Trouble/The Skull vocalist Eric Wagner, RIP

Eric Wagner, founding vocalist of legendary doom metal band Trouble and more recently vocalist of The Skull and Blackfinger, has passed away at age 62 after being hospitalized with COVID pneumonia. His son Luke confirmed the news in a comment on The Skull’s Facebook, writing, “Hey all this is Luke Wagner his oldest son. Eric Wagner has passed away.”

Eric formed Trouble in 1979 and went on to release such classic albums as 1984’s Psalm 9 and 1985’s The Skull, both of which helped pioneer doom metal as we now know it. Eric briefly left the band in the late ’90s before returning and eventually releasing one last album with Trouble, 2007’s Simple Mind Condition, which was his final album with the band. He departed the band for good in 2008.

When Eric was out of Trouble in the ’90s, he formed Lid with Anathema’s Danny Cavanagh and released one album, 1997’s In the Mushroom. Eric released two albums each with The Skull and Blackfinger in the 2010s, and he was one of the several legendary metal vocalists featured on Dave Grohl’s Probot album in 2004.

Earlier this year, The Skull began a tour with another legendary doom band, The Obsessed, but dropped off earlier this month, citing COVID concerns.

Rest in peace, Eric. Your significant contributions to heavy metal will not be forgotten.

Some videos of Eric and tributes from others in the metal world below…