haloblack
haloblack - 'feel'
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.
haloblack is bryan black