Formation and Only Theatre of Pain (1979–1982) Guitarist John "Jay" Albert, vocalist Rozz Williams, bassist James McGearty and drummer George Belanger formed Christian Death in October 1979. At this time, the band was a punk rock band musically indebted to the Germs. As the band progressed their music slowed and began to incorporate religious symbolism. Their first live performance was an impromptu set at the
Hong Kong Cafe in Los Angeles supporting Castration Squad, replacing
Killer Pussy after they were booed off stage. After a physical altercation involving Belanger took place, he was left unable to play drums for their upcoming show on February 14, 1981. Williams asked Steve Darrow to fill in, however Belanger decided moments before their set to still try and play, leading to Belanger performing the first few songs then Darrow finishing the set. This incident angered Albert, who left the band permanently mid-set. Subsequently, Christian Death was halted, with Albert and Williams forming noise band Daucus Karota with drummer Mary Torcivia. Williams, McGearty and Belanger regrouped a few months later, now accompanied by guitarist
Rikk Agnew, who had just left
the Adolescents. With this lineup, they made their first vinyl appearance with the song "Dogs" on the 1981 L.A. scene compilation album
Hell Comes to Your House. The following year, they signed with
Frontier Records and released their debut studio album,
Only Theatre of Pain, on March 24. The following year Belanger left the band after becoming disheartened by the growing darkness of the band's image and increasing drug abuse. Belanger's role was filled by Rod "China" Figueroa, whose first performance with the band was a record signing on April 10, 1982. Later that year, while the band were getting ready for a domestic tour, Agnew, distressed by his own drug use and troubles in his relationship, began to experience panicked episodes where he would imagine Williams and his boyfriend Ron Athey being subject to homophobic attacks in Southern states and the band being arrested for drug possession. This culminated in him leaving the band as they were preparing to go on stage. The band then hired Mikaleno Amundson to play guitar, who moved in with Figueroa. However, when Amundson and Figueroas' girlfriends fell out with each other, Amundson was forced to move out and leave the band after "about three to five shows." Because of this,
Eva O briefly became the band's guitarist. On October 30, 1982, this lineup opened for
Angelic Upstarts at SIR Studios alongside
Pompeii 99. Following this, Michael Montano and Johnnie Sage both began playing guitar in the band, and they played again with Pompeii 99. By the end of the year, McGearty had left the band. With Williams as the only founding member remaining, Christian Death disbanded.
Reformation, Catastrophe Ballet and Ashes (1983–1985) Around this point, Pompeii 99 too were going through a number of lineup changes. Subsequently, six months after Christian Death's disbandment, Williams joined Pompeii 99, which at that time consisted of only guitarist and vocalist
Valor Kand and drummer David "Glass" Parkinson. Under Williams' suggestion, the band's session keyboard player and Kand's partner
Gitane DeMone officially joined the band. After Williams was approached by Yann Farcy of French record label L'Invitation au Suicide to record another Christian Death album and tour Europe, the band hired bassist Constance Smith (later Redgrave) and changed their name to Christian Death. This culminated in Christian Death's second studio album
Catastrophe Ballet (1984). Recorded at
Rockfield Studios in
Monmouth, Wales, much of this album's instrumentals were written by Kand, with Williams contributing entirely to lyrics and partially to melody writing. It was a departure from the band's angry punk-influenced style and was dedicated to
surrealist André Breton. While in France, Smith departed from the group due to a mental health struggle, being replaced by
Dave Roberts of
Sex Gang Children. In autumn 1984, the band returned to America and recorded
Ashes, which was released the following year. Following Williams' departure, the remaining members made an effort to change the band's name to Sin and Sacrifice, transitioning to that name through booking their next tour as the Sin and Sacrifice of Christian Death. However, the promoters did not adhere to this change, instead having them booked as simply Christian Death. This issue then became exacerbated once they were offered a record deal by Supporti Fonografici which they could only accept if they continued on as Christian Death. Augmented by bassist Johann Schumann and guitarist and keyboardist Barry Galvin, the band recorded an EP for Supporti Fonografici titled
The Wind Kissed Pictures, credited to "For Sin and Sacrifice Must We Die a Christian Death". The EP was later reissued in Germany and the U.S., credited to Christian Death. Williams consequently billed his version of the band as "Christian Death featuring Rozz Williams". After this, Williams' version released
The Path of Sorrows studio album in 1993 and
The Rage of Angels in 1994. A 1993 show featuring
Only Theatre of Pain-era members Williams, Agnew and Belanger (along with bassist
Casey Chaos) performing live at
Los Angeles' Patriot Hall was recorded and later released in 2001 as a
DVD by Cleopatra. Williams pursued other projects The band added bassist
Maitri in 1991. Her first concert with Christian Death took place at the Contemporary Festival, held at the Anfitheatro delle Cascine in
Florence, Italy on 12 July 1991. The band released the studio album
Sexy Death God in 1994, the double-live set
Amen in 1995, the Nostradamus-themed
Prophecies in 1996, and
Pornographic Messiah in 1998. In 2000, Christian Death added drummer Will Sarginson and toured Europe with Britain's
Cradle of Filth in support of the
Born Again Anti Christian studio album. Kand and Maitri also formed another band,
black metal and
deathrock act
Lover of Sin, releasing the studio album
Christian Death Presents Lover of Sin in 2002. For Christian Death's 2003 tour, they were augmented by Cradle of Filth guitarist
Gian Pyres. Christian Death released
American Inquisition in 2007, featuring new drummer Nate Hassan. The album was digitally released on August 14, 2015, by Knife Fight Media, and on vinyl on October 16, 2015, by
Season of Mist. A CD release was announced for December 18, 2015, on
The End Records. John Albert, who had co-founded Christian Death with Williams, died on May 3, 2023. ==Musical style and content==