Former Warbringer Drummer Nic Ritter Dies at 37

Sad news to report from the thrashers of Warbringer. Former Warbringer drummer Nic Ritter has passed away at the age of 37.

Ritter drummed for Warbringer from 2008 to 2011, banging the skins on the thrash band’s 2009 full-length, Waking Into Nightmares. You can also hear Ritter’s playing on Warbringer’s Imperial Anthems split with Dew Scented. During his three years with Warbringer, Ritter played around 400-450 shows with the band, showing his grit as a true road warrior.

After hearing of Nic Ritter’s passing, Warbringer vocalist John Kevill posted a tribute to his former bandmate via Facebook:

A couple days ago we got some tragic news. Our former drummer, Nic Ritter, is dead. 
He passed either Wednesday or Thursday and I got the word Thursday night. I know few details of how he died. I had not seen Nic in many years, though I had spoken to him a few times fairly recently. I always will to regret that I never saw him again, and we never really caught up on all our old times traveling the world.
Nic played approximately 400-450 shows with Warbringer between June 2008 through January 2011, the period where we were never off the road. His drum performance on "Waking into Nightmares" pushed the standard of technicality and musicianship in Warbringer to a new level and helped to shape the identity of the band to what it is today. He was an absolutely stellar player who in my opinion is a true innovator in thrash metal drumming.
Sadly, "Waking into Nightmares" is, to the best of my knowledge, his sole recorded musical legacy. Shame that he never played on another record, at least I know he was very proud of our work on that one.
Rest easy, old buddy
-Kevill

We’d like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of Nic Ritter. Warbringer released one of their finest albums this year, Woe to the Vanquished, which is widely considered to be a standout metal album of 2017.

Rockers We've Lost in 2017