BANDS
KreuzDammer
German for 'Bone Crusher', KreuzDammer were formed in the summer of 2004 when Graham Rayner, founder of industrial legends Cubanate, joined forces with vocalist Dave Chapman (Punishment State) and guitarist Rich deValmont. Constrained by the technology that surrounded them, further elements were bolted to the band in the form of bassist c0rvu5r3x and Viru5 on drums, a conscious move to wrestle greater control over the tortured industrial rhythms that coursed trough their tortured souls. Influenced by such luminaries as Killing Joke, NIN, Marilyn Manson, Rammstein and Ministry, KreuzDammer bludgeon metal, industrial and electronica together to devastating effect. But it's the live performance that has always been central to KreuzDammer's ethos, and the band have built a ferocious reputation for being an explosive and highly polished act, with their shows that frequently include lasers, projections, strobes, enough dry ice to to hide a W.M.D. and plenty of blood. Having gigged extensively during 2005 and 2006, the band holed up in Fortress studios, London, with Cubanate's Marc Heal to record their debut EP. So incendiary were these tracks that KreuzDammer were immediately signed to Armalyte before recording had even been completed.
Terminal - Vocals, Kalash - Guitar, deValmont - Guitar, c0rvu5r3x - Bass, Viru5 - Drums
VTG
“VTG began as a backlash
against working with other musicians” admits Lawrence Stone, 25, who has
been writing music for over eight years under the moniker VTG. A multifaceted
musician who plays guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards, Stone’s deep and
ever expanding knowledge of signal flow, synthesis methods, and programming
as well as his classical training in harmony and music theory is his arsenal.
Since graduating in Spring 2003 from the Berklee College of Music with a Degree
in Music Production and Engineering, Stone has devoted the majority of his time
on VTG’s debut offering ‘So Beautiful People Look Away’, a
complex and distinctive journey through his emotional psyche. “This album
is about Love and how it makes me feel. It’s about every soft, intense,
tender and dirty thing that comes with it.”
Often compared to the work of Portishead, Nine Inch Nails, Tricky, and Lamb,
whilst Stone admits to gathering his influences from the above, VTG’s
distinctive sound carries him further into a class of his own, a sound the auteur
describes as “Electro-Industrial Trip-Hop with elements of experimental
beat music.” True, it may sound abstract but even a single listen to ‘So
Beautiful People Look Away’ confirms this uniquely elaborate combination.
“When I sit down to write music I have one emotion in my head. I know
I'm drawing from all these influences, but I just try and let that emotion take
over and pick what it wants to use. I think the album doesn't conform because
I never picked a specific genre for it to fall into; I never put a restriction
on myself, I just let it all out. Also, while I was writing the album I was
growing up and going through a lot emotionally. I think you can hear that while
you listen to it. I guess growing up doesn't conform to anything...”
VTG is Larry Stone
haloblack
If Internet rumour is to be
believed, ‘throb.’ could well be the most important alternative
album since Tricky's 'Maxinquaye’, such is the clamour surrounding news
of its release. Described by the band as “deep, hard and bleepy,”
the ‘throb.’ sessions have introduced a quirky, funk element into
haloblack’s signature sound of raw, static driven electronic rock. Legendary
KMFDM and PIG vocalist Raymond Watts lends his distinctive snarl to the venomous
‘punch the deck’, whilst Arianne Schreiber (who’s previously
worked with Manchild and George Michael) eloquently adapts to the deceptive
seduction of ‘the junky’ as well as contributing to many of the
tracks that make up the multi-faceted experience that is ‘throb.’,
a journey that inevitably ends with the self-destructive paranoia of ‘drugbeat’.
Emerging in 1994, it was on their ‘Tension Filter’ debut that haloblack’s
solipsistic nihilism was finally made flesh. Before moving from the U.S. to
London in 1997, founding member bryan black worked for Prince at Paisley Park
Studios in Minneapolis, performing various rolls as a keyboard tech and sound
designer. Learning a production trick or two from his new employer, black quickly
saved up enough money to make haloblack’s second album. The seminal :funkyhell:
was released at the tail end of 1996 on an independent label out of Washington
D.C., Fifth Colvmn Records, but within months of :funkyhell:s release, the label
folded, leaving haloblack with an album that Alternative Press magazine described
as “Essential…”, a description that rings equally true today.
Soon the band started recording new material, uploading the tracks over the
Internet and within weeks haloblack were offered the opportunity to produce
music for the Blair Witch Project game and DVD as well as working on the soundtrack
to Descent 2 on the Playstation. It was during this period that haloblack supported
Marilyn Manson on a tour of the US before returning to London to begin recording
demos for their much anticipated follow-up to :funkyhell:.
During haloblack’s ‘missing’ years Black has spent his time
working and recording under various guises; Hellbent, which featured contributions
from Chemlab’s Jared Louche, 16 Volt’s Eric Powell and Thrill Kill
Kult’s Charles Levi, recorded three acclaimed albums – ‘Hellbent’,
‘Helium’ and ‘Hardcore Vanilla’. black toured Japan
as a member of Schwein whilst more recent projects such as XLOVER and MOTOR
have seen material released by über-cool labels City Rockers and Mute respectively.
Besides working with George Clinton and Prince, most recently black has been
working with Felix Da Housecat on an as-yet undisclosed project.
haloblack is bryan black
BENT U.S.A.
The first official signings
to the Armalyte label, art-rock outfit Bent U.S.A. have variously been described
as “…The sickest band in the UK” (Jo Kendall, Kerrang!) and
“…The bastard son of Marilyn Manson!” (An anonymous Net-head).
The real Bent U.S.A. fall somewhere in-between the social polemic of PiL, the
pseudo rock swagger of INXS and the sardonic guitar fury of Ministry, all of
which combine to mentally debilitating effect. The product of a lifetime kicking
against the system, the genesis of Bent U.S.A. occurred in 2000. Their first
official release, ‘As You Like’, paints a disturbing portrait of
post-Millennial Britain - a lack of faith in our crumbling Judicial system,
disgust at our betrayal by those in whom we place trust, the moral decimation
caused by the effects of drug addiction - Bent U.S.A. catalogue these events
and reflect them back upon a society too desensitised and too arrogant to see
it’s own corruption. Behind the powerful and beautifully evocative cover
by German photographer and moviemaker Leni Riefenstahl, ‘As You Like’
burns with portentous tales of rape, compulsion and loss – staple ingredients
that continually fuel the tabloid obsession with the darker side of life. But
Bent U.S.A. don’t just preach Armageddon, they are Armageddon, their hyper-kinetic
live shows (including notorious gigs with The Icarus Line and Warrior Soul's
Kory Clarke) have seen the band barred from numerous venues by promoters who
fear the band’s extreme lyrical content and violent physical intensity.
Following label interest in the band from giants such as Universal, Roadrunner
and Maverick, Armalyte Industries are proud to allow Bent U.S.A. the opportunity
to present their musical vision in the uncensored form in which it was originally
intended. Dangerous, provocative, incendiary and never less than totally uncompromising,
Bent U.S.A. are coming to tear morality apart…
Thrush – Screams/Programming. Rad - Guitar. Ben – Bass. Timid -
Drums.
NEEDLEYE
Although never officially tethered to Armalyte, we retain a long-standing relationship with neo-Satanik, black cyber metallers Needleye. Their contribution on our 'Defcon One' compilation sowed the seeds of greatness, whilst their appearance on 'Death By Design' cemented that reputation. Often emulated though never surpassed, Needleye today continue to cut a swathe thru those around them. Supporting such high profile acts such as Prong, Extreme Noise Terror, Cadaver Inc. and Apoptygma Bezerk, Needleye continue to go from strength to strength and will undoubtedly go on to become one of the most celebrated UK metal acts of their time...
Duncan Wilkinson - Vocals, James Howard - Guitar, Fletch - Guitar, Ray Holroyd - Bass, Adrain Erlandsson - Drums
INTERLOCK
You may remember Interlock from such CDs as 'Death By Design' and 'Defcon Two'. Like Needleye, Interlock aren't signed to Armalyte, although we do have a similar mutual appreciation society type thang going on. Currently hard at work on their Crisis:Reinvention album (which is set to be an absolute belter), the band are actively seeking a record deal that will take them to the next level and beyond. A unique blend of styles that draws comparisons with everyone from Korn to Rammstein via Portishead, Interlock will crush, bewilder and entertain in equal amounts. Totally dark and totally unclassifiable; Interlock are figureheads of next-gen metal.
Hal Sinden - Vocals, Christina Gajny - Vocals, John Tyrell - Guitar, Static - Guitar, Syan - Bass, Matt Platts - Drums
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