American guitarist Michelle Meldrum started her first band Wargod with Strapping Young Lad drummer Gene Hoglan,[1] later going on to form Phantom Blue, with whom she released two albums and an EP between 1989 and 1993.
In 2005 they toured for three months with Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society, appearing in sold out venues across the United States and Europe.
Three days later, on Wednesday, May 21, she died as a result of a cystic growth that had restricted oxygen and blood flow to her brain, rendering her braindead.
Michelle had just completed writing and recording Meldrum's soon-to-be-released third album Lifer with drummer Gene Hoglan, along with the group's latest additions, Michele Madden (vocals) and Laura Christine (bass).
The surviving band members planned the release of the CD initially for 2009 in tribute to their fallen bandmate, but they kept the album from coming up indefinitely.