Thinning The Herd Death: Drummer Rick Cimato Dies In Car Crash

Thinning The Herd drummer Rick Cimato died in a head-on car crash over this past weekend. He was 37 years old.

Thinning The Herd Death: Drummer Dies In Car Crash

Cimato was reportedly on his way back to New York after visiting relatives in Maine when the vehicle he was in was involved in a head-on collision in Connecticut. Two other passengers were also injured in the crash, but are expected to recover.

"In shock and in tears over the loss of my friend and bandmate, I have to think of the band," fellow band member Gavin Spielman wrote on the band's Facebook page Thursday. "I named the band Thinning The Herd when my father Steven A. Spielman passed, to cope with the loss. Rick would want me to keep writing for Thinning The Herd. If stop, I would not be doing his legacy service. His drumming on the new record is some of the best rock I have heard, and I want you guys to hear it. Thank god for this guy, what a gift as a friend, brother and band mate."

Thinning The Herd has been likened to The Velvet Underground, MC5 and Iggy Pop by Guitar Player Magazine. The band has two records available through iTunes entitled "Devil Mask" (released in 2009) and "Oceans Rise" (2011). The group is set to debut their new album called "Freedom From The Known" in early February.

Photo courtesy of  Rick Cimato's memorial page on Facebook.