Metal Guitarist Andrew LaBarre Dies From ALS

Guitarist Andrew LaBarre, who played in Oakland metal band Impaled, has died. Metal Injection reports that Lebarre was 43 years old. Impaled revealed the sad news in a social media post, sharing that LeBarre died after living with Lou Gehrig’s disease (also known as ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). The guitarist also played in Ghoul, a thrash metal band also featuring Implaed members Sean McGrath and Ross Sewage.

“Impaled is saddened to hear that our former guitarist and vocalist Andrew LaBarre has passed away from ALS,” the band wrote. “He was an incredibly gifted guitarist, composer, and recording engineer, and an all around nice guy. His contributions to Impaled during the Mondo Medicale era of the band were enormous and helped shape what we do musically in ways that have lasted to this day. He will be sorely missed.” LaBarre played in Impaled from 2001 until 2004 — going by the moniker Immoral Surgeon — and with Ghoul between 2001 and 2003.

During LaBarre’s time in Impaled, the band release Mondo Medicale (2002), an brutal death metal album widely regarded by fans and critics alike. While he was in Ghoul, LaBarre contributed to two more albums: We Came for the Dead!!! (2002) and Maniaxe (2003). In 2018. LeBarre did an interview with Invisible Oranges, LaBarre and shared that lost his passion for playing guitar and shifted his focus over to competitive cycling.

“Well, I got super into bicycling…I just got super into competitive bike racing and that’s just how I am,” he explained. “It’s one thing, full focus, and I don’t have a variety of hobbies, it’s just one thing that I do. So with the music… I was just in a weird place where I didn’t know what I wanted to play. I lost some sort of creative spark thing that now just comes randomly. I still come up with riffs but it’s not… I don’t have the edge that I had back then. There was an edge where my whole life was playing guitar and writing music. That’s all I did, really.”

The new of LeBarre’s death has had fans mourning, with one taking to Impaled’s Facebook post to write, “Rest in Power, Andrew. Mondo Medicale has been in my car’s CD player for five years because it’s perfect pre-gym hype music. Grateful for his contribution to music and my condolences to his friends and loved ones.” Someone else added, “That’s extremely sad news. His vocals on Mondo are fantastic! I was just looking at my Prevail CD last night too. RIP Andrew.”