EARLY GRAVES Involved In Deadly Van Crash

August 2, 2010

According to Medford, Oregon's KTVL.com, a van carrying nine members of two California-based "death metal" bands lost control crashed on Interstate 5 in Central Point when the driver fell asleep, killing one passenger and injuring two others just after 5:30 a.m. Monday.

Photos of crash scene:

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Oregon State Police say the van, pulling a trailer, was carrying the two bands to California when it crashed in the southbound lane between the Central Point and Blackwell Road exits.

According to OregonLive.com, the man who died was identified as Makh Daniels, lead singer for the San Francisco death metal band EARLY GRAVES. Daniels, 28, from Pacifica, California, was one of five members of the band; the other four-member band traveling in the van was identified as THE FUNERAL PYRE from La Habra, California.

Lt. Gregg Hastings, a spokesman for the Oregon State Police, said there were nine people in the 2003 Chevrolet van when the driver, 24-year-old Justin Garcia of Fresno, apparently fell asleep at 5:30 a.m. The van left the freeway and then rolled in a grassy area on the southbound lanes near milepost 34.

Some of the men in the van were wearing seat belts, Hastings said. Daniels, who was in the van's cargo area and not wearing a seat belt, was ejected and died at the scene.

EARLY GRAVES' sophomore album, "Goner", was released on June 22 via Ironclad/Metal Blade Records. The follow-up to 2008's "We: The Guillotine" was recorded at Louder Studios (MELVINS, WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, SAVIOURS) by Tim Green (THE FUCKING CHAMPS, NATION OF ULYSSES) and mastered by John Golden at Golden Mastering. The artwork was created by Nat Damm Design (MONOTONIX, AKIMBO, THE FUCKING WRATH).

"Goner" is described in a press release as "a ragged, pissed off amalgamation of heavy self-medication, year-long blackouts and all the depression of an a thousand-yard stare. . . Combining the best elements of HELLACOPTERS/TURBONEGRO rock n' roll with BLACK FLAG- and BAD BRAINS-inspired hardcore with a crushing balance of both MORBID ANGEL's heaviness and the raw intensity of power violence pioneers DROPDEAD and MASSKONTROLL, EARLY GRAVES have set the bar for complete, unhinged self destruction."

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