Carnivore (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1982 in Brooklyn, New York City, United States |
| Founder | Peter Steele |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn, New York City , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Carnivore is a crossover thrash band originating from Brooklyn, New York City, United States. The group was established by vocalist and bassist Peter Steele after the disbandment of the Brooklyn-based metal act Fallout in 1982.
History
The band's inaugural album, titled Carnivore, was released in November 1985. Members adopted distinctive stage names for this record, with Peter Steele credited as Petrus T. Steele and Louie Beateaux as the drummer. Their concerts were notable for a unique aesthetic featuring torn apparel combined with spiked hockey equipment. In 1986, guitarist Keith Alexander departed due to disagreements regarding the band's evolving direction toward crossover thrash and was succeeded by Marc Piovanetti, who later joined Crumbsuckers. The follow-up album, Retaliation, came out in September 1987. Soon after this release, Carnivore disbanded; Peter Steele went on to create Repulsion, which eventually evolved into Type O Negative. Much of the material on Type O Negative’s first album, Slow Deep and Hard, was originally composed for Carnivore. Steele and Piovanetti did not collaborate again until the 1998 compilation Songs of the Witchblade: A Soundtrack to the Comic Book.
Reformation and second break-up
Carnivore reunited on multiple occasions, including mid-1990s performances featuring the lineup from Retaliation and a 1996 show at Milwaukee Metalfest. Between 2006 and 2007, a refreshed four-member lineup performed, highlighted by an appearance at Wacken Open Air in 2006. This reunion concluded with Peter Steele’s passing on April 14, 2010.
Carnivore A.D.
In August 2017, the band was officially revived under the name Carnivore A.D.. This formation included original drummer Louie Beato, guitarist Marc Piovanetti, an additional drummer Joe Branciforte, and new bassist and vocalist Baron Misuraca.
Following their live set at the Black N Blue Bowl pre-party in 2017, Piovanetti explained that the reformation’s purpose was to pay tribute to Peter Steele’s legacy while simultaneously creating a separate identity. Their first performance featuring Misuraca took place on October 31 at Bowery Electric in New York City during an event called "A Halloween SteeleTacular". The group made their festival debut at Hellfest in 2018.
Musical style and influences
Greg Prato of AllMusic characterized Carnivore’s sound as "considerably more straightforward thrash metal compared to Steele’s subsequent gothic rock project Type O Negative."
The debut album drew heavy inspiration from the New York hardcore scene alongside influences from Black Sabbath and early works of Judas Priest. The sophomore album incorporated pronounced elements of crossover thrash. The concept of a 'post-apocalyptic' setting stemmed from a dream experienced by Pete Steele, which inspired lyrics for the track "Predator" and expanded into a narrative portraying human civilization amid fictional World Wars 3, 4, and possibly 5 (referenced in "World Wars 3 & 4"). Themes explored in their lyrics also included nihilism, anti-religious views, cynicism, as well as graphic yet satirical depictions of gore and despair—evident in song titles such as "Jesus Hitler", "Race War", "Thermonuclear Warrior", and "God Is Dead".
Band members
- Current lineup
- Baron Misuraca – bass guitar, lead vocals (2017–present)
- Chuck Lenihan – guitar (2019–present)
- Joe Cangelosi – drums (2021–present)
- Past members
- Peter Steele – bass and lead vocals (1982–1987, 1994–1996, 2006–2010; until his passing)
- Stan Pillis – guitar (1982–1983)
- Louie Beato – drums (1982–1987, 1994–1996, 2017–2022)
- Keith Alexander – guitar (1983–1986; deceased 2005)
- Marc Piovanetti – guitar (1987, 1994–1996, 2017–unknown)
- Paul Bento – guitar (2006–2010)
- Steve Tobin – drums (2006–2010)
- Joey Z. – guitar (2006–2010)
- Joe Branciforte – drums (2017–2020)
Studio albums
- Carnivore (1985)
- Retaliation (1987)
Compilation albums
- Retaliation / Carnivore (1991)
Demo recordings
- Demo '84 (1984)
- U.S.A. for U.S.A. (1986)
Singles
- "Carnivore" (1984)
- "Predator" (1985)
External links
- Official website (archived)
- Articles with short description
- 1983 establishments in New York (state)
- American thrash metal musical groups
- American speed metal musical groups
- Crossover thrash groups
- Heavy metal musical groups from New York (state)
- Musical groups from Brooklyn
- Musical groups established in 1983
- Musical groups disestablished in 1987
- Musical groups reestablished in 1994
- Musical groups disestablished in 1996
- Musical groups reestablished in 2006
- Musical groups disestablished in 2010
- Musical groups reestablished in 2017
- Roadrunner Records artists