The Violators>>MALICE - USA

In The Beginning... - 1985 - Atlantic
License To Kill - 1987 - Atlantic
New Breed Of Godz - 2012 - SPV

Malice image
  
 
Members
Vocals
James E. Neal - Sabu>>Mark Weitz>>Americade, Impellitteri - Thrasher, Destiny's End, Thrasher, New Eden, Seven Witches, Vicious Rumors, Bad Heaven, Chaotic Order, Daggers Edge, Agent Steel, Malakis Reign, Flotsam And Jetsam, Helstar, Killing Machine, Distant Thunder, Vicious Rumors>>JAMES RIVERA>>Helstar, Killing Machine, Distant Thunder, Vicious Rumors

Guitar
Jade, The Ravers, Megadeth, War Party, Planet X, Metal Church>>JAY REYNOLDS>>Megadeth, War Party, Planet X, Metal Church - DMZ, Jade, The Ravers, Monster>>MICK ZANE [MIKE LANDAUER]>>Monster

Bass
Fire Eye>>Mark Behn>>Monster, Splash Palace - Diabolic, Agent Steel, Possessed, Coffin Texts, Engrave, Masters Of Metal, Possessed>>ROBERT CARDENAS>>Coffin Texts, Engrave, Masters Of Metal, Possessed

Drum
Assassin, Snow>>Cliff Carothers - Wild Dogs, Monster, Black Symphony>>PETE HOLMES>>Black Symphony, Ratt




History & Biography
Malice was born from the ashes of The Violators in Portland, Oregon of 1980. The band featured drummer Mick Tutle at this point. Armed with mega-inspiration the group issued 1982 Demo, 1983 Demo and Another 1983 Demo. Logically, 1984 Demo followed. The band appeared on the inaugural Metal Massacre compilation in 1983 in the midst of these demoed with the songs Captive Of Light and Kick You Down. The power metallers were having a hard time fitting between the glam of the day and the upstart thrashers. In fact, the band was famously booed when it toured as openers for Slayer in 1987. Interestingly, Metallica had opened for Malice in 1982 after the Oregon quintet moved to Los Angeles. This proved the lucky one as the group obtained a deal with Atlantic and issued its debut. This album would be reissued on Wounded Bird Records in 2004. License To Kill followed in 1987. This album featured the bassist and the main man of Megadeth. The 1988 film Vice Versa starring Judge Reinhold and Fred Savage featured a performance by the band. The band was last heard from in 1989 with the release of the Crazy In The Night mini-LP. This EP did not feature Neal on all songs, but Weitz. Dean Kohn was briefly the band's singer in 1989. Monster surfaced in 2004, as did Reynolds who was now in Metal Church.

The group reformed in 2006 with the guitarists and bassists, as well as new members Pete Holmes of Black 'N Blue and MSG on drums and Brian Allen, of Last Empire on the mike. 2007 shows were cancelled due to the promoters’ pay to play scam policy. Nothing was heard next even though a tour, album and label were all labelled as “imminent.” The Rare And Unreleased CD was issued in 2008. The reformed Malice recruited Helstar singer James Rivera in May of 2011. The band was working on a new album in Los Angeles. The band signed with SPV to close 2011. Malice would release a new album, New Breed Of Godz, on May 22nd, 2012 through SPV/Steamhammer.

Mick Zane underwent brain surgery for a brain tumour in November of 2014, . Michael Landauer (a.k.a. Mick Zane) died of brain cancer in December 2016. Dean Kohn died of COVID-19 in 2021.


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Malice