Mournblade was formed Feb 1st , 1987. in Highland Park , California. Founding members Jeff Blacky (Bass/Vocals) and Rick Aschwitz (Guitar, Ex-4th Reich).
played a few houseshows with Jake Blood (Drummer , Ex-Coffinlid) and recorded there first few songs on a basement demo. After a few short years the band had 3 members die in accidents and a suicide. The band played a few more shows and recorded a live video of there basement recording.
Mournblade experianced a few setbacks during the later 90's as band members left to join other bands or have become religious and left because of the bands context of lyrics.
Mournblade picks up Tom Rubian as the new bassist in early 1989 as Jeff Blacky moves to vocals. After a few shows and recording another demo tape
Jake Blood dies in a car accident after going to a MDC show in Hollywood.
The band would later get "Belial" Dave Jurgan (Ex-Sinful Cult) as drummer.
He would play shows going into the 90's , only to leave to play in Sacreligious Death , only to have Jeff Blacky also leave shortly to join him. Rick Aschwitz later get friend Danny Leviathan (Ex-Lowlife Candy, Ex-Father Alice) as drummer , then later switched to bass as Tom Rubian left the band to join the Army.Tom later commited suicide in late 1993 from drug problems he suffered in South Korea. Richard Bennit later joined as bassist as Danny Leviathan left the band to reform Lowlife Candy.
Jeff Blacky returns from Sacreligious Death as it became a black metal band called Belial. As vocalist he later brought back bassist Andrew "Slayer" Birgdorf when Richard Bennit finelly left the band to join BME (Batman's Enemies).
The band recorded a few more demo tapes, and play a bunch of shows during that time period. Jeff Blacky would later in 1994 join BME as a bassist for a few shows as Richard Bennit switched to guitar. They both left after BME broke up and returned to Mournblade , but Richard Bennit left again after 3 months. Drummer "Belial" Dave Jurgan would return then leave in a few months time, before finally leaving for good in 1996. The band played more shows and recorded tracks for another demo.
Andrew "Slayer" Birgdorf dies in 1998 in a auto accident with a drunken driver. The band later get's Johnny Hill (Ex-Strangler) as drummer for up coming shows and recordings. The band remains as a three piece with Jeff Blacky on bass and vocals and Rick Aschwitz on guitar and Hill on drums.
The trio lasts till 2001 , til Jeff Blacky deploys with his National Guard unit after 9-11. Johnny Hill leaves before Dec 01 to join the Marine Corps.
Rick continues to record tracks that would later appear on the Mangled Lies ep. Jeff Blacky returns in 2002 , and without a drummer , they record the early tracks for the new Ep. Danny Leviathan returns in 2004 to play bass as Jeff Blacky returns to vocals. Early 2004 Jeff Blacky deploys overseas in Operation Enduring Freedom for 12 plus months. The band continues to play without the vocalist. 2006 Jeff Blacky returns only to have Danny Leviathan leave the band before it's recording of the Mangled Lies ep. but picks up Todd Irish as drummer and the recording goes thou and it released in 06 on Open Grave Records. The band later picks up Andrew Revo as bassist , but later leaves. Mournblade appears on Volume 1 on VD Records and is releasing "1917" Ep on the same label.
As a trio the band has appeared on a number of Metal Magazines , both local and worldwide. inculding Metal Maniacs , BAST , Metal Underground Mag, Pit Magazine, Terror Mag (UK), Thrash Scene (Spain) , the Underground ( Israel)
And has made radio plays in Kuwait, Turkey, Germany, UK, Poland, Greece , Ireland and in the USA. Mostly by the band sending out cds and demos to different radio stations that allow "other" kind of metal to be played.
Did a guess spot on the old Luicifer LeRock show on KMET in California , years ago on the Basement Tapes hour.
The band isn't too happy about current events both in LA scene and with there former label. But contunes to play and record. Possible a live cd in the near future with new materal from the 1917 Ep and some older tracks from the basement tape era of the late 80's . Nothing live from the Mangled Lies ep will show up before 08 cause of contract issues.
Mournblade also has endorsement from Knucklehead Strings and has recorded the new Ep with there strings.
The band has played shows dating back to the early days of Fender's Ballroom . the Anti-Club , Hollywood Palladium and the old Country Club, the Whiskey A Go-Go and San Francisco's Sound of Music and the Farm.
Opening shows for a lot of bands , local and now famous or infamous. The band is one of the last survivors of the 80's underground with it's two founding members left alive. Mournblade doesn't play very ofen
in the last couple of years , the group focus more on recording materal.
The band is planning more shows this summer. Also plans to record more tracks from there early years from demos from 1987.
Vocalist/bassist Jeff Blacky notified that soon he will deploy once again with his National Guard unit to Iraq in Oct , 2007.
May 2008. Jeff Blacky returns from Iraq.
Mournblade fires drummer Todd Irish in May 2008. Cause of conflict with show dates with his side project band. Mournblade will seek another drummer, but will still record new Ep "Pray for the Dead" for VD Records.
We have Caleb from Ascension working as our sound man and tech recording magician to help put together this new Ep. July 2008 , new cd is made and out on VD Records. We will also appear on Vol 2 Comp cd soon.
Todd Irish leaves Another Sky to return to the Mournblade fold. Andrew returns to Mournblade as the band's bassist as Jeff Blacky returns to vocals. More shows on the way.
After a few more shows Mournblade will be trying out a couple of drummers for a more harder sound. Todd Irish leaves the band for good as Joe Chops (Ex-Grayest Days) joins Mournblade as new drummer. The band now moves to it's 22nd year, the founders are not sure what to expect for 2009. Hopefully a more stable line up and another cd and more shows. Joes Chops returns to Grayest Days as Mournblade co-founders Jeff and Rick decide to place the band as inactive as a live act.
Only some possible recording at a later time for some odd material from the early 80's.
As of Nov , 2009 Mournblade guitarist Rick Auschwitz left the band for personal conflict with Jeff Blacky, as the former friends go there sperate ways.
Former Mournblade guitarist and co founder Rick Auschwitz dead at 43
Cds out on Open Grave Records and VD Records. Also T-shirts. Cds and downloads also on Amazon.com and Ebay.com.
Mournblade guitarist Rick Auschwitz dead at 43
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