Heavy Metal Guitarist and Songwriter
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Key moments and achievements from Shaun Glass's life.
Shaun was born
· Chicago, Illinois, USA
Band formation
Shaun Glass co-founded Broken Hope in 1988 as the band’s original bassist. The group became one of the key names in Chicago’s death metal underground. Glass’s role helped establish the foundation for a career built on heavy music from the start. This was the first chapter in a long effort to define a Chicago sound of his own.
Band formation
Shaun Glass co-founded Broken Hope in 1988 as the band’s original bassist. The group became one of the key names in Chicago’s death metal underground. Glass’s role helped establish the foundation for a career built on heavy music from the start. This was the first chapter in a long effort to define a Chicago sound of his own.
Album release
Glass performed on Broken Hope’s debut album, Swamped in Gore. The record became a landmark in the Chicago death metal scene and helped give the band wider underground recognition. It captured the brutal, formative side of Glass’s early work. The album anchored his reputation as a musician with deep roots in extreme metal.
Album release
Glass performed on Broken Hope’s debut album, Swamped in Gore. The record became a landmark in the Chicago death metal scene and helped give the band wider underground recognition. It captured the brutal, formative side of Glass’s early work. The album anchored his reputation as a musician with deep roots in extreme metal.
Band formation
In 1997, Glass co-founded SOiL with former members of Oppressor. The move shifted him from death metal into hard rock and alternative metal. It also showed his willingness to chase melody and structure without abandoning heaviness. The band became the most visible example of his range.
Band formation
In 1997, Glass co-founded SOiL with former members of Oppressor. The move shifted him from death metal into hard rock and alternative metal. It also showed his willingness to chase melody and structure without abandoning heaviness. The band became the most visible example of his range.
Album release
SOiL’s Scars became the commercial peak of Glass’s mainstream era. The album earned Silver certification in the UK and found major success in the United States, driven by the single “Halo.” Under Glass’s tenure, the band was discovered and signed to J Records by Clive Davis. The record marked the unlikely meeting point between Chicago grit and pop-industry polish.
Album release
SOiL’s Scars became the commercial peak of Glass’s mainstream era. The album earned Silver certification in the UK and found major success in the United States, driven by the single “Halo.” Under Glass’s tenure, the band was discovered and signed to J Records by Clive Davis. The record marked the unlikely meeting point between Chicago grit and pop-industry polish.
Band formation
Glass left SOiL in 2007 and formed Dirge Within to return to heavier musical territory. The project signed with E1 Music and released Force Fed Lies in 2009. The album featured his signature aggressive guitar work and restored a more punishing edge to his sound. It was a deliberate step back toward the intensity that had launched his career.
Band formation
Glass left SOiL in 2007 and formed Dirge Within to return to heavier musical territory. The project signed with E1 Music and released Force Fed Lies in 2009. The album featured his signature aggressive guitar work and restored a more punishing edge to his sound. It was a deliberate step back toward the intensity that had launched his career.
Band formation
In 2018, Glass formed the thrash metal band Repentance. The project featured a rotating cast of high-profile metal musicians and gave him another outlet for his aggressive instincts. It extended his late-career focus on speed, force, and sharp songwriting. Repentance became the final major chapter in his long run through heavy music.
Band formation
In 2018, Glass formed the thrash metal band Repentance. The project featured a rotating cast of high-profile metal musicians and gave him another outlet for his aggressive instincts. It extended his late-career focus on speed, force, and sharp songwriting. Repentance became the final major chapter in his long run through heavy music.
Album release
Repentance released The Process of Human Demise in 2023. The album was critically acclaimed and included guest appearances from members of Fear Factory. It showed that Glass still had an appetite for hard, direct metal late in his career. The record reinforced the durability of his writing and his commitment to the riff.
Album release
Repentance released The Process of Human Demise in 2023. The album was critically acclaimed and included guest appearances from members of Fear Factory. It showed that Glass still had an appetite for hard, direct metal late in his career. The record reinforced the durability of his writing and his commitment to the riff.
Death notice
Shaun Glass died in Chicago on July 1, 2026, at the age of 55. His death prompted an immediate outpouring of grief from the global metal community. By then, his career had already spanned death metal, nu-metal, and thrash across four decades. He remained identified with the city that shaped him and the scene he helped build.
Death notice
Shaun Glass died in Chicago on July 1, 2026, at the age of 55. His death prompted an immediate outpouring of grief from the global metal community. By then, his career had already spanned death metal, nu-metal, and thrash across four decades. He remained identified with the city that shaped him and the scene he helped build.
Shaun Glass passed away
