Mitch Lucker

Mitchell Adam Lucker (October 20, 1984 – November 1, 2012) was an American musician best known as the lead vocalist for the deathcore band Suicide Silence.

Personal life Mitchell Lucker was born in Riverside, California, to his mother who was a doctor, and father who worked as a prison guard, whom divorced during his youth. Lucker was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, and developed a phobia of germs at an early age. Due to this Lucker would often fist pump fans instead of shaking their hands. He once stated in an interview with Revolver Magazine "I knew something was up when I started spending all day long in my room making sure all my fucking G.I. Joes were standing in my cabinet." Lucker was first introduced to heavy metal by his father who bought him and his brother Cliff a Sepultura cassette, and brought them to Metallica, and Black Sabbath concerts.

Career Lucker didn’t begin singing until he was 16 when his brother who played guitar, invited him to step to sing a Hatebreed song he was playing with some friends. This led to him performing music in 2000 with the band Breakaway, which would later become the Corona local metalcore band Dying Dreams. Dying Dreams featured Lucker on vocals and his brother Cliff on guitar, along with later Suicide Silence bandmates Josh Tufano on second guitar and Mike Olheiser on bass. Around a year before Dying Dreams broke up, Mitch Lucker was inducted into Suicide Silence when the band was still deemed a side-project. Originally, the band had two vocalists, with Lucker signing alongside Tanner Womack. However, Womack was eventually dismissed, leading to Lucker becoming the sole vocalist.

Influences In an interview with The AU Interview, he said the bands that influenced him into starting a band were "Korn, Deftones, Slayer, Slipknot, Sepultura, Pantera, Black Sabbath, Dio, Nirvana, Van Halen, Cannibal Corpse, Death... everything that my dad would buy and bring home to me and my brother saying 'Hey, listen to this.'"

Tattoos

Lucker was known for his extensive collection of tattoos on his body covering his arms, torso, neck/throat, hands, fingers, and face. The only place he refused to get tattooed was his back: "I like seeing the artwork because it is artwork! [Having my back tattooed would] be like owning an expensive painting that you can never see. Like, 'Oh, I have this beautiful, expensive painting, but you can't see it because it's at my uncle's house.'"

Accident and death On October 31, 2012, Lucker was riding his motorcycle in Huntington Beach when he struck a light pole. Lucker was flung from his motorcycle and sustained serious injuries. He was taken to a local hospital where doctors performed surgery on him for 8 hours.

On November 1, 2012, Lucker was pronounced dead at 6:17 AM. Local police stated that he died as the result of a motorcycle accident. He was likely under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. That night a candlelight vigil was held in memory of Lucker at the crash site.

Discography

With Suicide Silence Suicide Silence (2005) The Cleansing (2007) No Time to Bleed (2009) The Black Crown (2011) You Can't Stop Me (2014) (writing credits on two tracks)

With Dying Dreams Demo (2003)

With Commissioner What Is? (2011)

Collaborations Year Song Album Artist 2006 "Predator; Never Prey" (feat. Mitch Lucker) The Dead Walk The Acacia Strain 2009 "Classic Struggle" (feat. Mitch Lucker) The Great Stone War Winds of Plague 2011 "The Sinatra" (feat. Mitch Lucker) My My Misfire EP My My Misfire2012 "We Are the Many" (feat. Mitch Lucker, Marcus Bischoff & Benny Richter) I Am Nemesis Caliban "Spit Vitriol" (feat. Mitch Lucker) The Devil's Messenger The Devastated