Death SS was formed in 1977 in Pesaro[2] by Steve Sylvester (born Stefano Silvestri), a future member of Ordo Templi Orientis,[3] and Paul Chain (Paolo Catena), who would later embrace an experimental form of doom metal with his solo project, Paul Chain Violet Theatre.
Sylvester left the band in 1982 and Chain replaced him with Sanctis Ghoram (featured on the Evil Metal EP) before closing the project in 1984 to start his solo career.
This new incarnation of the band recorded their first full-length album, ...in Death of Steve Sylvester.
The album Panic was partially recorded in the US, with Neil Kernon as a producer, because the band liked his work for artists such as Queensrÿche, Judas Priest, Dokken, Nevermore, David Bowie, Rush and Skrew and had, according to Sylvester, "a particular touch in the dark side of Heavy Metal [...] that we were looking for".
The album was released in 2000 by Sylvester's own label, Lucifer Rising, and Dream Catcher.