90s rock star Casey Chaos dies aged 59-Ruth Lawes-Entertainment – Metro

Tributes have been paid after the death of Amen frontman Casey Chaos (Picture: Mick Hutson/Redferns)

90s rock star Casey Chaos, best known as the lead singer of Amen, has died aged 59.

His death was confirmed by the founder of Cleopatra Records Brian Perera on Instagram. No cause of death was given.

Perera wrote: ‘With heartfelt sadness, I extend my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Casey Chaos

‘I had the privilege of working with Casey during his unforgettable live performance with Christian Death at the American Legion Hall back in 1993.

‘Walking into the hall with my good friend Matt Green and my wife, Yvonne, was an experience I’ll never forget—especially seeing Nicolas Cage sitting front-row centre, completely captivated.’

He added: ‘Casey wasn’t just an extraordinary musician—he truly lived and breathed the lifestyle.

Chaos was best known as the lead singer of band Amen (Picture: Jo Hale/Getty Images)

‘May he rest in peace alongside Rozz Williams and the many tortured souls we admire and respect.’

On the social media site, Chaos’ loved ones and fans paid tribute, with @bretvondehl writing: ‘A visionary, a martyr for his art, an oracle for anti-capitalist fury. Casey and AMEN were everything to me growing up. A LEGEND. Rest it peace.’

@maorappelbaummastering shared: ‘I’m in shock. I am gutted. He was a friend and he was a huge music lover. He was a true definition of rock n roll. My condolences.’

@schwarzenegger_film_props added: ‘Devastating news, an absolute legend from my favourite band Amen. RIP Casey.’

Chaos was remembered as the ‘true definition of rock n roll’ (Picture: Jo Hale/Getty Images)

Chaos founded Amen in 1994 in LA after the disbanding of his previous group Disorderly Conduct.

They signed to Roadrunner Records and released their major label debut album, also called Amen.

Amen released a further two albums, We Have Come for Your Parents and Death Before Musick.

Outside of Amen, Chaos collaborated with Twiggy Ramirez and members of Queens of the Stone Age on a project called Headband, who recorded music but never released it.

Amen had more of a following in the UK than the US (Picture: Mick Hutson/Redferns)

Chaos then founded the band Scum, with black metal icons Samoth and Cosmocrator from Zyklon, Bård Faust from Emperor, and Happy Tom from Turbonegro.

Scum eventually released an album, 2005’s Gospels for the Sick, which was nominated in the metal category at Norway’s 2006 Alarm Awards.

In 2006, Chaos received a Grammy Award certificate in recognition of his participation as a songwriter on the Grammy Award-winning recording of System of a Down song B.Y.O.B.

In 2012, Chaos was arrested for allegedly driving his car into 15 parked cars in Studio City, California.

Chaos was a professional skater before coming a musician (Picture: Rune hellestad/Corbis via Getty Images)

In June 2019, he was arrested again for allegedly assaulting a woman at his Los Angeles home.

His lawyer Elon Berk previously told TMZ: ‘It’s clear that these accusations against Casey are absolutely false.

‘The house where the alleged incident occurred was full of witnesses who have all given statements to police and are willing to testify in court as to the falsity of these accusations.’

Chaos was born Karim Chmielinski in Trenton, New York. He started his career as a professional skater before becoming a musician

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