Brutal Truth to Call It Quits as Dan Lilker Announces Retirement

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Jan 10, 2014

New York metal icon Dan Lilker delivered a double bummer to the metal world today (January 10) by announcing he will be retiring from being a full-time recording and touring musician, effectively bringing the end to his long-running grind project Brutal Truth.

A statement from the bassist was delivered through the band's Facebook, wherein he laid out plans to halt full-time duties on October 18, which marks his 50th birthday. Lilker credits the "rigors of touring" being a major part in his decision.

"As a lot of you know, I've been an active member of the metal scene since the early 80s with the thrash metal bands I've been in before the formation of Brutal Truth in 1990, and I'm simply just tired of the rigors of touring mostly," he wrote. "Unlike some of my peers from the 80's who went on to sell millions of records I have always been drawn to extreme underground metal. I don't care about staying in 5 star hotels and having a big cushy tour bus but I am getting tired of squeezing into a van for 8 hours after all these years on the road. I have always played what I believe in and that is been priority #1, but the time has come to have a little bit more stability in my life."

Lilker noted that this means Brutal Truth will be on and off the road until the fall, but the band will cease to exist on his birthday. He added: "I do realize that will be an extreme disappointment to all the grind freaks out there that have supported this band so rabidly all these years, and your enthusiasm will always have a special place in my heart, but I've made my decision, and I hope everyone can respect that."

This isn't the first time Brutal Truth have been put to pasture, though, with the band previously calling it quits in 1999 before reuniting in 2006. The group's last official release was their 2013 The Axiom of Post-Humanity split with Bastard Noise.

Lilker won't stop making music entirely, though, noting that he will still be playing with his Rochester-based bands Nokturnal Hellstorm and Blurring, and allowing that he may do the occasional mini-road trip.

Lilker's career stretches back to the early '80s, when he was a founding member of Big Four greats Anthrax. With them, he co-wrote and played bass on their 1984 debut LP Fistful of Metal before exiting the project. Other acts Lilker played with include Nuclear Assault, Stormtroopers of Death (which also featured Anthrax's Scott Ian and Charlie Benate), Exit-13 and the Ravenous.

 

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