The death has been announced of Lou Koller, singer with the New York hardcore band Sick of It All. He was 59 and had been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2024.
In a statement on Instagram, Koller’s bandmates – his guitarist sibling Pete Koller, drummer Armand Majidi, and bassist Craig Setari – wrote: “It’s with unbelievable sadness that we announce to our worldwide hardcore family the passing of our brother Lou Koller. The level of loss that we feel at this time is overwhelming.
“This year would have marked Sick of it All’s 40th anniversary as a band, and Lou’s camaraderie, commitment and enthusiasm were always steadfast throughout the years. We have lost a beloved friend and an iconic frontman. Lou had the power to raise everyone’s spirits at our shows with a smile and a sarcastic comment, and he won people over wherever we played, from every culture and every corner of the world.
“At this time of intense grief, we must again acknowledge the great help and support offered by everyone who donated to Lou’s medical fund. You all helped Lou feel very special and very loved as he battled away these last two years. His battle is over now and he can finally rest. Hopefully he can somehow still see and feel the beautiful, positive mark he left on the world.”
Koller co-founded Sick of It All with his brother Pete in 1986, going on to become one of the most loved bands in the hardcore, punk, and metal genres.
Sick of It All at the FunFunFun Fest at Auditorium Shores in Austin, Texas, in November 2014
Sick of It All released their seminal debut album, Blood, Sweat and No Tears in 1989 and are also best known for their 1994 classic Scratch the Surface.
Their most recent album, Wake the Sleeping Dragon!, was released in 2018.
Koller announced his cancer diagnosis in June 2024, which led to an outpouring of support from around the world to help with his treatment costs.
In May 2025, he told fans that he was now cancer-free, but in September of last year he said that his cancer had returned.