Death Strike were an American death/thrash metal band formed by Paul Speckmann in 1983. The band's "Fuckin' Death" demo from 1985 was heavily influential in the death metal underground. The demo was also released on CD in 1991 with four additional tracks.



The band were disbanded and reformed twice before being put to its final rest with Speckmann deciding to stick with Master, the band he had formed with Bill Schmidt after they had left War Cry.



In the genre of heavy music, heavy metal just demands your attention with its raw power and pure adrenaline! Through the years, this now classic formula of loud sounds often played in minor keys for that eerie effect has morphed into several subgenres. This form of extreme metal was super-charged and turned into what is now death metal! Make no mistake; Master was a leader, right from the beginning and continues to be at the top of their game.



Master is Death Metal personified!



There are just a handful of innovators that have proven to have the sheer determination and drive to create the monumental sound of a band armed with their weapons of Master’s destruction. Paul Speckmann has been there since the very beginning of Death Metal. Through the years he has taken his presence to the nth degree! A voice of the people! Sending his messages loud and clear with constant touring and bringing his music to the world.  

Among this group of audio assassins; Paul is gearing up for the next target of annihilation; A steady requirement of endless touring, recording, and writing his view of life as seen through his eyes. Paul creates songs that are topical for an audience he admires and respects. Paul and Master continue to terrorize, obliterate, and demonstrate the need to sanctify and satisfy the audience as this entity continues to grow.



Through the early years of his career until now, Paul continues to be a pioneer in metal from the beginning of Metal music. Paul started as a founder and bassist of the popular Chicago metal band, War Cry. This band had the power to summon up fear and heaviness. War Cry influenced many other musicians in the metal genre. When the band’s musical direction started to go more commercial it was the sign that Paul needed and he made the decision to leave War Cry and create a force to share his thoughts on life and display his musical prowess. Master was born!



Paul had an over-whelming desire to take his music to a new level by becoming part of this exciting new sub-genre of Extreme Metal called Death Metal. He was there at the very start of the Death Metal genre. His band was going to be fueled with intellect and timely topics and opinions that Paul had planned as to be unique and stand out amongst the typical extreme metal topics. Master would turn out to be a different beast making cutting edge Death Metal.



There are very few entertainers that have the insight and a sarcastic attitude to pull-off Master’s version of “The Pledge of Allegiance” and turn it into a sarcastic political statement (Maybe Johnny Rotten), if you will. How about a giving the listener a lesson in the creation of not Mankind but of Master! With a take-no-prisoners, smug attitude that turns this piece into genius on the release, “On the Seventh Day God Created...Master!”



Paul Speckmann is a larger-than-life figure, an enigma that some critics tend to confuse his confidence with being ego, but sometimes there’s a fine line that separates insanity from genius. Always making the songs and the delivery monstrous since the very beginning of Master, Paul Speckmann is a proven influence in a category of music that he helped define in the early stages of Death Metal and he continues to do even today as he does larger tours, playing in more cities, and to more people.



Paul Speckmann has become a seasoned metal veteran from all the numerous releases he and all the performances completed. For Master and Paul Speckmann, this artistic freedom is not taken lightly. The listener gives him the platform to expound his theory of life, death, and all the challenges you go through in-between these two events here on Earth!



When Paul Speckmann delivers his lyrics, he delivers it with the pain he speaks of. This world we live in isn’t a pretty place and Master is here to remind you of that fact. They deal in reality not dreams. You want a better life - fight for it!  Master has led the pack and will never look back. The eighth wonder of the world could very well be Master!