R.I.P. Richard Brunelle, former Morbid Angel guitarist dies at 55

Richard Brunelle, former guitarist for demise steel legends Morbid Angel, has handed away on the age of 55. No quick reason for demise has been revealed.

The guitarist was a member of Morbid Angel through the band’s adolescence, from 1985 via 1992. He appeared on the band’s early albums, together with the genre-pioneering 1989 debut Altars of Insanity and 1991’s Blessed Are the Sick. He additionally performed on the early demo Abominations of Desolation, which was recorded in 1986 however formally launched in 1991.

Brunelle handed away on Monday, September 23rd, however his demise wasn’t extensively publicized till late within the week. In accordance with Blabbermouth, his sister-in-law wrote on Fb, “This devastating put up is on the request of my husband and his mom. It’s with deep remorse and sorrow that we inform Richie’s pals and followers that he handed away… Relaxation in peace, Richie. You have been so cherished and will probably be endlessly missed.”

Upon studying of Brunelle’s demise, his former bandmates paid tribute to the guitarist. Early Morbid Angel drummer Mike Browning wrote the next on Fb:

“I’m past devastated and shocked about Richard Brunelle passing away on Monday. As of proper now I solely know that it occurred on Monday and I had talked to him simply this month. … I had all the time hoped that at some point Richard, Trey [Azagthoth] and I’d no less than get collectively yet another time to jam, even when it was solely within the again room of my home, it was then and nonetheless would have been pure Magick! Please don’t ask me what occurred as a result of I solely know what everybody else is aware of proper now.”

One other of the band’s former drummers, Pete Sandoval, wrote, “That is actually unhappy! So many nice reminiscences we shared collectively that I’ll always remember, hope and need you’re in a greater place.”

Brunelle returned to Morbid Angel in 1994 and 1998 to assist out with stay dates, however by no means appeared on one other album. He went on to kind the band Paths of Possession in 1999, however left earlier than they have been signed to Steel Blade Information.

For a lot of the 2000s, Brunelle battled drug dependancy, touchdown him in jail on quite a few events. Final yr, he tried a musical comeback, launching the band Mosaic Covenants.