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Nick Barker
Barker in 2013
Background information
Birth name	Nicholas Howard Barker
Born	(1973-04-25) 25 April 1973 (age 51) Chesterfield, England
Genres	Death metal thrash metal black metal grindcore
Occupation	Drummer
Years active	1990–present

Nicholas Howard Barker (born 1973) is an English extreme metal drummer best known for his work in Cradle of Filth from 1993 to 1999, Dimmu Borgir from 1999 to 2004, Brujeria from 2003 to 2005 and from 2016 to 2022, and Shining from 2022 to 2023. Currently he is the drummer for Borstal, Liquid Graveyard, Twilight of the Gods, and United Forces.

Biography

Barker was born on 25 April 1973. His career started as a touring drum tech for Cancer, for whom he filled in on drums at live shows when Carl Stokes suffered an injury in 1993.

He joined Cradle of Filth as a full time member later in 1993 replacing Was Sarginson and playing on the first four albums. After leaving in 1999, he joined Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. After being removed from the line-up, Barker went on to play with Brujeria, Old Man's Child, Lock Up, Gaahl and King ov Hell, Ancient, Atrocity, Leaves' Eyes. In 2007 he recorded with Winter's Thrall, on their EP In:Through:Out.

On Dimmu Borgir's 2002 World Misanthropy video, Barker mentioned the following names as influences on his playing style: Neil Peart (Rush), Gene Hoglan (Dark Angel, Death, Strapping Young Lad), Clive Burr, Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden), Dave Lombardo (Slayer), and Pete Sandoval (Morbid Angel).

In 2011, Barker joined Los Angeles death metal band Sadistic Intent, replacing longtime drummer Emilio Marquèz.

As of 2012 Barker was drumming in United Forces, featuring two former members of Stormtroopers of Death, vocalist Billy Milano and bassist Dan Lilker, and guitarist Anton Reisenegger. Barker also joined Voices, featuring former members of Akercocke, as live drummer for their tour of the United Kingdom with Winterfylleth.

In July 2023 it was announced that Barker was battling kidney failure.

Discography

Ancient

• Back to the Land of the Dead (2016, Soulseller Records)

Borstal

• At Her Majesty's Pleasure (2021, Rucktion Records/4 Family Records)

Brujeria

• Brujerizmo (2000, Roadrunner Records)
• Pocho Aztlan (2016, Nuclear Blast)
• Esto es Brujeria (2023, Nuclear Blast)

Cradle of Filth

• The Principle of Evil Made Flesh (1994, Cacophonous Records)
• V Empire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein (1996, Cacophonous Records)
• Dusk... and Her Embrace (1996, Music for Nations)
• Cruelty and the Beast (1998, Music for Nations)
• From the Cradle to Enslave (1999, Music for Nations) (only on the Funeral in Carpathia re-recording)

Dimmu Borgir

• Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (2001, Nuclear Blast)
• Alive in Torment EP (2002, Nuclear Blast)
• World Misanthropy EP (2002, Nuclear Blast)
• World Misanthropy DVD (2002, Nuclear Blast)
• Death Cult Armageddon (2003, Nuclear Blast)

Liquid Graveyard

• By Nature So Perverse LP & CD (2016, Sleaszy Rider Records/Season Of Mist)

Lock Up

• Pleasures Pave Sewers (1999, Nuclear Blaster)
• Hate Breeds Suffering (2002, Nuclear Blast)
• Play Fast Or Die (2004, Toy Factory)
• Necropolis Transparent (2011, Nuclear Blast)
• Demonization (2017, Listenable Records)

Monolith

• Sleep with the Dead 7" (1992, Cacophonous Records)
• Tales of the Macabre (1993, Vinyl Solution)

Noctis Imperium

• Glorification of Evil: The Age Of The Golden Dawn LP (2008, Ariah Records)

Obskkvlt

• Blackarhats (2019, Nooirax Producciones)

Old Man's Child

• In Defiance of Existence (2003, Century Media Records)

Shining

• Shining (2023, Napalm Records)

Twilight of the Gods

• Fire on the Mountain (2013, Season Of Mist)

Winter's Thrall

• In:Through:Out EP (2007, self-released)

Live / session

• Borknagar – live drums 1999
• Nightrage – live drums 2004
• Anaal Nathrakh – live drums 2004
• God Seed – live drums 2007 and 2008
• Gorgoroth – live drums 2008
• Testament – live drums 2007
• Symbolic Death Tribute Band – recording of the DVD – live drums on 12 December 2007
• Divine Heresy – session drums 2008 'Bleed the Fifth'
• Noctis Imperium – session drums 2008 'Glorification of Evil: The Age Of The Golden Dawn'
• Exodus
• The More I See
• Anathema – Bloodstock Open Air UK Festival 2009
• Ancient
• Criminal – live drums in Santiago (2010)
• Evile – Live drums in London (12/8/2009)
• River Freshney – Live drums in London (22 July 2010)
• Leaves' Eyes - Live Drums 2009
• Nuclear Assault - Maryland Deathfest XIV (28 May 2016)
• Voices - live drums 2016
• Obskkvlt (Galician band) session drums in 2017 for the 2019 album "Blackarhats".

References

1. Nicholas Barker - Encyclopaedia Metallum, Metal-archives.com, Retrieved 18 March 2018.
2. "Nicholas Barker". Metal-archives.com. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
3. "Nicholas Barker". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
4. "Exclusive: NICK BARKER Discusses His Departure From DIMMU BORGIR". Blabbermouth.net. 10 February 2004.
5. "Famed drummer Nick Barker joins Voices on tour with Winterfylleth". TeamRock.com. 11 September 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
6. "Former Stormtroopers of Death Members Launch United Forces". Blabbermouth.net. 24 December 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
7. Williams, Stuart (31 July 2023). "Extreme metal drummer Nick Barker's kidneys are in "full failure", a GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help". MusicRadar. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
8. "NUCLEAR ASSAULT- New Song (Live MDF 2016)". YouTube. 31 May 2016. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2020.

External links

• [REDACTED] Media related to Nicholas Barker at Wikimedia Commons

• 1973 births
• Living people
• Black metal musicians
• Cradle of Filth members
• British death metal musicians
• Dimmu Borgir members
• English heavy metal drummers
• People from Chesterfield, Derbyshire
• Lock Up (British band) members
• Testament (band) members
• Leaves' Eyes members
• 21st-century British drummers
• God Seed members
• Old Man's Child members