"This is almost like a MOTORHEAD meets VITUS and SABBATH"- Shadow Kingdom Records

Thursday, April 11, 2019

Monday, February 11, 2019

Acheron-Foundation of The Unholy!


ACHERON

Click here to listen on Bandcamp!

Founding members Croxton and Laszlo in 2018
Why write the history of Acheron on The Unholy’s page? Because The Unholy sprang from Acheron. Acheron was the foundation of The Unholy.

HISTORY
In 1987 Guitarist Wade Laszlo ran an ad in the Minneapolis ‘City Pages’ looking for musicians to form a band.

Drummer Tom Croxton answered the ad. Laszlo and Croxton hit it off and began writing music and adding members.

The original line-up in 1987 was Wade Laszlo-Guitar, Tom Croxton-Drums, Fred McGuinness-Bass and Andy Cummings on vocals.

There is a live recording I have from a Minneapolis club, Fernando’s, with the original line-up. Never has been released. Maybe someday.

L-R  Andy Cummings, Wade Laszlo, Pat McVey, Tom Croxton
Early on Fred McGuinness was replaced on Bass with Pat McVey. When McVey and Cummings left  the 1989 line-up heard on Prophecies Unholy formed which was:

Wade Laszlo-Guitar, Tom Croxton-Drums, Mark Beliel – Bass and Bart Smith-Vocals.

Eventually Mark Beliel moved up to second guitar and Chris Magras came on as Bass.

Some band politics ensued and Bart Smith left the band. Laszlo who had been singing back-up vocals wanted to sing lead, Most of the band was opposed.

Prophecies Unholy Line-up. L-R Wade Laszlo, Tom Croxton, Mark Beliel, Bart Smith


Shortly thereafter Laszlo left and formed The Unholy taking Magras with him. Original line-up of The Unholy was Laszlo-Guitar and Vocals. Chris Magras-Bass and John ‘Bono’ Ryan (from Bent Vengeance) on Drums. 

The Unholy continued to play the songs written in Acheron  and re-recorded most of them as The Unholy, as until now Prophecies Unholy had never been released.

Tom Croxton and Mark Beliel continued on with the Acheron name eventually recording and releasing The Pain Dominion.

Croxton did eventually re-unite with Laszlo and Magras in the Unholy and recorded As Below, So Above and Ash Wednesday. Croxton would then depart for Impaler to be replaced by Rick O’Leary on drums.

Acheron: Prophecies Unholy, was recorded at Blackberry Way Studios in Minneapolis in 1989

Line-up on album:

Wade Laszlo-Guitar
Tom Croxton-Drums
Mark Beliel – Bass
Bart Smith-Vocals.

2019 is the 30 year anniversary of the recording of Prophecies Unholy!

Cover Art
Back Cover