Bonfire have announced the death of their former drummer Edgar Patrik, who played with the German band between 1987 and 1994. Metal Archives dates his death to 10 October and gives Vienna as his place of birth.
His record goes back further than that. Patrik drummed on Sinner's first two albums, Wild 'n' Evil in 1982 and Fast Decision in 1983, when the band were a young German heavy metal act rather than the long running concern they became. He spent the middle of the decade with Tyran' Pace, playing on Eye to Eye in 1984 and Long Live Metal the year after, and was in the British band Samson in 1985, with a session credit on Joint Forces in 1986.
With Bonfire he appeared on Point Blank in 1989 and Knock Out in 1991, on the singles either side of them, and on the 1993 live record Live...The Best. Seven years in one band is a long stay for a drummer whose earlier work had moved every two or three.
Metal Storm carried the announcement, which Bonfire made themselves. Neither the band nor any outlet has given a cause.