Mortal Decay

Mortal Decay originated in 1991 when drummer Anthony Ipri, guitarist John Hartman, and vocalist John Paoline began jamming together on death metal. For the Dawn of Misery demos they added guitarist Anthony Divigenze and bassist Brandon Stockl. Divigenze soon departed and Brian Valenti took over on guitar, yielding the Grisly Aftermath demo. When Valenti exited alongside Stockl, the band recruited bassist Ron Steinhauer and guitarist Joe Gordon and tracked the Brutalizing Creations demo. Although the early recordings earned praise, persistent lineup flux led to John Paoline’s departure and replacement by Kelly Izquierdo. In spring 1997 they completed their first full-length album, Sickening Erotic Fanaticism, which appeared that summer. Live activity continued into 1998, yet Izquierdo left that summer, prompting Paoline’s return for the next sessions. The three initial demos surfaced as the compilation Gathering of Human Artifacts in fall 1999 while the group courted labels and brought Izquierdo back into the fold. They undertook their first national tour, signed with Unique Leader Records, and reentered the studio to cut a follow-up. Paoline and Izquierdo again alternated as “musical vocalists” on the resulting Forensic, an album that profited from Paoline’s presence. His subsequent exit once more left the band largely inactive while they searched for a permanent vocalist.