Austrian Death Machine | |
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Background information | |
Origin | San Diego, California |
Genres | Thrash metal, parody music |
Years active | 2008–2014 (on hiatus) |
Labels | Metal Blade, Artery |
Associated acts | As I Lay Dying, Destroy the Runner, Count Your Curses, Death by Stereo, Job for a Cowboy, Sworn Enemy, Dååth |
Website | austriandeathmachine |
Members |
Tim Lambesis Ahhnold (Chad Ackerman, Josh Robert Thompson) |
Austrian Death Machine is an American metal side project from San Diego, California, founded by As I Lay Dying vocalist Tim Lambesis to be a parody of and tribute to Arnold Schwarzenegger's films.
Austrian Death Machine released their first album Total Brutal on July 22, 2008. The album was dedicated to Caleb Crain on May 14, 2008 for his birthday that was two months before the scheduled release date. A few months later they released a Christmas themed EP titled A Very Brutal Christmas. After some tour support of Total Brutal, Lambesis went back on tour with As I Lay Dying. While on tour he posted on Austrian Death Machine's MySpace blog that he had ideas to follow up Total Brutal with a double disc effort titled Double Brutal stating that the first disc would be original songs where the second disc would be composed of cover songs. After returning home from tour in early Summer 2009, he went to work on Double Brutal which was released September 29, 2009.
Many in the press have pointed out that a Schwarzenegger movie-themed band concept was already being pursued by ArnoCorps, having been performing live in California and the UK beginning more than seven years prior to Lambesis' effort. Lambesis writes and records all the music playing guitar, bass, and drums as well as the majority of the vocals, leaving Destroy the Runner vocalist Chad Ackerman (portraying "Ahhhnold") to perform Schwarzenegger-like vocals. The only thing Lambesis or Ackerman do not record are the guitar solos in every song which are performed by various guitarists from other bands. Lambesis stated where As I Lay Dying "is heartfelt and full of passion" Austrian Death Machine on the other hand "is an outlet of pure testosterone and stupidity."
Despite Lambesis' May 7, 2013 arrest for attempting to hire a hitman to murder his estranged wife, it was announced in 2014, that Triple Brutal would be released on April 1, 2014, on Artery Recordings. On May 16, 2014, Lambesis was sentenced to six years in prison, with 48 days credit for time served.