{{short description|Swiss musician (born 1969)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Michael Locher | image = Samael Fall of Summer 02 09 2016 05.jpg | image_size = | caption = Vorph at the Fall of Summer Festival 2016 | alias = Vorphalack, Vorph | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1969|01|07}} | birth_place = Sion, Switzerland | genre = Industrial metal, black metal | occupation = Musician | instrument = Guitar, vocals | years_active = 1987–present | website = | label = Osmose, Century Media, Nuclear Blast, Galactical }}
'''Michael Locher''' (born 7 January 1969), also known as '''Vorphalack''' or simply '''Vorph''', is a Swiss musician who provides vocals and is a guitarist for the industrial/black metal band Samael.
== Biography == Locher was born in Sion. He co-founded Samael in 1987 with his brother Alexandre (also known as "Xytras" or "Xy") on drums.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.samael.info/solar_soul/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=46 |title=SAMAEL Official Website ++ - Offline |publisher=Samael.info |accessdate=29 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220070630/http://www.samael.info/solar_soul/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=46 |archivedate=20 February 2012}}</ref> Locher's musical influences include Celtic Frost, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Motörhead, Venom, Bathory and early Possessed.<ref>Morgan, Anthony (21 February 2009). [http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/samael-frontman-we-wanted-to-do-a-more-stripped-down-metal-album/ "SAMAEL Frontman: 'We Wanted To Do A More Stripped Down Metal Album'"]. ''Blabbermouth.net'', Retrieved on 5 August 2009</ref> He particularly points to Bathory as a source of inspiration for vocals:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/samael-frontman-for-almost-the-last-two-years-now-i-ve-just-listened-to-classical-music/|title=SAMAEL Frontman: 'For Almost The Last Two Years Now, I've Just Listened To Classical Music'|date=13 July 2007|accessdate=13 July 2019|work=Blabbermouth.net}}</ref>
{{blockquote|Quorthon from Bathory for the vocals I think was a big influence. To me, at that time, he was probably the guy who pushed the boundaries the furthest in terms of that style of music.|Michael Locher a.k.a. ''Vorph''}}
His guitar is a customized ESP Viper with Ernie Ball guitar strings, Boss GT pro, Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier.<ref>[http://www.samael.info/Above/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=1 Official Website Vorph's Page]</ref> During Samael's black metal period, Vorph (then called Vorphalack) played a Jackson King V guitar too. During the Passage era Vorph played a black Jackson Kelly.
Vorph stated in an interview with Dutch webzine ''Lords of Metal'' that he does not eat junk food and that he is a vegetarian.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lordsofmetal.nl/en/interviews/view/id/3777|title=Samael |accessdate=21 May 2016|date=April 2011|publisher=Lords of Metal|author=Ramon}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == {{commons category}} {{Samael}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Locher, Michael}} Category:Swiss heavy metal musicians Category:Living people Category:1969 births Category:People from Sion, Switzerland
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