Amen frontman, Casey Chaos, has passed away at the age of 59. Cleopatra Records CEO Brian Perera shared the news of Casey's passing. His death was later confirmed by Amen themselves. While the details surrounding his death are unknown at this time, a wave of support and love from the fans flooded social media, sharing stories with Casey.
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"It is with great sadness, grief and sorrow that we confirm the passing of Casey Chaos after seeing the news currently being reported," reads a
Facebook post by Amen. "As you can imagine, everyone in the band, past and present, are absolutely devastated."The band would say that Casey, who appreciated the fans' support, would wait to announce anything until the band had things complete, refusing to announce anything if it was unfinished or a work in progress.
"The rest of us are going to reflect on the ways we can honor Casey in the way he deserves; to have his genius, talent and heart celebrated and experienced by the world and the people who appreciated it," the post continued. "REFUSE AMEN, LONG LIVE CHAOS. Goodbye, brother."
Perera shared the news about Casey's passing, as well as many other of Casey's colleagues on social media. He described his time working with Casey Chaos as a "privilege," and he pointed out Amen's importance in metal music. "Touring with Slipknot, Coal Chamber and others, Amen were a key figure on the late 1990s metal scene," Perera wrote on Instagram. "Casey wasn't just an extraordinary musician. He truly lived and breathed the lifestyle. May he rest in peace."
Remembering Casey Chaos
With a background as a professional skater, Casey Chaos, born Karim Chmielinski in New York on October 9, 1965, began his career in music after becoming infatuated with the band Black Flag in 1982. He would then create his band, Casey and the Skate Punx, alongside guitarist Duke Decter. They would later change the band's name to Amen after they both moved to Los Angeles. He would record five studio albums with Amen along with eight EPs.
Per the band's request, a significant number of Amen fans shared their stories with Casey Chaos in a very emotional manner. "I'm not ready to write something nice yet but I'm gonna try. He was my hero. He was my friend. His music saved my life," one user wrote. "Amen was one of the first punk bands I got into, devastating loss. Thank you Casey and thank you Amen," a second user said. A third one wrote: "I could write a book of all of Casey's beautiful qualities. He was a legend and a friend to many of his fans."
