confident aura will certainly be part of the show. “Expect a full on Death Angel experience, which means we are coming to delivery the goods. We are very energetic and very into it. You will get no less than you have ever hear of. They will be super charged shows.”