SAINT VITUS
The First SST records recordings


Ripped from my original SST records Vinyl..


1) Saint Vitus
2) White magic /Black magic
3) Zombie Hunger
4) The Psychopath
5) Burial At sea
6) War is our Destiny Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres Doom metal
Years active
7) White stallion
8) Mystic lady
9) Hallow's Victim
10) the sadist
11) Just friend ( empty love)
12) prayer for the (M)asses
13) darkness
14) the walking death


1-5   SST records 022  Saint Vitus (1984)
6-12  SST records 052  Hallow's Victim (1985)
13-14 SST records 042  THE WALKING DEAD (1985)





Saint Vitus is an American doom metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1978.[1] They are considered to be one of the first doom metal bands,[2] and have been labeled as one of the "big four" of that genre, along with Candlemass, Pentagram and Trouble.[3][4][5][6] Having released nine studio albums to date, Saint Vitus never achieved a popular breakthrough, but have exerted great influence on the development of doom metal, sludge metal,[7] and stoner rock.[7]

The original lineup consisted of Dave Chandler (guitar), Mark Adams (bass), Armando Acosta (drums) and Scott Reagers (vocals). They recorded their first two albums before Scott Weinrich replaced Reagers in 1986. The lineup of Chandler, Adams, Acosta and Weinrich is the longest-lasting. The third album Born Too Late (1986) is generally acknowledged as their best release.[8]

After breaking up in 1996 and briefly reforming in 2003, Saint Vitus reunited again in 2008 with the band's "classic" lineup, featuring Weinrich, Chandler, Adams and Acosta, and embarked on a successful tour. However, after 30 years in the band, Acosta left Saint Vitus in 2009 due to worsening health, and was replaced by Henry Vasquez. By 2016, both Weinrich and Adams had left Saint Vitus and were replaced by Reagers and Pat Bruders respectively, leaving Chandler as the only constant member of the band and reuniting half of the original lineup.
History
Formation and first two albums (1978–1985)

The band was formed in 1978 under the name Tyrant, with Dave Chandler (guitar), Mark Adams (bass), and Armando Acosta (drums). Vocalist Scott Reagers joined the group after the first Tyrant show, when their first singer was fired.[9] Their main influences were Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Blue Cheer, Blue Öyster Cult and Alice Cooper.[10] They changed their name to Saint Vitus in 1980, after the Black Sabbath song "St. Vitus Dance".[11]

The band's early sound combined the dark and psychedelic style of bands like Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer with the aggressive heavy metal and hardcore sound of Judas Priest and Black Flag, another favorite band of Chandler.[12] In the beginning, their style was considered "out-of-date" compared to the hardcore punk, glam and speed metal genres, which were popular at the time.[13] Being rejected by the Los Angeles metal community,[12] Saint Vitus were involved in the punk rock scene. During a live performance with Overkill, Saint Vitus was discovered by Black Flag. Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn signed them to his label, SST Records, because, according to Chandler, they were "completely opposite of what popular was in metal".[9] Saint Vitus toured with Black Flag during the early 1980s,[14][15][16][17] and later with other groups like the Brood, Saccharine Trust, the Mentors, Napalm Beach and DC3.

Chandler affirmed: "the heavy metal fans at the time hated us, and so did the punk rockers, but the punk rockers grew to appreciate us".[18] Under this lineup, Saint Vitus recorded 2 albums (Saint Vitus & Hallow's Victim) and an EP (The Walking Dead). Reagers left the band in early 1986, and was replaced by The Obsessed frontman Scott "Wino" Weinrich (at this time, The Obsessed had only released one 7"). Reagers' final performances featured songs from then-upcoming album Born Too Late, such as "The War Starter" and "H.A.A.G", as many of these were written while he was still in the band.