When thrash metal band Vengeance arose in Los Angeles, California in 1987, consisting of guitarist Larry Farkas, guitarist Doug Thieme, bassist Roger Dale Martin, drummer Glen Mancaruso and Roger Martinez on vocals, the group changed the face of faith-based hard music forever. That scene was saturated with glam metal bands in spandex and makeup, which was the height of popularity of metal during the early to mid-eighties.
After a name change in 1989 to Vengeance Rising and with four full-length albums and a compilation under their belt, the original members moved on after that band’s second album Once Dead (1990) was released to form the hard rock group Die Happy with Robyn Kyle Basauri, also in 1990.
We all likely know the long documented story and also more recent chatter regarding former front man Roger Martinez, there is no need to go into it any further.
Once Dead (the band) was formed in 2004, played a handful of festivals, released a DVD titled Return with a Vengeance (2005), one studio album, Visions of Hell (2008), and then years later, an EP, Ghost Tribe (2019) which featured Hand Of Fire vocalist Jim Settle.
Fast forward to 2025 and on the 40th Anniversary of Sanctuary International, and the band returns for a first ever appearance under the Vengeance name with most of the original members plus former long standing Tourniquet vocalist Luke Easter, at this year’s Immortal Fest Part 1 in July.
This is neither Luke’s nor Roger Dale Martin’s first rodeo on the stage of Immortal Fest held at the BMI Center in Versailles, Ohio, with both musicians performing with other bands: Tourniquet tribute Stop The Bleeding, and Reign Of Glory.
Other artists on the weekend of July 25th – 27th will include Deny The Fallen, Innersiege, Fear Not, Millennial Reign, Whitecross, Saint and much, much more. Tickets are now available.