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Editorials

DECAPITATED WILL CONTINUE – BUT IS THAT A GOOD THING?

 Monday, March 9th, 2009 at 9:56am by

It’s hard to believe it’s been over a year since the tragic car accident that killed 23 year old Decapitated drummer Vitek and injured vocalist Covan so badly injured that he’s still recovering; the announcement a mere week after the accident that the band was signing with Nuclear Blast was cause for optimism that once Covan had fully recovered the band would continue, but here we are after all there this time and there hasn’t been any real news.

Well, apparently the band’s sole remaining member, Waclaw “Vogg” Kieltyka, is going to continue with Decapitated come hell or high water. Lambgoat reports that he’s looking for new members to rebuild Decapitated:

“I was thinking about that for a long time and it’s really hard decision for me, but I have decided to continue this band and keep Decapitated alive. I know it will be not the same anymore but I want to try and I’m sure Witek and Covan will support me and will be happy about that.

“So I want to say that if anybody from drummers and vocalists feel that they can continue what Witek and Covan did and put all power, energy and live time for this band, contact me – decapitatedband@gmail.com

“Everyone who is interested, please prepare this tracks: “Day 69″, “Post Organic”, “Invisible Control”, “Long Desired Dementia”, and send it as audio/video format.”

I understand Vogg’s desire to continue on, and I understand that it’s probably easier for him to get people to pay attention to any new projects as long as they fall under the Decapitated name; and, certainly, the hardships Vogg must have endured these past many months makes it difficult to begrudge him any chance of future success.

But I do have to wonder about the wisdom of continuing on under the Decapitated name. Ultimately, this is going to be an almost entirely new band, and given the circumstances under which the old band seems to have dissolved, I’m just not convinced Vogg wouldn’t be better off just starting a new band.

Think of it this way: if Kirk Hammett and Lars Ulrich had also either died or been rendered unable to play following the bus accident that killed Cliff Burton, would it have been right for James Hetfield to soldier on with the Metallica moniker? It’s one thing to keep a band name long after the original line-up is gone if everyone quit or was fired (see: Megadeth, Napalm Death, etc.), but when death and serious injury come into the picture… I dunno. Philopsophically and ethically, it seems like a much stickier situation to me.

My fellow Decapitated fans, I leave it you to weigh in.

-AR

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  • ceth

    I’m with you, if it had been a natural progression of members being fired and leaving it would be a different story but to have had one guy completely die and one so messed up he is still recovering a year later and you are the only one left….Try it out with a new name. Just my opinion. If it was a 5 piece band and there were still 3 original members left or something like that i could see sticking with it but this situation it just almost seems kinda scummy.

  • http://www.conorschaefer.com/blog/ Conor

    Mental experiment: I marry the girl I love, we have a kid together, and agree that the kid’s last name will be hyphenated (that is, comprised of both my and my wife’s last names). A week after the birth, my wife dies. She can’t raise the kid, because she’s dead.

    Should I rename the child only to have my last name?

  • bearbomb

    Okay, what about Alice In Chains? Is it right for them to carry on without Layne? I say yes for these reasons; I saw them live with Duvall and the dude sounds great, not exactly like Layne but way closer than I expected. Jerry Cantrell writes and has written a good chunk of the songs and also handles a good chunk of vocal duties. Even when Layne was still alive one could argue that it was essentially Jerry Cantrell’s band, not that ownership needs to be granted to any one particular band member. Granted (like Cliff Burton) Layne was only one man, but he was arguably the most important member at the time. So where are the remaining band members supposed to draw the line? If Decapitated recruits 2 guys to sound exactly the same, is it okay then? Does it matter who’s doing the grunt work as far as writing and/or composing the bands songs? Or does simply more time need to pass and wounds heal before it’s okay to carry on with the same name? Definitely a tough subject, in some ways I feel just as bad for the remaining members that have to make the decision. I guess as fans we can only hope they make the right one.

  • poooooooo

    answer to the question above- WHO CARES?

    look, there shouldnt be any rule to what happens to a band after founding members leave or die. Now, if they leave, thats there choice and they ABANDONED the name.Max Cavalera left, and people still think the ‘new’ sepultura should change there name. But max LEFFFFT!!!! If they die, i guess the choice is left to the other members, in my eyes.

  • Blackthorned

    If he’s got the approval of the other two then it’s their band, their decision to let him take the name forwards. I’m just surprised they approve.

  • Nigel

    I don’t know honestly, my first reaction was along the lines of “That’s kinda messed up”, mainly because from his statement he said he “was sure they would support him”. It seemed like he did not even ask Covan or get his opinion.

    I mean I would be furious if I was injured and found out my band mates decided to continue without even talking to me first, especially if it was one I had such a huge part in.

    If Covan supports him in this then he should go for it and wave that Decapitated flag high.

  • Jason

    Vogg has been doing Decapitated since he was 15. It’s all he knows for crissakes. He also has written the bulk of the material for the band. He deserves to do whatever he wants with it and we have deserve to listen to it or not.

  • Jason

    ^^^ omit “have”

  • jonowev

    Vogg deserves out total support in my opinion. Long live one of the best fucking death metal bands of all time.

  • iolanach

    “Think of it this way: if Kirk Hammett and Lars Ulrich had also either died or been rendered unable to play following the bus accident that killed Cliff Burton,”

    Dare to dream.

    Dare to dream.

  • http://www.myspace.com/fatherofthelie The Soundchaser

    The best for him to do is to rename the new band. It’s great that he wants to continue, but it seems kinda ugly that he wants to continue under the Decapitated moniker.

    Long Live VITEK

  • seveword

    It’s his band, through and through. As long as the remaining members give him their blessing, he can put out whatever he wants. It’ll be tough to find a drummer of Vitek’s caliber, but there are 6.5 billion people on this planet, and one of them has to be decent enough.

  • http://www.masterful-magazine.com/ Choronzon

    Vogg should get the drummer from Yattering, he’s amazing and up to skill level of Vitek.

  • DCPTTD

    @Nigel
    It’s hard to ask Covan cause he’s still in coma. Vitek deserves support in my opinion too. Decapitated is the best death metal band in my country and I wish him luck.

  • pdf

    I fucking LOVE Decapitated, and think they improved with every album – the final disc (to date) was amazing. And a HUGE amount of that was due to Vitek; not only an amazingly skilled drummer, but genuinely unique within the technical death metal genre. I don’t think anything Vogg could build with new members would improve the legacy of the first four Decapitated albums; I think he should leave the name alone and move on. His name would attract plenty of people to his next project; I know I’m eager to hear what he does within Vader.

  • joshc

    this band was always about vogg and vitek, with vogg doing the vast majority of the writing and arranging. sure the drummer will change things some, there are drummers who can play as well but he had a style that was part of what drew me to them. bottom line though, decapitated is voggs baby, he’ll do as he damn well pleases and he has every right to. i cant wait to hear it.

  • Vikingfromhell890

    I commend Vogg for trying to continue Decapitated but let’s get real.

  • syclonus

    He isn’t obligated to drop the name, and I think he might know better than most of us what Vitek and Covan might have wanted, but I think it would be better for him to drop the name. The cloud of losing Vitek and Covan’s situation will always hang over the Decpaitated name, and he will probably get better reception in the musical community if he drops hte name (after all, there’s no one else left in the band).

  • raiseyerfists

    I don’t blame him for wanting to carry on – I feel like Vader is the Peter show, and this guy is way too talented to play second fiddle full time. As for carrying on with the same name…I dunno. Vitek was his brother and a huge part of their sound. Don’t know if it’s gonna sound like Decapitated without him. Kinda like Vader without Doc…still good, but he was so fucking mighty ain’t nobody can replace him.

  • Malacoda

    I heard about this on myspace, and was not sure about Covan’s status. Does anyone know his current condition?

    Anyways, I don’t think Decapitated will be the same. I don’t want to see the band just die, but in a way, without Covan and Vitek, it has. Best of luck to Vogg.

  • bombs away

    really depressing to have to discuss something like this, an amazing young band, and shit like this has to happen to them…from what I know Vogg and co. have been in this band since their teens, and I don’t think it’s fair to take the Decapitated name and fame and amazing collection of music away from him. However, I must agree that until Covan’s medical status improves to the point where he can decide whether or not to carry on his duties as vocalist, that the vocalist Vogg finds only be named as a fill-in, as a sub. Hope they do get back together though!

  • LilalCFH

    What would all of you think if Sauron and Martin came back?

  • Patton

    Well Covan is still in a coma, however he’s getting better with every day (slowly but forward!). But even if he’s ever going to wake up its gonna be one hell of a ride before he’ll be able to perform again. I wish them the best of luck!

  • Self-Titled

    Yea, he should prolly start a new band. I mean, its not Decapitated. Sometimes other bands still got one member from original line up say like Dying Fetus, thats because he is Dying Fetus. Different scenarios. Very very sad all around tho. That band was the fuckin shit. I say good luck to all members.

  • http://meltingpointradio.blogspot.com Yuletide

    I think its all about songwriting… for decapitated losing their drummer will be the hardest part since it was such a signature element of their sound, but I don’t think anyone will miss the missing vox. What made/makes the band is the RIFFS! So as long as those are there…

  • http://www.masterful-magazine.com/ Choronzon

    @LilalCFH:
    I doubt Martin and/or Sauron will be rejoining. Sauron is involved with Masachist and Martin apparently lives in Los Angeles these days. But one is allowed to hope, I suppose.

  • Denicide

    I would be one to hope Martin and Sauron rejoin. Maybe considering the facts they would to live on in the name of the great Decapitated. Obviously like a couple have stated, Vogg would be the most knowledgeable of us all of what Vitek and Covan would of wanted. I don’t think Vogg would be creating a bad deed by carrying on business under the name Decapitated, maybe he wants to keep it to recognize his brothers and pay tribute to them in that sort of way.

    Not sure, either way my support will be enormous if Decapitated continues.