Lead singer of the band Amen and professional skateboarder Casey Chaos has passed away at the age of 59.
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The news was announced by the band through their Facebook page on Dec. 21st. Along with a touching caption, the post also included photos of the late singer performing onstage.
“It is with great sadness, grief and sorrow that we confirm the passing of Casey Chaos after seeing the news currently being reported,” the post read. “As you can imagine, everyone in the band, past and present, are absolutely devastated.”
“There was a lot going on with Amen in the past 5-6 years that we didn’t announce,” the post continued. “Casey loved and appreciated your support, and always wanted to wait until things were complete, rather than sharing unfinished work-in-progress material.”
Cleopatra Records, the record label that Chaos was on, also announced his passing in an Instagram post. The caption was written by the label’s founder, Brian Perera.
“With heartfelt sadness, I extend my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Casey Chaos,” Perera wrote. “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 center, completely captivated.”
Perera continued to honor the singer saying, “Casey wasn’t just an extraordinary musician—he truly lived and breathed the lifestyle. May he rest in peace alongside Rozz Williams and the many tortured souls we admire and respect.”
Casey Chaos’ Music Career
Chaos’ real name was Karim Chmielnski. He was born on October 9, 1965 in Trenton, New York. According to NME, the singer grew up in Melbourne, Florida, and started touring professionally as a skateboarder by the age of 10.
Chaos started his first punk band in 1982, going by the name Casey and the Skate Punx. He later changed the name to Disorderly Conduct, but after moving to L.A. landed on the name Amen.
Amen released four studio albums within their time together as a band. Their 1994 debut Slave, followed by Amen in 1999, We Have Come for Your Parents in 2000, and Death Before Musick in 2004.
Chaos also played in Christian Death and black metal band Scum during his career. NME reported that Chaos was working on another album in late 2019. However, it was put on pause due to the COVID pandemic. The album was not finished.