Animated Dead is based out of Belleville, Illinois USA, close to the St. Louis, Mo. region. This Death Metal Trio consists of bass/vocals Spence Riggle, Drums/ Jeff Riggle and Guitar/ Rik Gieb.
The band was formed in 1990 as a quartet and released their first demo “Animation of the Dead” in 1991. They sold 400 copies of this self release within a year. Animated played throughout the Midwest and built a strong fanbase in the metal underground and open for such acts as: Death, Gorefest and many others.
In 1994 the band parted ways due to line up changes and musical differences. In 2001 founding members Spence Riggle and Rik Geib reanimated the band adding new drummer Jeff Riggle and x-Cicatrix guitarist Chris Beneke. With a new solid line up the band started writing new material and reconstructing the old songs .
In 2002 they hit the studio and released 5 song demo “Blasphemous Grinding Bliss”. Following in 2003 the band released “ Live of the Dead” this self-release catches the fury of the band live, including 10 brutal tracks of raw intensity.
In June of 2003 guitarist Chris Beneke parted ways to pursue other projects. The band remained a 3 piece and started working on new material. With the band more focused and tighter on this line up , They entered Red Light Studio’s in St Louis, Mo. in December to record a 4 song demo “ Dead to the Followers’, Which was released on 4-10-04
The demo included tracks: Bloodborn, Parasitic, Breed of Suffering and Dead to the Followers. This release offers the best recording they have done to date .
Animated is currently playing shows throughout the Midwest and looking for some label support.
The music of Animated Dead offers intense grinding death metal with a taste of thrash and old school death metal. With influences ranging from : Morbid Angel, Suffocation, Possessed, Slayer, Disrupt, Assuck, Bloodfeast and Sodom.
