Christian Death is an American deathrock band formed in Los Angeles County, California, in 1979 by Rozz Williams. Williams was eventually joined by guitarist Rikk Agnew of the band Adolescents, with James McGearty on bass guitar and George Belanger on drums. This lineup was responsible for producing the band's best-known work, their 1982 debut album Only Theatre of Pain, which was highly influential in the development of the style of music known as death rock as well as the American gothic scene. During this time legendary L.A. punk rock photographer Edward Colver befriended the band and shot Christian Death at a dozen of the band's concerts in the Los Angeles area during a six-month period in 1981 and 1982, as well as photographing Rozz at his family home with the band which was later used for the back cover of Only Theatre of Pain, and a session of iconic images at a cemetery in Pomona. Cult Epics founder and friend of Rozz Williams, Nico B edited an oversized (12x12”) hardcover book of Ed's photos capturing those rare and never-before-seen moments, as well as the story of early Christian Death as told by Edward Colver, surviving band members and others through new, exclusive interviews. "Only Theatre of Pain's influence should not be underestimated" -- Record Collector "A depraved masterpiece, this was punk rock made poetic, subversive, and gracefully savage." -- AV Club "Gothic album to out-gothic all others" -- Melody Maker "Artist that have been inspired by Christian Death include Danzig, Craddle of Filth, Paradise Lost, Korn, Type O negative, Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson and Jane’s Addiction." -- Wikipedia Edward Colver  is an American photographer, best known for his early punk rock photographs. Colver not only created a visual document of the birth of the hardcore punk in suburban Southern California from late 1978 to mid-1984, but also he greatly helped in defining the photography style and graphic identity of the American hardcore punk movement. He was in the right place at the right time, his early work is an authentic self-portrait of the Southern California hardcore punk scene in its golden years. EDWARD COLVER INTERVIEW Nico B: How did you start out in photography? Edward Colver: I had an old friend come by who brought a 35mm camera, and we took some photographs around the yard and in my room. I’d never had an experience with one, and not too long afterwards I got ahold of a really cheap 35mm. It was a Yashica Rangefinder. I started going to punk shows, in late 1978 and taking photographs at that time. NB: What was the first band you shot? EC: I shot the Motels. It was the first live act I photographed ― in 1978, it was before their album came out. I liked their first record. They were dark and kind of moody, a cool band. NB: What got you interested in shooting punk rock? EC: It was kind of a fluke. I saw a news story on what was going on in the L.A. music scene. And I thought, “That looks pretty interesting.” I went and checked it out and got hooked right away. I started going to see bands in the mid-1960s. In the early 1970s, I stopped going out pretty much until 1978. NB: How did you find out about Christian Death? EC: I knew of the band and the guys because Rikk joined them, and I knew Rikk from the Adolescents and D.I. and the Detours. Their shows were so amazing, electric. They were really great. NB: What about the Germs? It seems Rozz was very much into them and Darby Crash. EC: I never knew that Rozz was into Darby Crash, I never heard him talk about him. I photographed the Germs and the Darby Crash Band, both. They were like a wild punk rock band. Don [Bolles] was in the Germs and 45 Grave and Vox Pop. NB: What was the difference for you between Christian Death and all these other punk bands you would go see? EC: They weren’t punk, but Rikk came from punk. They played at punk venues and with punk bands, but they were totally something different. The beginning of death rock. NB: Was Christian Death the band you photographed most? EC: I photographed some other bands probably more, the Dead Kennedys and Black Flag, but some of them were around longer. I saw more of their shows than Christian Death ― they didn’t play that much. I was friends with the guys in Christian Death, I hung out with them, they called me the fifth member. George and I became fast friends immediately when we met. He is still my best friend. NB: So how did the Only Theatre of Pain session photos come about? You shot only George, and Thom Wilson [producer] is in the background. EC: I was just hanging out while they were tracking OTOP. George had wanted me