Saint Vitus is a pioneering doom metal band from the united states that got formed in the very late 70s and released a bunch of albums in the 80s and 90s. Alongside with bands like Witchfinder General, Pentagram and the mighty Black Sabbath, they can be considered the creators of doom metal. If you've ever heard of them, tell us your opinion, if you're not familiar with this band I recommend you to check them out.

Here's a little biography from the Southern Lord Page:

Saint Vitus were thee premiere American doom metal act of the '80s. Along with Trouble, Pentagram and the Obsessed, Vitus were pioneers of true-Doom Metal. They were one of the first to fuse the behemoth riffage and bleak atmosphere of Black Sabbath with the desperate aggression of punk rock ala Black Flag.

Their eponymous 1984 debut was released by Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn's SST Records, and was followed in quick succession by the Walking Dead EP and Hallow's Victim album the very next year.

Obsessed frontman Scott "WINO" Weinrich (later member of: Spirit Caravan, Place of Skulls, Hidden Hand, and PROBOT!) joined Vitus on vocals in 1986 (and sometimes guitar) for the classic "Born too Late" album. One more release on SST ("Mournful Cries"), and endless touring (earning them a rabid cult following )climaxed with the release of "V" in 1990.

"V" features the classic doom-anthem: "I BLEED BLACK" and the mid-tempo stomp of the often covered: Angry Man. The production is raw, pure and primitive, the dying emodiment of DOOM. Their undeniable influence on metal can be felt in the homage paid by such bands as: Soundgarden, DOWN (lyrics and riffs blatantly lifted), C.O.C., Eyehategod, Crowbar, GRIEF.

After a "Live" album (also re-released via Southern Lord) Wino left Vitus to reform THE OBSESSED. With Wino's departure Christian Linderson of COUNT RAVEN assumed the vocal mantle as 'Lord Chritus' for 1991's "Children of Doom". "Lord Christus" stint on vocals was shortlived and eventually VITUS reformed with first singer Scott Reagers for the 1994 'Die Healing' opus. Again this was not meant to be and the band quickly disentagrated.

Things were silent for a few years until...

Last year (2003) the classic Vitus lineup of : Dave Chandler, Wino, Mark Adams, and Armando Acosta reformed for two special shows. The mighty Vitus was resurrected at a gig in Chicago and the "With Full Force" Festival in Germany.

Hheeh Im suprised why here wasnt such tread, good band, good trad doom, realy great band, old school atmosfere its like in midle between 70ties and 80ties I love tthis band

I only have Mournful Cries, but I love it. Can someone recommend me the next Saint Vitus album I should buy?

Written by Dangerboner on 10.01.2008 at 04:13

I only have Mournful Cries, but I love it. Can someone recommend me the next Saint Vitus album I should buy?

if you liked that album i recommend you their s/t debut, all the other stuff like born too late and v sound different, but their still excellent.

Their earlier stuff was better - "Born Too Late" is a real classic album.

I'm a sucker for "V", their album with Wino... it has such a fucked off, kind of tiresome atmosphere... that is music that seems to creep, amazing to play in a boring summer evening with nothing to do but to sweat.

I like this band's music, traditional doom with some atmosphere which is very rare compared to all most other traditional doom bands.

Doom! I love this band and wish I could find more of their material. I really enjoy what I've heard, especially 'V' and 'Die Healing.' I realized they were influenced by someone like Sabbath, but these guys (especially Wino) really helped to create the genre. And thus, we're all Children of Doom.

i love doom, and saint vitus, i managed to find a bunch of their albums to download which are saint vitus, hollows victim,born too late, mournful cries and V. personally i love them all....if anyone would like any (mp3's of course) i'm more than happy to share

i love most of the stuff from southern lord but these guys always stand out as perticulary amazing.

Written by Guest on 08.07.2008 at 08:25

i love most of the stuff from southern lord but these guys always stand out as perticulary amazing.

At first I was puzzled by this statement because Saint Vitus were under contract with SST and later Hellhound, but then I realised that SOuthern Lord re-released some of their albums.

Saint Vitus are doom metal gods but unlike the majority I tend to prefer the Scott Reager's era of Vitus especially the album 'Die Healing'. The first 3 tracks of that album are incredibly great

I like Vitus quite a bit myself. A friend introduced me to em a while ago, and I've been pretty fond of them ever since. Something that's pretty cool imo, is that my gf's dad has St. Vitus's "V" on Vynal. It's pretty awsome.

Well, apparently St. Vitus will be playing with Wino at Roadburn 2009 so I'd better get in line already for when the ticket sales start in December. Unfortunately the organisers couldn't get Reagers to participate as well. They did try to get St. Vitus with both Reagers and Wino btw.

I got into these guys not too long ago and all I gotta say is that they're good. (We're talking like the last week and a 1/2 ago)

I wish I could have seen them live in Cologne, but I had to work....son of a bitch!!! God damn it!!! Just because we're bereaved doesn't make us saps!

Chances are well....there won't be another chance!!!

The new Shining is scaring me...lol

Gah! Last post in 2009?!
Come on people!! These guys rule. I love their self titled album, the vocals their style. It's just amazing.
I can't get sick of listening to these guys.

Great band! Someone knows if they are a christian band?
I read this somewhere

They're old American guys. Chances are some of them have become Christian over the years. I don't know if that's true, but that's the deal with Pentagram nowadays. I did read an interview that said they didn't want to be like Stryper but neither into that "evil" stuff like Venom. Christian members doesn't make them a "Christian band", though.

Also, Saint Vitus are probably my favorite classic doom metal band, before Candlemass comes into the picture. There's something about their sound and straightforward songwriting that appeals to me more than, say, Cathedral, Pentagram or Sabbath.

Written by IronAngel on 12.05.2011 at 11:46

They're old American guys. Chances are some of them have become Christian over the years. I don't know if that's true, but that's the deal with Pentagram nowadays. I did read an interview that said they didn't want to be like Stryper but neither into that "evil" stuff like Venom. Christian members doesn't make them a "Christian band", though.

Also, Saint Vitus are probably my favorite classic doom metal band, before Candlemass comes into the picture. There's something about their sound and straightforward songwriting that appeals to me more than, say, Cathedral, Pentagram or Sabbath.

maybe you prefer them because of their more punk hardcore slight influences and leanings?
That hardcore influence isn't too weird considering SST (label run by Greg Ginn of Black Flag) released their albums.

I'd never thought about that. Now that you mention it, I can hear some of it. I think I got into Saint Vitus before I got into hardcore punk (and its later descendants, particularly), but I guess there's something I like about the aesthetic.

I don't know the early doom giants too well, to be honest. I'm still pretty new to this, only getting into traditional doom a few years ago (apart from a few newer bands). Might be that I'll "get" Cathedral or something in the future, but Saint Vitus was something that clicked immediately.