Australian musician Steve Rowe formed Mortification in 1990 in Melbourne’s Moorabbin suburb, initially recording the demo Break the Curse. The band’s self‑titled debut Mortification (1991) established their aggressive sound, leading to a contract with Nuclear Blast in 1992. Subsequent releases—Blood World (1994), EnVision EvAngelene (1996), Triumph Of Mercy (1998), Hammer Of God (1999) and The Silver Cord Is Severed (2001)—brought commercial success. After a 1996 leukaemia diagnosis and 18‑month recovery, he continued to record, releasing The Evil Addiction Destroying Machine (2009) and Realm of the Skelataur (2015). Mortification toured North America, Europe and worldwide, becoming an influence in Christian extreme metal.
