Glen Benton

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Glen Benton
Glen Benton in April 2006
Glen Benton in April 2006
Background information
Born September 21, 1967 (1967-09-21) (age 40)
Genre(s) Death metal
Occupation(s) Musician, Songwriter, Singer, Bassist
Instrument(s) Bass Guitar, Vocals
Years active 1986–Present
Label(s) Earache Records
Associated acts Deicide
Vital Remains

Glen Benton (born September 21, 1967) is an American heavy metal musician best known as the vocalist and bassist for the death metal band Deicide, although he prefers not to use the 'death metal' terminology.[1] He is also the studio vocalist for Vital Remains, and has performed live with them on a few occasions.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Benton was raised in Tampa, Florida where on July 21st 1987, after guitarist Brian Hoffman replied to Benton's advertisement in a local music magazine, Deicide was formed. Within days the band, consisting of Benton (bass/vocals), Hoffman, Hoffman's brother Eric (guitars) and Steve Asheim (drums), had been christened the band "Amon" after the Egyptian deity of the same name.[2] Within a month, Amon had recorded crude Feasting the Beast 8-track demo in Benton's garage and had started playing the occasional gig in the Tampa area.[3] In 1989, Amon recorded their second demo, Sacrificial, at Morrisound with producer Scott Burns. Benton reportedly stormed into Roadrunner Records' A&R man Monte Conners' office and presented him with the demo, saying, "Sign us, you fucking arsehole!" The next day contracts were issued to the band.[4]

In 1993, newspapers reported that Benton had expressed an interest in, and an active participation in, the burning of live rodents such as squirrels. He shot a squirrel with a pellet gun during said interview. The bad publicity led to an attack on Benton inside a venue in Bradford, England, by an animal rights activist. Benton was beaten up and his bass was stolen in a separate incident. The tour was curtailed by these events.[5]

Benton is known for his interest in motorcycles, which can be seen in the video for the title track from Scars of the Crucifix.

[edit] Satanism

Benton is known for his Satanic and anti-Christian beliefs and views of today's corrupt religious systems, and credits an aunt for sparking his interest in the occult when he was nine or ten years old.[citation needed]He is renowned for an inverted cross he branded into his forehead. He has stated in interviews that it was made from a cross pendant he wore on a necklace as 'Satan's protection'.[citation needed] According to Steve Asheim, this act was likely in response to previous press attention the band received when Brian Hoffman burned an inverted cross into his arm with a cigarette. [6]

The nature of his 'Satanism' is obscure and has become a subject of much controversy in recent years, particularly due to allegations by former Deicide guitarist Eric Hoffman who dismissed it as insincere and spurious.[7] In early years, Benton was ostensibly a theistic satanist; he implied he had held the belief of the Christian God but worshipped the devil instead. Thus his beliefs have been put to question by followers of Anton LaVey's Church of Satan, which Benton has blasted on the grounds that it is an organised religion promoting what he perceives to be "Hollywood Satanism".[8] Nowadays, his 'Satanism' appears to have subsided to vehement anti-Christian atheism. [9]

[edit] Sacrificial Suicide controversy

The self-titled 1990 debut album of his group Deicide featured a song entitled "Sacrificial Suicide", in which Benton was alleged to have claimed that in order to achieve a life opposite that of Jesus he planned to commit suicide at age 33. This claim that he would commit suicide at the age of 33 continued throughout the 1990s. However, he passed that age in 2000 and did not commit suicide. In 2006, he stated that these statements had been "asinine remarks" and that "only cowards and losers" choose to kill themselves.[10]

[edit] Religious controversy

In the early-to-mid-1990s Benton was a frequent opponent guest to Christian radio shows, such as Bob Larson's "Talk Back" show.[11] Larson continually invited Benton to his talk show but Benton always declined, once returning the release form to be on Larson's show with Fuck You and his signature in blood and the scab he picked off of his forehead where he burned an inverted cross.[11]

[edit] Discography

[edit] With Deicide

[edit] With Vital Remains

[edit] Guest appearances

[edit] References

  1. ^ Deicide
  2. ^ Mudrian, Albert (2004). In Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal and Grindcore, Feral House, ISBN 1-932595-04-X, pp. 90-91.
  3. ^ Mudrian (2004), as above.
  4. ^ Mudrian (2004), as above, p. 162.
  5. ^ Deicide Interview by Shan Siva
  6. ^ YouTube - Steve Asheim Interview Deicide
  7. ^ "Former DEICIDE Guitarist Says GLEN BENTON Lied To The Public About Tour Cancellations", Blabbermouth.net, January 14, 2005. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. 
  8. ^ Deicide
  9. ^ DEICIDE Frontman: Whenever ERIC HOFFMAN Posts Something On BLABBERMOUTH, We Know It's Him
  10. ^ "DEICIDE Frontman On JON NÖDVEIDT's Suicide: 'Only Cowards And Losers Choose That Option'", Blabbermouth.net, September 7, 2006. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. 
  11. ^ a b ROC's interview with Glen Benton. Retrieved on 2007-06-21.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Deicide
Glen Benton · Jack Owen · Steve Asheim
Ralph Santolla · Brian Hoffman · Eric Hoffman · Dave Suzuki
Studio albums
Live album
Compilation albums
Video albums
Persondata
NAME
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION
DATE OF BIRTH
PLACE OF BIRTH
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH