GREETINGS AND FELICITATIONS,

CHILDREN OF TECHNOLOGY

Imagine you are one of the few unlucky survivors of a global thermonuclear war. The peaceful environment you once knew has been completely obliterated, and your new home is underneath the surface of the earth, where you wait until the Fallout is over. Your curiosity gets the better of you, and you begin to inch your way out of the dirt. Within seconds you are snatched from the ground and devoured by the neo-barbaric carnivores, and you are only quite thankful to be spared the horror of survival.

Whether this gruesome scene is mere fiction or a prophetic glimpse into our dismal future is not important. You need not wait for World War III to annihilate civilization as we know it. This frightening image of these nomadic predators was actually a vision inside the mind of vocalist/bassist Peter Steele back in 1983, the year that marked the birth of Carnivore. Natives of Brooklyn, N.Y., Carnivore spent their early years earning a reputation as one of the area's most dangerous bands. Crowds would stare in utter shock as these instrument-wielding warriors would take the stage clad in futuristic outfits that typified the meaning of Carnivore.

Dressed to the hilt in fur-covered shoulder pads, spikes, hockey equipment, nails and anything that gave them the appearance of flesh-eating monsters, Carnivore frequently drenched the front rows of their audiences with blood, brains, and innards, provoking a maniacal reaction like frenzied sharks being taunted with buckets of chum.

In 1985, the deranged chaos of Carnivore was finally contained in vinyl, as their self-titled debut album surfaced from beneath the tainted earth. Based primarily around the concept of life after a thermonuclear war, 'Carnivore' grabbed its listener by the balls and thrust him into a corrupt society where rage, murder and cannibalism were accepted as means of survival.

With the release of their first album, Carnivore quickly found themselves loved by large masses locally, and hated by just as many. Those totally offended by this ensemble of musical destruction showed no mercy in releasing their outrage, as the hulking 6'6" Steele occasionally received mail in the form of boxed cockroaches and dog feces. According to Peter, "People either said that we were great or that we sucked dick -- but they never said we sucked dick to my face!" This man could very well be the most frightening figure in music -- one look and you'll understand why. One listen and you'll feel why.

After the split with guitarist Keith Alexander and about 100 auditions Marc Piovanetti joint Peter and drummer Louie Bateaux to record the second and what would be the final Carnivore album, 'Retaliation' (fall '87). As the band headed into more hardcore musical and image territory, they felt it best to abandon the costumes and science-fiction attitude in favor of a more straight-from-the-heart approach. Peter allowed his deepest feelings to ooze from the grooves of 'Retaliation', as he touched on subjects ranging from racial tension("Race War"), gang warfare ("Sex and Violence", after 'A Clockwork Orange'), patriotism ("U.S.A. For U.S.A.") and intense anxiety ("Inner Conflict"). Jimi Hendrix was honoured (?) by the raging "Manic Depression".

Following the release of 'Retaliation', Carnivore were at the peak of their career, and they were on the verge of breaking free from the confines of Brooklyn and spreading their brand of nuclear mayhem across the globe. But in February '88, at the height of their popularity, personal problems within the group surfaced (Marc left to play with NYHC Crumbsuckers) and a rotting stench permeated the Brooklyn air, signifying the extinction of the deadly Carnivore.

Three years later, after having been in Subzero conditions, Peter again lurks the earth above, this time fronting a brilliant new band that can be looked at as the next dimension of Carnivore: Type O Negative pick up where Carnivore left off, taking the Carnivore foundation to new and exciting extremes; engulfing the listener in a glorious world of musical anger, destruction, pain, and spine-chilling fear.

Carnivore may now only exist as a memory, you are free to walkthrough the rest of your days with their twisted ideology as your co-pilot: "If you can't eat it or fuck it, then kill it!"

But the story continues ... they are BACK !

Carnivore are back on the roll, they play when Type O Negative has a quiet period. The experience of a CARNIVORE show is almost undescribable but James has tried. READ !

Upcoming CARNIVORE shows:

None for the moment.

Have beens:
1996
7/24: Vinyl, New York, NY
7/26: Milwaukee Metal Fest, Milwaukee, WI
7/27: Harpo's, Detroit, MI
7/28: Peabody's, Cleveland, OH
1995
1/15 Limelight New York, NY. 8/26: Rock Palace. Staten Island, NY
8/27: Saratoga Winners. Latham, NY
9/1: Deathstock '95 (headliner). Wetlands, NYC,NY
1994
2/12 L'Amours, Brooklyn, NY
4/23 The Grand, New York,NY
6/04 Roxy, Huntington, NY
6/05 L'amours, Brooklyn, NY
6/06 ???, Albany, NY


Thanks to James Bako for typing the Bio (by Jeff Kitts), writing the live-review and keeping me posted of the Carnivore shows and Tony Polson for the older dates.

All threats, bombs and verbal assaults to JG