Celldweller (album)

''Celldweller'' is the first studio album by the American electronic rock project Celldweller, released in 2003. The album spent one week on the ''Billboard'' Top Internet Albums chart, at number 17, and was awarded Album of the Year at the Just Plain Folks Music Awards. Guest appearances include Jarrod Montague of Taproot.

The album was re-released on 10 June 2013 in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the original release. A definitive edition was released on 16 February 2024 in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the original release.

Background

Klayton worked in earnest with the producer Grant Mohrman (formerly of Leaderdogs for the Blind and Full on the Mouth) on the album, which was scheduled for release in February 2001. There had been several questions about any Celldweller songs to be released. Although, Klayton was having three albums from his former band Angeldust rereleased under Criss Angel's name, he had begun working on the album. Klayton agreed with various online companies to provide unused songs for download in high quality.

Various delays kept pushing the album's release date back. During this time, Klayton kept fans up to date with numerous Celldweller logs through his website and via email and, in 2001, released raw files of the song "Symbiont" to give fans and fellow musicians a chance to remix Celldweller's music. Eight remixes were chosen and uploaded to the original Mp3.com, most of them making it to the top of the Electronic and the Electro-Industrial charts. The exposure led to over 500,000 song plays on Mp3.com. The "Symbiont" remixes became a digital EP six years later.

The album was released in early 2003 and debuted at number 17 on ''Billboard''s Internet Sales chart. ''Celldweller'' included a guest appearance by the Taproot drummer Jarrod Montague. In 2004, the album received five awards at the Just Plain Folks Music Awards, winning Album of the Year, Producer of the Year, Industrial Album of the Year, Metal Song of the Year ("One Good Reason") and Best Industrial Rock Song ("Switchback"), and also runner-up in Best Industrial Song with "Stay with Me (Unlikely)" and Best Rock Song with "I Believe You". Prior to the album's release, "Symbiont" was used in Track Down. However, the distributor of the film was mistakenly credited as "Miramax". Later, the song "Switchback" was included in the list of Extreme Mode songs for the popular iPhone OS game '' Tap Tap Revenge''.

10 Year Anniversary Edition

On May 1, 2013, Klayton announced that for the 10th anniversary of the album, it would be re-issued with updated artwork and a second disc with the songs released during the Groupees promotions, remixes, rarities and unreleased songs, all remastered for this release. The unreleased song, "Uncrowned", which is an outtake from the original album and from ''Wish Upon a Blackstar'', was finished by Klayton for this release. The song was written in 2000. The album was released a day earlier than the original release date and those who had pre-ordered the CD version of the album on FiXT, had their copies shipped and delivered a few days early. Klayton signed fifteen copies of the deluxe edition CDs which were mailed at random when the pre-orders were shipped.

Definitive Edition

On November 10, 2023, Klayton announced another edition of the album, the ''Definitive Edition'', for the 20th anniversary of the album. The album consists of 55 tracks, the original album and bonus tracks, all remastered. The ''Definitive Edition'' was released on February 16, 2024.

Track listing

All songs written by Klayton.

Chart positions

Album

Additional personnel

* Ben Grosse – mixing
* Richard Hunt – editing
* Kennedy James – drums
* Grant Mohrman – acoustic guitar on "(Unlikely) Stay With Me", producer, engineer, mixing
* Jarrod Montague – drums on "I Believe You"
* Fluffy Starr – female vocals on "Frozen", "The Stars of Orion" and "Welcome to the End"
* Jennifer Neal – female vocals on "Stay With Me (Unlikely)" and "(Unlikely) Stay With Me"
* Victoria Faiella – vocals on "Cell 2", and "Cell 3"
* Erik Wolf – mastering

Licensing

Every song on ''Celldweller'' has been licensed at least once for a movie, video game or another form of media with titles including ''Doom'', '' Mr. and Mrs. Smith'', ''Supercross'', '' XXX: State of the Union'', ''Spider-Man 2'', '' Constantine'', ''Catwoman'', ''The Punisher'', ''Paycheck'', ''Timeline'', ''Mindhunters'', ''National Security'', ''Bad Boys II'', ''Redline'', '' Project Gotham Racing 3'', '' NHL 2003'', ''Enter the Matrix'', '' XGRA: Extreme-G Racing Association'', ''The Hills Have Eyes 2'', '' Crackdown'', '' Need for Speed: Most Wanted'', ''America's Next Top Model'' and ''Pimp My Ride''. This is a feat that has been accomplished by only three other artists: Moby, Meiko, and The Crystal Method.
* "Cell #1", "Switchback" and "Welcome to the End" were used in episode 11 of the American drama television series: ''Dirt''. "Welcome to the End" was used in episode 2 of the same series.
* The instrumental of "One Good Reason" is included on '' Need for Speed: Most Wanteds soundtrack. It also appears on Flint Michigan's Rock Radio Station, "Banana 101.5" during some of the commercials.
* "Afraid This Time", "The Last Firstborn", "So Sorry To Say", "Fadeaway" and "Frozen" were all used in the 2007 video game '' Crackdown''.
* "Own Little World", "One Good Reason", "The Last Firstborn" and "The Stars of Orion" were included in the 2003 video game '' XGRA: Extreme-G Racing Association''.
* "Switchback" is considered the most popular song Celldweller has ever released. It has been used in films, games, commercial, and other media such as ''Out for a Kill'', ''Enter The Matrix'', '' Halloween: Resurrection'', ''Doom'', ''Spider-Man 2'', ''Catwoman'', ''The Punisher'', '' Bring It On Again'', '' Kart Racer'', '' Project Gotham Racing 3'', '' NHL 2003'', ''Tap Tap'', '' Pump It Up PRO 2'' (later brought into Pump It Up Fiesta EX) and '' Bad Boys 2''. It has also been used in certain episodes of ''World Extreme Cagefighting''.
* "Symbiont" has been used in ''Enter the Matrix'', '' Takedown'', '' Cutaway'', '' Rallisport Challenge 2'', '' Wrecked'', '' Airbrush Alchemy'', '' 21'' and '' Road Rash – Jailbreak''.
* "Own Little World", "Switchback" and "I Believe You" were used in the 2010 video game '' Dead Rising 2''.
* Instrumental renditions of "Stay With Me (Unlikely)" and "The Last Firstborn" were featured in the 2004 video game '' Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel''.

References

{{Authority control

Celldweller albums
2003 debut albums