Velvet Acid Christ (VAC) is an
electro-industrial
Electro-industrial is a music genre that emerged from industrial music in the early 1980s. While EBM (electronic body music) has a minimal structure and clean production, electro-industrial tends to have a grittier, complex and layered sound wi ...
band based in
Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
, Colorado. The band was formed in 1990 by lead vocalist, musician, and producer Bryan Erickson (aka Disease Factory),
and later featured various ex-members of Toxic Coma. The project gained limited popularity in Europe's
underground
Underground most commonly refers to:
* Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth
Underground may also refer to:
Places
* The Underground (Boston), a music club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston
* The Underground (S ...
nightclub
A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music.
Nightclubs gener ...
scene during the mid-1990s with the compilation ''
Church of Acid'' (1996) before expanding into other markets in the
goth
A Goth is a member of the Goths, a group of East Germanic tribes. Two major political entities of the Goths were:
*Visigoths, prominent in Spanish history
*Ostrogoths, prominent in Italian history
Goth or Goths may also refer to:
* Goth (surname) ...
and industrial
subculture
A subculture is a group of people within a culture that differentiates itself from the parent culture to which it belongs, often maintaining some of its founding principles. Subcultures develop their own norms and values regarding cultural, poli ...
s. The band's discography includes 14 albums, the latest being ''Ora Oblivionis'' (2019).
History
Early projects, early changes, and first albums (1990–1995)
In the early 1990s, Erickson and Gregory, both residents of Colorado, brought together their shared interest in creating music to record a series of
demos
Demos may refer to:
Computing
* DEMOS, a Soviet Unix-like operating system
* DEMOS (ISP), the first internet service provider in the USSR
* Demos Commander, an Orthodox File Manager for Unix-like systems
* plural for Demo (computer programming)
...
in Erickson's mom's basement. With the addition of Gary Slaughter and Chris Workman, the group attempted several bands, including Disease Disco Factory, a parody of then-popular Dance group
C+C Music Factory
C, or c, is the third letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''cee'' (pronounced ), plural ''cees''.
History
"C" ...
. Following a turbulent period for Erickson and Slaughter, Workman left the group. Slaughter and Erickson experimented with two new side-projects, Cyber Christ and Vortex. Cyber Christ explored a harsh and melancholy sound that was a sharp contrast to the group's other projects. When Erickson discovered that the term "Cyber Christ" had been used in the 1992 film ''
The Lawnmower Man
"The Lawnmower Man" is a short story by Stephen King, first published in the May 1975 issue of ''Cavalier'' and later included in King's 1978 collection '' Night Shift''.
Plot summary
Harold Parkette is in need of a new lawn mowing service. The ...
'', he renamed the band ''Velvet Acid Christ'' "in honor of a bad
acid
In computer science, ACID ( atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) is a set of properties of database transactions intended to guarantee data validity despite errors, power failures, and other mishaps. In the context of databases, a sequ ...
trip".
The Vortex project was merged into Velvet Acid Christ to form one body of work.
In 1994, Workman returned to assist with the band's self-produced Gothic-styled demo tape, ''Fate''. Given encouraging response from friends, the band followed up with other self-produced albums, 1994's ''Pestilence'', a dance-oriented album, and 1995's ''
Neuralblastoma'', a harder-sounding album.
Erickson, along with friends and minor contributors Steve Bird and Dan Olson, started the brief-lived
record label
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...
Electro Death Trip (EDT) Records to better promote these recordings. In 1995, the three began distributing hand-made CD copies of ''Fate'', ''Pestilence,'' and ''Neuralblastoma'' for resale in local music shops.
Label interest, touring, and a troubled rise (1996–2000)
Slaughter and Workman temporarily left the band during the first half of 1996 as Erickson continued the project alone, handing out copies of Velvet Acid Christ's recordings to industry representatives, including musician
Bill Leeb
Wilhelm Anton "Bill" Leeb (born 21 September 1966, in Vienna, Austria) is an Austrian-Canadian electronic musician and record producer. He is best known for being a founding member of the industrial music group Front Line Assembly. Additionally ...
of industrial pioneers
Front Line Assembly
Front Line Assembly (FLA) is a Canadian electro-industrial band formed by Bill Leeb in 1986 after leaving Skinny Puppy. FLA has developed its own sound incorporating elements of electronic body music and electro-industrial. The band's members ...
. Leeb passed the CD on to Thorsten Stroht, a media promoter with European label Off-Beat Records. Off-Beat
A&R negotiated a deal with the band.
For their first Off-Beat release, the group submitted 1996's ''Church of Acid'', a compilation of selected tracks from Velvet Acid Christ's first three albums with an additional two new tracks, "Disflux" and "Futile". ''Church of Acid'' was well received in Europe, and "Futile" became a regularly played track in many
nightclub
A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music.
Nightclubs gener ...
s across the continent.
In 1997, United States label Pendragon Records released ''Church of Acid'' in America, though the two new tracks were removed due to a lack of trademark clearance for
television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
samples used in the songs.
The album hit #15 on the
CMJ
CMJ Holdings Corp. is a music events and online media company, originally founded in 1978, which ran a website, hosted an annual festival in New York City, and published two magazines, ''CMJ New Music Monthly'' and ''CMJ New Music Report''. Th ...
RPM chart in the U.S.
The band's next album, ''Calling Ov the Dead'', was rejected by Off-Beat for not sounding edgy enough,
prompting Slaughter's permanent departure. The band addressed the label's concerns and released ''Calling Ov the Dead'' in late 1997, with American distribution following through Pendragon in 1998. In the process, Erickson had accumulated a substantial financial
debt
Debt is an obligation that requires one party, the debtor, to pay money or other agreed-upon value to another party, the creditor. Debt is a deferred payment, or series of payments, which differentiates it from an immediate purchase. The ...
.
With a line-up consisting of Erickson, Stroht and German musician Ingo Beitz, the band toured Europe in 1998 with Off-Beat label-mate
Suicide Commando
Suicide Commando is a Belgian electro-industrial music act formed by Johan Van Roy in 1986. For live shows, it consists of Van Roy himself on vocals, Torben Schmidt on keyboards, and Mario Vaerewijck on drums.
History
Van Roy began experime ...
, which attracted the attention of
Metropolis Records
Metropolis Records is a record label founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1993 by the late Dave Heckman. The label's all-electronic format closely tracked with European contemporaries, such as Off Beat, and, since 1995, has been instrumenta ...
, the largest industrial label in United States. The parent label of Pendragon, Metropolis distributed the album ''Neuralblastoma'', as a partnership that would endure.
Velvet Acid Christ spent the majority of 1999 in the studio, first collaborating with Germany's
Funker Vogt
Funker Vogt () is a German electronic-industrial music project with an aggressive style, formed by vocalist Jens Kästel and programmer Gerrit Thomas in 1995. Other members of the band are keyboardist/manager Björn Böttcher, live guitarist Fr ...
on a remix
EP entitled ''Velvet Acid Christ Vs Funker Vogt: The Remix Assault'', then shifting to Velvet Acid Christ's next full-length recording, ''Fun With Knives''. With Workman an occasional contributor, Erickson sought production assistance on ''Fun With Knives'' from the bands Luxt and New 4th Army (Josh and Lisa Wilson.) ''Fun with Knives'', released by Metropolis and new Off-Beat sub-label
Dependent
A dependant is a person who relies on another as a primary source of income. A common-law spouse who is financially supported by their partner may also be included in this definition. In some jurisdictions, supporting a dependant may enabl ...
, became the band's best-selling album
peaking at #6 on the
CMJ
CMJ Holdings Corp. is a music events and online media company, originally founded in 1978, which ran a website, hosted an annual festival in New York City, and published two magazines, ''CMJ New Music Monthly'' and ''CMJ New Music Report''. Th ...
RPM Charts
and ranked #18 Album on the German Alternative Charts (DAC) for 1999.
Sales were propelled by the
singles
Singles are people not in a committed relationship.
Singles may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series
* ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe
* ''Singles'' ...
"Decypher" and "Fun with Drugs", and by the track "Slut", which featured vocals from Luxt's Anna Christine. "Fun with Drugs" was the #7 single on the DAC top 50 singles chart for 1999.
In spite of the success of the band, stress had led Erickson into depression and increased drug abuse, which channeled into the creation of the band's next album, ''Twisted Thought Generator'', which peaked at #9 on the CMJ RPM Charts.
Simultaneously, the band toured Europe with industrial acts Project X and
Stromkern
Andrew Gregory Sega ( ; born May 20, 1975), also known as Necros, is an American musician best known for tracking modules in the 1990s demoscene as well as for composing music for several well-known video games. He was a member of the synthpop d ...
and toured the United States and Canada with bands Din_Fiv and
Haujobb
Haujobb is a German electronic musical project whose output has ranged drastically within the electronic music spectrum, from electro-industrial to Ambient music, ambient and techno. They have become a staple crossover act, bringing several forms ...
. The line-up of the band during this period was unstable. Workman, citing a conversion to Christianity, resigned from the band with a request that his name be retracted from all previous albums. The first leg of the European tour consisted of Erickson, Bird and Stroht; the second leg, Erickson and Olson. The North American tour was performed by Erickson, Stroht and drummer Paul Lipman. With various contributors, Erickson completed ''Twisted Thought Generator''. Due to lingering disputes, he withdrew the band from Dependent Records and submitted the album to Metropolis.
Change of pace, new early material, and beyond (2001–)
Erickson placed Velvet Acid Christ on a short hiatus in 2001, as he abandoned his dependence on drugs in favour of exercise and a
vegan
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. Di ...
raw foodist
Raw foodism, also known as rawism or a raw food diet, is the dietary practice of eating only or mostly food that is uncooked and unprocessed. Depending on the philosophy, or type of lifestyle and results desired, raw food diets may include ...
diet. Newly clean, Erickson created the 2003 album ''
Hex Angel: Utopia/Dystopia''. Though critical response was mixed, ''Hex Angel: Utopia/Dystopia'' ranked #1 on Germany's Deutsche Alternative Charts (DAC) for four weeks after its release, and the album's single "Pretty Toy" peaked at #4 on the DAC during the same year.
The album also marked the band's short-lived return to Dependent Records.
Erickson spent 2004 releasing and reissuing some of Velvet Acid Christ's earliest material. With the four-volume compilation series ''Between the Eyes'', the band published a collection of its singles and
B-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
s, then followed with subsequent re-releases of ''Fate'' (''Vol. 2''), ''Pestilence'' (''Vol. 3''), and ''Neuralblastoma'' (''Vol. 4''). The band also offered free MP3 downloads of ''
Dimension 8'' and ''
Oblivion Interface'' on its website until early 2005. ''Dimension 8'', which had been available as a hidden bonus on ''Twisted Thought Generator'', and ''Oblivion Interface'' (informally known as ''Between the Eyes, Vol. 5'') provided fans with previously unheard work from the Cyber Christ-Vortex era of 1991–1994.
In 2005, Erickson collaborated with guitarist Todd Loomis on a new album, ''
Lust for Blood'', which was released on September 26, 2006. With ''Lust for Blood'', the crew labored intensively to create a new overall sound while maintaining the band's original characteristics. Following its release, ''Lust for Blood'' peaked at #1 on Germany's DAC and ranked #5 on the DAC Top 50 Albums of 2006;
the album's single release,
"Wound", ranked on the DAC's singles chart for eight weeks, peaking at #1 and ranking #5 on the year's singles chart.
In October 2009, Velvet Acid Christ, Erickson wrote most of the LP, Loomis did a little work on it and was busy working on his project "The Twilight Garden", released ''
The Art of Breaking Apart''. This LP was a tribute to bands like Current 93 and Death in June and brought VAC many new fans while distancing some of his previous fans. It was the first album to feature an acoustic guitar and untreated vocals redefining what Velvet Acid Christ could sound like. 2010 saw the release of the ''Caustic Disco'' EP featuring remixes of the original song.
In 2010–2011, Bryan Erickson teamed up with William Anderson of Louisiana. William did a ton of sampling, Bryan made a bunch of VAC B-sides and turned them into Toxic Coma tracks. The project is very old with a revolving door of members, again Bryan being the main constant. This LP fuses the techno sound of ''Fun With Knives'' and the brutal black humor of Toxic Coma. This VAC side project is known as Toxic Coma ''Satan Rising'', on Metropolis Records. Erickson then began to write more music for future VAC LPs.
In October 2012, Velvet Acid Christ released their latest LP entitled ''Maldire''. Moving back to
Renoise
Renoise is a digital audio workstation (DAW) based upon the heritage and development of tracker software. Its primary use is the composition of music using sound samples, soft synths, and effects plug-ins. It is also able to interface with MID ...
for the album which was also used on ''Toxic Coma''. Due to a lack of funding for the album it features the "most software
vsts to date".
The release marked a return to the darker electronic sound with aggressive vocals that VAC is renowned for. Erickson formed a live band and toured extensively (2012–2014) to support the album.
On October 28, 2014, the ''Subconscious Landscapes'' LP was released, containing all the B-sides from ''Maldire''. It features "densely layered, complex, and atmospheric tracks calling on influences in the ranges of
Juno Reactor
Juno Reactor is a multi-national musical and performing group, primarily based in Brighton, UK. Known for their cinematic fusion of electronic, global influences, and orchestral symphonic approach, collaborating with composer Don Davis and compo ...
,
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English trip hop collective formed in 1988 in Bristol by Robert "3D" Del Naja, Adrian "Tricky" Thaws, Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall.
The debut Massive Attack album ''Blue Lines'' was release ...
, and
Delerium
Delerium is a Canadian new-age ambient electronic musical duo that formed in 1987, originally as a side project of the influential industrial music act Front Line Assembly. Throughout the band’s history, their musical style has encompassed a ...
". As a natural progression from the hypnotic grooves of past songs, the first half of the album highlights guest vocals from Sabine Theroni and Margolzata Wacht, while the second half takes a darker turn. ''Dire Land'' released in June 2015 was a remix LP meant to serve as a singles companion for ''Maldire'' and ''Subconscious Landscapes'', with remixes from
God Module
God Module is an American dark electronic band founded in 1999 from Orlando, Florida. Since 2006 they have been based out of Washington state. God Module is currently signed to Metropolis Records.
History
God Module was formed in 1999 by Jasy ...
,
Decoded Feedback
Decoded Feedback is a Canadian musical project which incorporates styles of electro-industrial and aggrotech. The duo releases music on the North American distributor Metropolis Records, and the European record label Infacted Recordings.
Histor ...
,
Assemblage 23, Dead Hand Project and others.
A ''Greatest Hits'' album featuring newly remastered songs built to feature "more bass and tame the high
requencies was released in 2016. A webstore was launched in 2017 on the site.
Musical style
The majority of the band's work is categorized among the genres of
industrial
Industrial may refer to:
Industry
* Industrial archaeology, the study of the history of the industry
* Industrial engineering, engineering dealing with the optimization of complex industrial processes or systems
* Industrial city, a city dominate ...
,
gothic rock
Gothic rock (also called goth rock or simply goth) is a style of rock music that emerged from post-punk in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The first post-punk bands which shifted toward dark music with gothic overtones include Siouxsie a ...
,
electro-industrial
Electro-industrial is a music genre that emerged from industrial music in the early 1980s. While EBM (electronic body music) has a minimal structure and clean production, electro-industrial tends to have a grittier, complex and layered sound wi ...
, and
EBM. The band's tone ranges between angry, upbeat, sad, and
psychedelic
Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of ...
. The band's lyrical content offers a varied focus, including such topics as
IRC
Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a text-based chat system for instant messaging. IRC is designed for group communication in discussion forums, called '' channels'', but also allows one-on-one communication via private messages as well as chat an ...
, love, hate, depression,
misanthropy
Misanthropy is the general hatred, dislike, distrust or contempt of the human species, human behavior or human nature. A misanthrope or misanthropist is someone who holds such views or feelings. The word's origin is from the Greek words μῖσ ...
,
drugs
A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalat ...
, and religion. Erickson is the group's main songwriter.
Much of Velvet Acid Christ's
musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece or work of music, either vocal or instrumental, the structure of a musical piece or to the process of creating or writing a new piece of music. People who create new compositions are called ...
has been produced with synthesizers and
computer software
Software is a set of computer programs and associated documentation and data. This is in contrast to hardware, from which the system is built and which actually performs the work.
At the lowest programming level, executable code consists ...
. Other instruments used by the band include
sequencers such as
drum machines and electric guitars with
effects pedal
An effects unit or effects pedal is an electronic device that alters the sound of a musical instrument or other audio source through audio signal processing.
Common effects include distortion/overdrive, often used with electric guitar in ele ...
s.
Sampling is another technique commonly employed by the band.
Influences
The band cites many musical influences, including among many others
Aphex Twin
Richard David James (born 18 August 1971), best known as Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born British musician, composer and DJ. He is known for his idiosyncratic work in electronic music, electronic styles such as techno, ambient music, ambient, and jun ...
,
Rush
Rush(es) may refer to:
Places
United States
* Rush, Colorado
* Rush, Kentucky
* Rush, New York
* Rush City, Minnesota
* Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary), Illinois
* Rush Creek (Marin County, California), a stream
* Rush Creek (Mono Cou ...
,
Skinny Puppy
Skinny Puppy is a Canadian industrial music group formed in Vancouver in 1982. The group is among the founders of the industrial rock and electro-industrial genres. Initially envisioned as an experimental side-project by cEvin Key (Kevin Crompton ...
,
Cocteau Twins
Cocteau Twins was a Scottish rock band active from 1979 to 1997. They were formed in Grangemouth by Robin Guthrie (guitars, drum machine) and Will Heggie (bass), adding Elizabeth Fraser (vocals) in 1981 and replacing Heggie with multi-instrum ...
,
The Cure
The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in 1978 in Crawley, Crawley, West Sussex. Throughout numerous lineup changes since the band's formation, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith has re ...
,
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. They have been widely influential, both over their contemporaries and with later acts. ''Q'' magazine in ...
, and
Astral Projection
Astral projection (also known as astral travel) is a term used in esotericism to describe an intentional out-of-body experience (OBE) that assumes the existence of a subtle body called an " astral body" through which consciousness can functio ...
.
Personnel
Current members
* Bryan Erickson (1990 – present) – lead vocals, guitar,
mixing, production,
Discography
Albums
*''Fate'' – (CS album, limited edition
50 copies 1994 – ''no label'' (CD album, limited edition
0 copies 1994 – ''no label''
*''Pestilence'' – (CS, limited edition
00 copies 1994 – ''no label'' (CD, limited edition
0 copies 1994 – ''no label''
*''Neuralblastoma'' – (CDr album, limited edition) 1995 – Electric Death Trip Records
*''Calling ov the Dead'' – (CD album) 1998 – Pendragon Records (US), Off Beat (EU)
*''
Fun with Knives'' – (CD album) 1999 – Metropolis (US), Dependent Records (EU)
*''Twisted Thought Generator'' – (CD album, enhanced) 2000 – Metropolis
*''Hex Angel: (Utopia – Dystopia)'' – (CD album) 2003 – Dependent Records (EU), Metropolis (US)
*''
Lust for Blood'' – (CD album) 2006 – Metropolis
*''The Art of Breaking Apart'' – (CD album) 2009 – Metropolis
*''Maldire'' – (CD album) 2012 – Metropolis (US), Dependent Records (EU)
*''Subconscious Landscapes'' – (CD album) 2014 – Metropolis
*''Dire Land'' – (The Remix Album) 2015 – Metropolis
*''Ora Oblivionis'' – (CD album) 2019
Compilations
*''Church of Acid'' – (CD) 1996 – Off Beat (EU) (CD) 1997 – Pendragon Records (US) (compilation of tracks later released as 'Between The Eyes' volumes 2–4)
*''Neuralblastoma'' – (CD album, limited edition
500 copies 1998 – Metropolis (US) / Off Beat (EU) (second compilation of tracks later released as 'Between The Eyes' volumes 2–4)
*''Between the Eyes Vol. 1'' – (CD) 2004 – Metropolis (singles compilation)
*''Between the Eyes Vol. 2'' – (CD) 2004 – Metropolis (re-release of early album "Fate" (orig. rel. 1994))
*''Between the Eyes Vol. 3'' – (CD) 2004 – Metropolis (re-release of early album "Pestilence" (orig. rel. 1994))
*''Between the Eyes Vol. 4'' – (CD) 2004 – Metropolis (re-release of early album "Neuralblastoma" (orig. rel. 1995))
*''Greatest Hits'' – (CD album) 2016 – Metropolis
EPs
*' – (CD Maxi) 1999 – Metropolis
*''Fun With Drugs'' – (CD Maxi) 1999 – Dependent Records (Strictly same content as on "Decypher")
*''Razordisc'' – (CD Maxi, limited edition) 1999 – Dependent Records, only available as part of the limited edition Fun With Knives (retitled Fun With Razors) boxset
*''The Remix Wars: Strike 4 – Velvet Acid Christ vs. Funker Vogt'' – (CD) 1999 – Metropolis (US), Off Beat (EU) • (CD) 2002 – Synthetic Symphony
*''Dial8'' – (CD Maxi, Enhanced) 2001 – Metropolis (Includes 'Decipher' fanmade video by Cardinal91)
*''Pretty Toy'' – (CD Maxi) 2003 – Dependent Records (EU), Metropolis (US)
*''Wound'' – (CD Maxi) 2006 – Metropolis
*''Caustic Disco'' – (CD Maxi) 2009 – Dependent Records (EU), 2010 – Metropolis (US)
*Wrack – (CD Maxi) 2017 – Metropolis (US)
Digital
*''Dimension 8'' – (MP3 Files) 2000, ''no label'' (on "Twisted Thought Generator" CD as a data track, also released online for free, temporarily. made prior to 1993)
*''Oblivion Interface'' – (MP3 Files) 2004, ''no label'' (released online for free, temporarily. made between 1992 and 1994)
References
External links
*
Sample information
{{DEFAULTSORT:Velvet Acid Christ
American electro-industrial music groups
Musical groups established in 1990
Electronic music groups from Colorado
Metropolis Records artists
Dependent Records artists
Off Beat label artists