Michael Embro (1962-2026) - drummer for Canadian thrashers Razor)

Michael Embro (Razor) - May 15th, 1962-January 5th, 2026

Razor started back in 1983 because of the guitarist Dave Carlo. In the very beginning, they had John Scheffel doing vocals and guitar, but he left in 1984, from the information that I have found. After Dave tried out a couple of other singers that didn't work out, he finally put together this lineup with his old school friends, Mike Campagnolo on bass and Mike “M-Bro” Embro on drums, plus Stace “Sheepdog” McLaren on vocals. They put out a 5-track demo and then an EP called Armed & Dangerous, sparking interest among underground fans. They even recorded a demo called Escape the Fire that eventually turned into their first real album, Executioner’s Song, in 1985. They were so productive back then that they dropped Evil Invaders just a few months later and ended up touring with bigger bands like Slayer, Motörhead, and Venom.

By their third album, Malicious Intent in 1986, things started getting kind of messy. There was a lot of drama inside the band, and since the album wasn't officially out in the U.S., they felt stuck. They actually asked their label, Viper/Attic Records, to just let them go, and in January 1987, they finally got their wish. Once they were free, they self-financed their fourth album, Custom Killing, but it didn't do very well. Some people don't like the production, while others feel the band was not on its best game, like something was off. It wasn't their sharpest effort. Right after that, Dave brought in his brother Adam to play bass and Rob Mills to play drums, and Michael Embro was out of the band. Metal Archives says about M-Bro: "The first drummer of Razor was picked up from Wrathchild. He left Razor after the recording of the 1987 Custom Killing album. According to Carlo, Embro's drum playing was getting worse from album to album."

The cool part about Razor is how they bounced back. In 1988, they went back to their roots with their fifth album, Violent Restitution, and it was way heavier. People loved it, and it’s still their most successful album today. It’s a pretty legendary comeback story for a thrash band. Metal Archives shows that Razor has been active these years: 1983-1992 and 1996-present.

M-Bro played drums on the following Razor albums:

Armed and Dangerous EP 1984

Executioner's Song 1985

Evil Invaders 1985

Malicious Intent 1986

Custom Killing 1987

For the above era of the band, fans generally agree that their album Evil Invadors is their best. Personally, I like this album, too, and I think it has good songs. If you are new to Razor, check out the title track!

Razor - Evil Invaders (Better Quality) Video 1985

Razor - Evil Invaders