Death Angel’s Will Carroll relives hell of coronavirus coma

Death Angel drummer Will Carroll has spoken about his personal hell after being diagnosed with coronavirus.

The band had been touring in Europe back in February when several members began to fall ill – but it wasn’t until they returned home to San Francisco that Carroll started to feel unwell.

Carroll not only endured a 12-day coma but he also suffered heart failure while in hospital and, now on the road to recovery, he’s spoken to Decibel about the horrific experience.

He says: “I knew it was the coronavirus. I get colds here and there but I had a fever and aching and this intense flu. I never get sick like that. On the flight, I worried I wouldn’t get through SFO International Airport. They were testing people at the passport check. Since we travel so much in and out of there people recognised us and just said, ‘Death Angel – welcome home!’ We looked like shit and were sweating. But since they see us all the time we got lucky.”

Carroll says he'd been back at home for three days, when his fiancee told him he had been wheezing in his sleep and struggling to breathe.

“That’s the last thing I remember,” he says. “I don’t remember the ambulance ride or getting to the hospital. The next thing I remember is waking up after a 12-day coma with tubes stuck in me and machines all around. I didn’t even know I was in San Francisco.

Carroll goes on to say he had several “out of body experiences” while in the coma and adds: “I went to hell and Satan was a woman and I was being punished for sloth. I was this giant obese Jabba The Hutt type creature. I was vomiting blood and kept on vomiting blood until I had a heart attack which is kind of weird because I had heart failure during my coma.”

Carroll also has a message for people not taking coronavirus seriously.

“You really need to stay indoors and follow the rules," he says. “It’s no fun to be cooped up and I’m no fan of Big Brother, but we have to prevent this from spreading. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy and people need to take it seriously.”

Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.