Pestilence is a Dutch Death Metal band. Formed in 1986, they developed a cult following and shifted towards Technical Death Metal with their album Testimony of the Ancients. Then in 1993, they really divided fans by releasing a Jazz Fusion and Progressive Metal album, Spheres, after which they broke up the following year. After a long period of absence, they reunited in 2008, and recorded a new album, Resurrection Macabre, returning to their Death Metal roots.
Members:
- Patrick Mameli – guitars (1986–1994, 2008–2014, 2016–present), vocals (1986–1987, 1990–1994, 2008–2014, 2016-present)
- Michiel van der Plicht – drums (2020–present)
- Roel Käller – bass (2023–present)
- Max Blok – guitars (2025–present)
Notable Past Members:
- Patrick Uterwijk – guitars (1988–1994, 2008–2014)
- Marco Foddis – drums (1986–1994)
- Randy Meinhart – guitars (1986–1989)
- Martin van Drunen – vocals, bass (1987–1990)
- Tony Choy – bass (1991–1992, 2008–2009, 2016–2017)
- Jeroen Paul Thesseling – bass (1992–1994, 2009–2012)
- Stephan Fimmers – bass (2012–2013)
- George Maier – bass (2013–2014)
- Peter Wildoer – drums (2008)
- Yuma Van Eekelen – drums (2009–2012)
- Tim Yeung – drums (2012)
- Dave Haley – drums (2012–2014)
- Santiago Dobles – guitars (2016–2017)
- Tilen Hudrap – bass (2017–2018)
- Calin Paraschiv – guitars (2017–2019)
Discography:
- Malleus Maleficarum (1988)
- Consuming Impulse (1989)
- Testimony of the Ancients (1991)
- Spheres (1993)
- Resurrection Macabre (2009)
- Doctrine (2011)
- Obsideo (2013)
- Hadeon (2018)
- Exitivm (2021)
- Levels of Perception (2024) (compilation of re-recorded songs)
- Portals (2025)
Consuming Tropes:
- Concept Album: Testimony of the Ancients
- Death Growl: Both Mameli and van Drunen use a tortured-esque death growl, with the latter being one of the first vocalists to utilize the style as well as a Trope Codifier of the style along with John Tardy (whom van Drunen has even described as his closest contemporary from their era).
- Death Metal: Along with Atheist, Nocturnus, early Cynic, and later-era Death, they were one of the early poster children for progressive death metal.
- Early-Installment Weirdness:
- Malleus Maleficarum, besides being death/thrash they would never repeat, counts as this for singer Martin van Drunen - he sings with a much more conventional harsh thrash shout than the tortured growl he is famous for doing on pretty much everything else he's ever appeared on.
- Consuming Impulse is straight death metal and lacks the technical sound more prominent on most of the band's later works.
- Greatest Hits Album: Two notable ones. Mind Reflections was released in 1994 following the band's initial breakup. In 2020, Warner released Twisted Truth which is essentially an unsanctioned release comprising of their Roadrunner Records material.
- I Am the Band: Patrick Mameli, who is also the only constant member of Pestilence.
- Metal Scream: Patrick Mameli and Martin van Drunen utilize a mixed Type 3 and 2.
- Multinational Team: Though based in the Netherlands, they have had a huge number of members from other countries and as a result are one of the most international big names in extreme metal if not metal in general. In addition to Dutch members, their lineup has had musicians from (brace yourselves) Italy, Canada, Germany, Cuba, Slovenia, Venezuela, Romania, Sweden, the United States, and Australia. Hadeon in particular has no two members from the same country playing on itnote .
- New Sound Album: Quite often:
- Consuming Impulse dropped the death/thrash sound of their debut in favor of straightforward death metal, and it also featured Martin van Drunen changing his vocal style to the distinct high-pitched tortured sound he became famous for in his future projects.
- Testimony of the Ancients had Patrick Mameli step up to vocal duties and featured more progressive elements, while Spheres was a complete dip into prog-death with prominent jazz fusion influences.
- Resurrection Macabre was a complete return to their late 80s sound but with more modern production.
- Doctrine was something of a bridge between the van Drunen era and their 90s output but with more modern tech influences, which they have more or less stuck with to this day.
- Nobody Loves the Bassist: Pestilence have had a total of eight different bassists in their career, including Martin van Drunen.
- Progressive Metal: This would become a part of Pestilence's sound beginning with Testimony of the Ancients
- With Spheres, they shifted to a more Jazz influenced Progressive Metal sound.
- Revolving Door Band: Just like Iced Earth, no two albums share a lineup. Pestilence has had over twenty members in their career.
- Thrash Metal: Started out being about as much thrash as they were death metal on Malleus Maleficarum.
