Depth Charge>>Lääz Rockit>>Gack>>LÄÄZ ROCKIT - USA

City’s Gonna Burn - 1984 - Target
No Stranger To Danger - 1985 - Target
Know Your Enemy - 1987 - Enigma
Annihilation Principle - 1989 - Enigma
Nothing$ $acred - 1991 - Roadrunner
Taste Of Rebellion - 1992 - Canton
Left For Dead - 2008 - Massacre

Lääz Rockit image
  
 
Members
Vocals
Gack>>MICHAEL COONS>>Gack

Guitar
Phil Kettner - Warning S.F., Wardance>>Aaron Jellum>>Wardance, Warning S.F. - Phil Kettner - Ken Savitch>>Sindrome - Wrekking Machine>>Scott Sargeant>>Killing Culture, Skinlab, M.O.D. - Warning S.F., Warning S.F., Wardance>>AARON JELLUM>>Wardance, Warning S.F. - PHIL KETTNER


Bass
Willy Lange>>Dublin Death Patrol - John Torres>>The Lord Weird Slough Feg, Angelwitch, Heathen, Warning S.F. - Scott Dominguez - Dublin Death Patrol>>WILLY LANGE>>Dublin Death Patrol

Drum
Victor Alexander Agnello - Gothic Slam>>Dave Chavrri>>M.O.D., Pro-Pain, Bully Dance, Ill Nino, Soulfly - Defiance>>Matt Vanderende - SKY HARRIS





History & Biography
Lääz Rockit was actually founded as Depth Charge in 1981 in Berkeley, California before changing names. The monicker was inspired by the weapon (LAWS [Light Anti Tank System] rocket) used by Clint Eastwood/Dirty Harry in the film The Enforcer in 1976. The band issued a demo called Prelude To Death in 1983.

The band specialized in heavy and speed metal amidst sea of Bay Area thrashers in San Francisco. The band would actually open for the odd glam band and would sign with Target Records. The band would support the album on several shows with Exciter in Europe. The group would not land any major tours, although would make it to Europe to play with Motörhead, Railway and, as mentioned Exciter, in 1986.

Guitarist Scott Sargeant and bassist Scott Dominguez would join in 1991, while former guitarist Savitch would make it to Chicago and underground favourites Sindrome just in time for that band to effuse an offer from Roadrunner Records. The group, in the meanwhile, would sign to Roadrunner Records and be virtually ignored by the label. The band would fail to grow commercially and would change its name and sound to become Gack. This band would issue an album called Fix. Unfortunately, the reverse would happen and the group would disband. Chavarri would disrespect the band’s name and legacy by going mallcore in Ill Nino. Still, The band’s line-up of mainstay Mike Coons, guitarists Aaron Jellum and Phil Kettner, bassist Willy Lange and Victor Alexander Agnello was reunited to play at the reformed Dynamo festival in 2005 in The Netherlands. A slotted appearance at the Thrash Of The Titans benefit concert for Chuck Billy would be cancelled without explanation. The group would also play the Thrash Against Cancer show in its hometown next to Testament, Agent Steel, Vicious Rumors and others. The group would have OSM Records reissue its first two albums and also release a DVD of the band called Live Untold in 2006. Torres had joined Heathen in 2004. Jon Torres of Angelwitch, Ulysses Siren, Heathen and Lääz Rockit, died Monday September 2nd, 2013 due to heart failure. Early Lääz Rockit drummer Victor Agnello died on June 1st, 2014 after discovering his leukemia a year earlier. He was 50 years old. Willy "Lange" Langenhuizen, bassist for Bay Area thrash metal band Lääz Rockit, died in a motorcycle injury on October 23rd 2018. He was 57 years old.

Lääz Rockit members seemingly fuel and power many a other act even if the band itself hardly had much success in its heyday.


Reviews

LÄÄZ ROCKIT - LEFT FOR DEAD - MASSACRE/BLISTERING  
For those who have exhausted the list of Bay Area thrash metal albums from the glory days and are wondering which new album needs to be added to the collection Left For Dead is an impeccable option. Lääz Rockit is of course one of those veteran bands and needs no introduction for thrash metal fans, but unlike many others from the same time and place the reunion album has legitimacy, a lot off it too!
First thing I noticed was the cover artwork’s epitaph, with an inscription similar to Iron Maiden’s Live After Death. “And Even Death Shall Die” it says. It is interesting from a comparison point of view and as a choice for a comeback album. The music is fantastic either way. Right from the top, the band begins a harsh thrashing regimen that leaves nothing to be desired. The unforgiving vocals, thrashing drums and the dual guitars are all over with frenzy and the band has not turned into an industrial-nü band that has abandoned soloing. A couple of modern moments and down tuned section come and go and are done well, but the gist of the matter is the real ferocity of true thrash metal here. Even the slow song, Desolate Oasis, soon picks up in intensity.
Strangely, my disc has too much space between the song No Man and the long Outro. The album comes with three songs recorded live, Leather face, Prelude and Fire In The Hole all of which take the listener back to the days before all these bands either sold out or threw in the towel. It is nice to hear that the band isn’t missing a beat after all these years despite its largely original line-up after. This album is the real thing. - Anna Tergel


Interviews







Lääz Rockit