Ken Black, former guitarist of Chicago speed/thrash metal band Zoetrope, reportedly died on July 17, 2026, following a battle with throat cancer. He was 64.
Black was a founding-era member of Zoetrope, serving as the band’s guitarist from 1976 to 1987 during its formative years and contributing to several key releases. His credits include the 1980 single The Right Way / Call “33”, the Metal Log Vol. 1 demo (1983), the band’s 1985 debut album Amnesty, and Metal Log Vol. 2, where he also provided backing vocals.
Formed in Chicago in 1976, Zoetrope developed a unique blend of speed metal, thrash, and hardcore punk that the band referred to as “street metal.” Their crossover appeal saw them regularly sharing stages with both hardcore and metal acts throughout the Midwest during the 1980s.
Following his departure from Zoetrope, Black went on to perform with Sharon Tate’s Baby. Meanwhile, former Zoetrope drummer Barry Stern joined Trouble before his death in 2005 due to complications following hip replacement surgery.
Zoetrope’s Amnesty and A Life of Crime were later reissued by Century Media in the late 1990s as part of the label’s Combat Records reissue campaign, with the Amnesty CD including the Metal Log demos as bonus material.
Beyond the band’s studio releases, Black’s work also appeared on several notable compilations, including Metal Massacre IV, which helped introduce Zoetrope’s “Speed Zone” to a wider audience during the early days of American thrash metal.
Rest in peace.
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