Lou Koller — founding vocalist of Sick of It All and one in every of New York Hardcore’s strongest, most identifiable voices — has handed away following a chronic battle with most cancers. He was 59 years previous.
Information of Koller’s passing was confirmed by his bandmates immediately (July twenty fourth) in an Instagram publish.
“It’s with unbelievable unhappiness that we announce to our worldwide hardcore household the passing of our brother Lou Koller. The extent of loss that we really feel presently is overwhelming,” they wrote.
“This 12 months would have marked Sick of it All’s fortieth anniversary as a band, and Lou’s camaraderie, dedication and enthusiasm had been all the time steadfast all through the years. We’ve misplaced a beloved good friend and an iconic frontman. Lou had the ability to boost everybody’s spirits at our reveals with a smile and a sarcastic remark, and he received individuals over wherever we performed, from each tradition and each nook of the world.”
Koller had first introduced he’d acquired an esophageal most cancers analysis in the summertime of 2024, which led the act to cancel a European tour so their vocalist might bear therapy. The group rallied behind Koller, elevating funds for the hardcore musician at a profit live performance later that 12 months.
By Could of 2025, the vocalist had revealed that he’d undergone a ultimate spherical of chemo therapy and was pronounced most cancers free. Sadly, a couple of months later he revealed that the most cancers had returned.
“Right now of intense grief, we should once more acknowledge the nice assist and assist provided by everybody who donated to Lou’s medical fund,” the band added. “You all helped Lou really feel very particular and really liked as he battled away these final two years. His battle is over now and he can lastly relaxation. Hopefully he can someway nonetheless see and really feel the gorgeous, constructive mark he left on the world.”
Koller was born and raised in Queens, and commenced Sick of It All with brother and guitarist Pete Koller in 1986. The band would launch a 7-inch by way of Revelation Information in 1987, and lots of of these songs had been later re-recorded for the band’s 1989 full-length debut, Blood, Sweat and No Tears.
Koller would go on to ship tremendous scratchy, typically intimidating, generally melodic, and all the time fiercely-delivered vocals throughout landmark releases like Simply Look Round and their main label debut, 1994’s Scratch the Floor. All informed, he made 12 full-length albums with SOIA, the final of which being 2018’s Wake the Sleeping Dragon!
His stamp on hardcore and heavy music ran effectively past this, his identifiable roar popping by gang vocal sections and visitor spots with the likes of Gorilla Biscuits, Civ, Ensign, the Haunted and extra. He additionally delivered vocals for industrial supergroup Blood from the Soul’s 1993 debut, To Spite the Gland That Breeds.
Sick of It All’s years of touring linked them deeply to a lot of bands within the hardcore, punk and metallic scenes. Beneath SOIA’s tributary publish to their fallen brother and bandmate, condolences had been made by members of Knocked Unfastened, Anthrax, Voodoo Glow Skulls, the Ramones, Harms Approach, American Nightmare, Thursday, Fishbone, Strife and numerous extra.
Revolver sends our deepest condolences to Koller’s household, associates and followers.
