CASEY CHAOS (a.k.a. Karim Chmielinski) forged AMEN in 1994 upon the disintegration of his Florida teenage Punk Hardcore band DISORDERLY CONDUCT. Chaos had also performed a stint as bassist, substituting for James McGearty, with renowned cult Gothic outfit CHRISTIAN DEATH. AMEN was re-activated upon the demise of CHRISTIAN DEATH, following mentor Rozz Williams' suicide.

During 1994 Chaos crafted a solo EP billed as 'Amen'. The following year Drag U La Records released the 'Slave' album, restricted to 2000 copies. This set featured the TEENAGE JESUS & THE JERKS cover version 'Burning Rubber'. AMEN's opening band foundation also included erstwhile WRATHCHILD AMERICA and UGLY KID JOE drummer Shannon Larkin plus the former SNOT pairing of guitarist Paul Fig and John "Tumor" Fahnestock on bass. However, only Chaos and Larkin would actually be involved in the recording sessions for the next AMEN album.

Upon the release of the September 1999, Ross Robinson produced self-titled debut for Roadrunner subsidiary I Am Records, recorded at Indigo Ranch Studios in Malibu, California, the band toured North America with COAL CHAMBER, SLIPKNOT and MACHINE HEAD. 'Coma America' was lifted as the lead in single. However, they became involved in a bitter war of words with the label and decamped that December. Larkin would also step in at short notice in place of Mike Bordin for one date at the close of the 1999 'Ozzfest' touring festival by playing drums for both OZZY OSBOURNE and BLACK SABBATH in the same day.

Second outing 'We Have Come For Your Parents', once again seeing Ross Robinson at the production helm, surfaced in October 2000 through Virgin Records and swiftly became a commercial success. These sessions had been crafted during May 2000 at Sound City in Los Angeles then mixed that June at The Warehouse in Vancouver. An Australian limited tour edition came with a bonus disc hosting seven extra tracks. Live shows found AMEN sharing the billing in North America with HATEBREED and CROWBAR. Gigs in the UK had Stoke on Trent quintet CHARGER, at special invitation of Chaos, as support.

Chaos busied himself as a producer during the latter half of 2001, performing studio duties with Illinois band THE KINISON. Meantime, Larkin would deputise for GLASSJAW, performing a drum session on their latest record. In a foretaste of future membership instability, guitarist Paul Fig would decamp in November 2001 being replaced by British guitarist Rich Jones, previously of THE YO-YOS, THE DOGS D'AMOUR and THE BLACK HALOS. Fig would later surface as a member of BLUEBIRD.

During early 2002 the AMEN pairing of Casey Chaos and Shannon Larkin, in union with the QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE duo of Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri, embarked on a less than expected diversion with the band project THE EAGLES OF DEATH METAL. Initially titled HEAD BAND upon initial press releases, this unit would issue the album 'Peace Love And Death Metal' through Homme's own Rekords label. That same year Chaos aided in forming SCUM, a high profile collaboration of extreme Metal elite players comprising Norwegians Samoth of ZYKLON, and ex-EMPEROR, former EMPEROR and THORNS drummer Bård 'Faust' Eithun, Cosmocrator of ZYKLON, SOURCE OF TIDE and MINDGRINDER with bassist Happy Tom from TURBONEGRO.

Meantime, AMEN found themselves embroiled in a very public dispute with Virgin Records. A new album had been recorded but apparently shelved. The band generated a fan petition in order to get the record released but it appeared label and band were at a stalemate situation.

In downtime during June of 2002 Shannon Larkin would aid the high profile GODSMACK in both the studio and for live gigs. Casey Chaos made his presence felt on the HENRY ROLLINS assembled 'West Memphis Three' benefit album 'Rise Above', lending lead vocals to a version of BLACK FLAG's 'Depression'.

Both guitarist Sonny Mayo and drummer Shannon Larkin made their exit from AMEN in August with the former joining (HED) P.E. and Larkin becoming officially resident in GODSMACK. The TEAM SLEEP sibling pairing of drummer Zach Hill and his guitarist brother Josh duly stepped into the breach to cover the vacancies.

In November former AMEN guitarist Sonny Mayo united with erstwhile BUILT XL vocalist Jason 'Gong' Jones, ex-WHITE ZOMBIE drummer Ivan Dr Prume and bassist Stevo Bruno in a new band billed as FIVE-O-CLOCK. That same month Casey Chaos embarked upon a side project in union with SYSTEM OF A DOWN guitarist Daron Malakian. Bassist John Fahnestock bailed out of AMEN in late December, uniting with LO-PRO, the new project band featuring former members of ULTRASPANK and GODSMACK.

UK touring in 2003 was backed up by the release of the album 'Join, Or Die', made available only at concerts. Issued on Chaos' own Refuse Music label this collection of B sides and rarities was restricted to 2000 copies.

Re-gaining some forward momentum, the band signed to SYSTEM OF A DOWN guitarist Daron Malakian's EatUrMusic label for an April 2004 studio album billed as 'Death Before Musick'. Japanese editions boasted an extra four tracks. A promotional video for the preceding single, 'California's Bleeding', included a cameo appearance from Malakian. The CD and 7" fluorescent pink vinyl variants of 'California's Bleeding' both included exclusive tracks. April US dates had AMEN packaged with BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION, these shows seeing the DOPE and MURDERDOLLS credited guitarist Acey Slade filling in for an absent Jones.

Following completion of Japanese dates, drummer Luke Johnson bailed out in August and longstanding guitarist Matt Montgomery followed suit in September. The ex-guitarist promptly joined MURDERDOLLS frontman WEDENESDAY 13's solo band for European touring as Johnson rejoined his antecedent outfit SHORTCUT TO NEWARK. The defection continued as, within days of Montgomery's exit, bassist Scott Sorry also opted out. In early October AMEN regrouped, drafting drummer Joe Letz and guitarist Eric Amblur to the group's ranks.

In November CASEY CHAOS launched a hand numbered, limited edition 4 CD box set retrospective of his career to date. Entitled 'Pisstory: A Catalogue Of Accidents / A Lifetime Of Mistakes', the compilation, restricted to 2000 copies, included tracks ranging from recordings made as a twelve year old right through to recent AMEN demos. The set's intentions were made clear by the statement "All proceeds will be used to keep the band alive". January of 2005 saw ex-bassist Scott Sorry joining BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION and another erstwhile player, guitarist Sonny Mayo, joining SEVENDUST.

In early 2005, Casey Chaos contributed to the 'No End In Sight' album from THIS IS MENACE, a collaborative project of PITCHSHIFTER members bassist Mark Clayden and drummer Jason Bowld. On 16th March AMEN was back in the news, although in rather an unexpected manner, when AMEN bassist Nate Manor was arrested for petty theft. The shopkeeper of a supermarket in Los Angeles claimed he had security video footage of the musician stealing porn magazines. According to drummer Joe Letz, his colleague's haul included titles such as 'Playgirl' and 'Fattie Fisters'. Manor was bailed by Letz, the drummer being forced to sell his cymbals for $300 in order to raise the money.

UK headline gigs scheduled throughout May and June of 2005 saw OCTOBER FILE as support act. However, the entire round of European dates was cancelled when Casey Chaos was hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery to stem internal bleeding caused by "multiple ruptured hernias". AMEN re-scheduled the shows, gigging across Europe in tandem with SICK OF IT ALL. A live album, entitled 'Gun Of A Preacher Man' and recorded at the Manchester Academy in 2003, was issued to coincide.

Former AMEN drummer Joey Letz joined the GENITORTURERS in September whilst another ex-AMEN man, guitarist Rich Jones, was back in action as a member of THE YO-YOS. In May ex-bassist Matt Montgomery (a.k.a. Piggy D.) joined the ROB ZOMBIE band.