SeeCalifornia.com

When Mitch Lucker, 28-year old founder of the band Suicide Silence, ran into a pole on his Harley motorcycle on Halloween night, the world of ultra-heavy metal and death-style music mourned at word of his passing the next morning. He lived in my beach town and could have been my neighbor. I’d never heard of the band or music but the headlines for several days have been about him–theorizing how and why he died just blocks from a busy downtown street celebration and Halloween party. Perhaps they’re trying to determine if it was an unfortunate accident or a REAL suicide.

Always inquisitive to learn about new bands in my neighborhood, Huntington Beach is home to a variety of successful musicians–Dean Torrence of Jan & Dean, Keiko Matsui jazz pianist, famed blues musician Walter Trout, Avenged Sevenfold, Chris Farmer of The Beach Boys…on & on.

I watched the link to the official youtube video for Suicide Silence band’s latest release, You Only Live Once (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=312Sb-2PovA). Throughout the performance filmed in what appears to be an indoor shooting range, a variety of people shoot guns at the band as they play their title song in the center of the range. Constant firing of guns and blood splatter hitting the walls and floors as band members are shot but continue to play, made me wonder what the message is.  But when I read fan comments about the video, that made me wonder even more. One ‘dad’ said, “Keep up the great work. You’ve saved my sons from the troubled path they were on.”

Mitch Lucker’s life ended from injuries sustained in the motorcycle accident. An adorable little girl and pretty wife are shown in coverage photos holding candles at a vigil for the musician who left a family, fans and a band behind without its founder. Noticeably missing from the vigil pictures are the blazoned images of skulls & crossbones, blood and violence, the core message Suicide Silence, which was set to perform at California Metalfest later in the month. Common among the fan messages and condolences is: RIP (Rest in Peace).