Amen (sometimes all-capitalised to AMEN) is a cross-genre hard rock band mainly taking influence from heavy metal music and 1980s punk rock. They have had a number of different band members, with lead vocalist Casey Chaos the only surviving member of the original lineup. They hae been voted "Overall Best Band in the World" and "Best Live Band in the World" by readers of Metal Hammer Magazine. Like iconic industrial rockers Nine Inch Nails, the band's music and lyrics are written entirely by the frontman, who also performs all instruments for studio recordings.
Early recordings were created ca. 1994 by Casey Chaos in the basement of his Los Angeles home, playing each instrument himself and using the name Amen to release the subsequent EP. Chaos later met Paul Figueroa through the LA music scene, and they formed a partnership. In the following months and years, the band expanded to include drummer Shannon Larkin, guitarist Sonny Mayo and bassist John Fahnestock, and they were signed to metal label Roadrunner Records.
Following the release of their epnoymous album, produced by Ross Robinson, the band were set to tour Europe in December of 1999. This did not happen, with the band blaming a last-minute withdrawal of funding shortly prior to departure. Following this incident, Amen and Roadrunner went their separate ways. Subsequently several band members left, accompanied by a percieved drop in popularity. Chaos was helped out by friend Daron Malakian, whom he had met while both Amen and Malakian's band System of a Down were touring Australia as part of the Big Day Out music festival. Amen were the first band signed to Malakian's EatUrMusic label, and their subsequent release, Death Before Musick, was regarded as being a mild commercial success.
The 2005 tour supporting the album Death Before Musick was postponed when Chaos was rushed into hospital. Apparently against medical advice the tour was restarted a couple of months late.