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Chemlab is an American
industrial rock Industrial rock is a fusion genre that fuses industrial music and rock music. It initially originated in the 1970s, and drew influence from early experimental and industrial acts such as Throbbing Gristle, Einstürzende Neubauten and Chrom ...
band formed in
Washington D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
in 1989 by Dylan Thomas More, Joe Frank, and
Jared Louche Jared Louche (born Jared Hendrickson; December 11, 1960) is an American musician best recognized as the front-man of industrial rock outfit Chemlab. He also founded the band H3llb3nt and has collaborated with Pigface, Progrex.iv and Vampire R ...
(then known as Hendrickson). Influenced by the pioneers of the industrial genre, such as
Throbbing Gristle Throbbing Gristle were an English music and visual arts group formed in Kingston upon Hull by Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti, later joined by Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson and Chris Carter. They are widely regarded as pioneers of in ...
, Chemlab mixed experimental sounds with
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
and
metal A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...
within an
electronic Electronic may refer to: *Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductors * ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal *Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device *Electronic c ...
framework. They released their first EP '' 10 Ton Pressure'' (1990), parted ways with Frank and moved to New York City, their base for the duration of their career. Chemlab released their debut album '' Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar'' in 1993 and toured with acts such as White Zombie,
KMFDM KMFDM (originally Kein Mehrheit Für Die Mitleid, loosely translated by the band as "no pity for the majority") is a multinational industrial rock band from Hamburg led by Sascha Konietzko, who founded the band in 1984 as a performance art proje ...
,
Nine Inch Nails Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN (stylized as NIИ), is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988. Its members are the singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Trent Reznor and his frequent col ...
,
16volt 16volt is an American industrial rock band featuring Eric Powell, with other performers added for live shows. History 16volt was formed in Portland, Oregon by composer and vocalist Eric Powell. Powell recruited musicians drummer Joel Bornzin, g ...
, and
GWAR Gwar, often stylized as GWAR, is an American heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, in 1984, composed of and operated by a frequently rotating line-up of musicians, artists, and filmmakers collectively known as Slave Pit Inc. Since ...
.


History


Initial releases (1990–2004)

Chemlab's first release was the EP '' 10 Ton Pressure,'' in 1990. Chemlab toured as opening acts for
Nine Inch Nails Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN (stylized as NIИ), is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988. Its members are the singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Trent Reznor and his frequent col ...
from 1990 to 1991 for the Sin tour, which was a part of the greater
Pretty Hate Machine ''Pretty Hate Machine'' is the debut studio album by the American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, released by TVT Records on October 20, 1989. Frontman Trent Reznor sang and performed most of the instruments, also producing the album along ...
Tour . After releasing the albums '' Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar'' (1993) and ''
East Side Militia ''East Side Militia'' is the second studio album by American industrial rock band Chemlab, released on October 8, 1996 by Fifth Colvmn and Metal Blade Records. Its original title was supposed to be "Jesus Christ Porno Star" (which instead became ...
'' (1996) on
Fifth Colvmn Records Fifth Colvmn Records was a record label based in Washington, D.C. The label was founded in 1990 by Zalman Fishman, owner of the nightclub FIFTH COLVMN, located in Washington D.C. The label's first release was Chemlab's debut EP Ten Ton Pressure ...
, Chemlab broke up in 1997 and then later reformed in 2004 to release an album titled ''
Oxidizer An oxidizing agent (also known as an oxidant, oxidizer, electron recipient, or electron acceptor) is a substance in a redox chemical reaction that gains or " accepts"/"receives" an electron from a (called the , , or ''electron donor''). In ot ...
'' with Jared as the only original member.


Intermittent touring (2004–2012)

After a seven-year hiatus from the stage, Jared recreated Chemlab and, with a backing band composed of the members of electro-industrial group mindFIELD performed a one-off show in Boston, Massachusetts in August 2005. The band played another one-off show, this time in New York City on January 7, 2006. A third show in San Francisco on March 17, 2006, saw the band joined by fellow coldwave bands
Babyland Babyland was an American performance-based independent electronic junk punk band from Los Angeles featuring Dan Gatto performing vocals and electronics and Michael Smith on percussion. The band released six studio albums before disbanding in 20 ...
and Deathline International. The band played at the
Detroit Electronic Music Festival Movement Electronic Music Festival is an annual electronic dance music event held in the birthplace of Techno, Detroit, each Memorial Day weekend since 2006. Previous electronic music festivals held at Hart Plaza on Memorial Day weekend includ ...
and the Blacksun Festival. In late 2007, the band toured the US for the first time in eight years, with the supporting line-up of multi-instrumentalist/programmer Gabriel Shaw (mindFIELD), Wade Alin (Christ Analogue) and
Jason Bazinet SMP (also known as Synthesia Murder Program) are an American industrial music group formed in Seattle, Washington. The original incarnation consisted of Jason Bazinet and Sean Ivy before Ivy left to join Christ Analogue in 1998, allowing SMP to ...
( SMP). During the spring of 2010, Chemlab toured North America with
16volt 16volt is an American industrial rock band featuring Eric Powell, with other performers added for live shows. History 16volt was formed in Portland, Oregon by composer and vocalist Eric Powell. Powell recruited musicians drummer Joel Bornzin, g ...
and
Left Spine Down Left Spine Down (LSD) is a Canadian band based in Vancouver, British Columbia, that plays what they call "cyberpunk": a mixture of electronica, metal, punk, and drum & bass. History The group formed in Vancouver in 2001 with Matt Girvan, Frank ...
. Jared Louche announced on stage during a performance on September 7, 2012 in Chicago, that it would be the band's final show.


Later years (2012–present)

In the spring of 2018, it was announced that Chemlab would return for Cold Waves VII in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles to perform '' Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar'' in its entirety to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the album's release. The band also performed at Cold Waves VIII, along with a number of other standalone shows. The band later released the compilation ''
Tape Decay ''Tape Decay'' is a compilation album by Chemlab, released on September 18, 2019 by Armalyte Industries. It contains demo versions of songs from ''10 Ton Pressure'', ''Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar'' and ''East Side Militia'' combined with three p ...
'' in 2019. This release includes unreleased tracks from the ''East Side Militia'', ''Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar'' and ''10 Ton Pressure'' cassette demos as well as new songs. The band performed at the Oriental Theater in
Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
with
Pop Will Eat Itself Pop Will Eat Itself are an English alternative rock band formed in 1986 in Stourbridge in the West Midlands of England with members from Birmingham, Coventry and the Black Country. Initially known as a grebo act, they changed style to incorpo ...
and Scifidelic from September 21 to 22, 2019. Dylan Thomas More died on January 4, 2025.


Other past members and contributing artists

*John "Servo" DeSalvo (16 Volt/
KMFDM KMFDM (originally Kein Mehrheit Für Die Mitleid, loosely translated by the band as "no pity for the majority") is a multinational industrial rock band from Hamburg led by Sascha Konietzko, who founded the band in 1984 as a performance art proje ...
/Bile) *Mark Kermanj *
Geno Lenardo Filtration is a physical process that separates solid matter and fluid from a mixture. Filter, filtering, filters or filtration may also refer to: Science and technology Computing * Filter (higher-order function), in functional programming * Fil ...
(
Filter Filtration is a physical process that separates solid matter and fluid from a mixture. Filter, filtering, filters or filtration may also refer to: Science and technology Computing * Filter (higher-order function), in functional programming * Fil ...
) *
Charles Levi My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult (often shortened to Thrill Kill Kult or TKK) is an American electronic industrial rock band originally based in Chicago and founded by Groovie Mann (born Frankie Nardiello) and Buzz McCoy (born Marston Daley). ...
(
My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult (often shortened to Thrill Kill Kult or TKK) is an American electronic industrial rock band originally based in Chicago and founded by Groovie Mann (born Frankie Nardiello) and Buzz McCoy (born Marston Daley). ...
) *Greg Lucas ( The Final Cut) *James McAndrew (Milquetoast & Co.) *Regan Miller (mindFIELD) *Gabriel Shaw (mindFIELD) * William Tucker *Kraig Tyler (
16 Volt 16volt is an American industrial rock band featuring Eric Powell, with other performers added for live shows. History 16volt was formed in Portland, Oregon by composer and vocalist Eric Powell. Powell recruited musicians drummer Joel Bornzin, g ...
/
Crazy Town Crazy Town (sometimes abbreviated as CXT) was an American rap rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1995 by Bret "Epic" Mazur and Shifty Shellshock (Seth Brooks Binzer). Their 2000 single "Butterfly", reached number one on the US ''Billboard'' H ...
) *Ned Wahl (The Deadly Nightshades) *F.J. DeSanto (The Aggression, Hypefactor) *members of
Acumen Nation Acumen Nation was an American industrial rock/metal band from Chicago, Illinois. History Early career Formed in 1988 as Acumen by Jason Novak and Ethan Novak, the band released several cassette demos before self-releasing the CD demo '' Transm ...
*Steve Watson *Paula "Shark" Wood *Prosthetic Hands


References in popular culture

*In the 1995 movie ''
12 Monkeys ''12 Monkeys'' is a 1995 American Science fiction film, science fiction thriller film directed by Terry Gilliam from a screenplay by David Peoples and Janet Peoples, based on Chris Marker's 1962 short film ''La Jetée''. It stars Bruce Willis, M ...
'', a Chemlab poster can be seen during an exterior shot of a sidewalk and building. *In the
Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...
video for "Amazing", a similar Chemlab poster can be seen at the end of the video. *In season 3, episode 1 of MTV's ''
The State A state is a political entity that regulates society and the population within a definite territory. Government is considered to form the fundamental apparatus of contemporary states. A country often has a single state, with various administrat ...
'' opening sketch, a Chemlab /
Sister Machine Gun Sister Machine Gun is an American industrial rock band originally based in Chicago, Illinois. Sister Machine Gun was formed in New York City by Chris Randall and Guilherme Machado. After a short hiatus, the band signed with Wax Trax! Records a ...
Psych Fest poster hangs above
Michael Ian Black Michael Ian Black ( né Schwartz; August 12, 1971) is an American comedian, actor, and writer. He has starred in several TV comedy series, including ''The State'', '' Viva Variety'', '' Stella'', '' Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp'', ...
's bed.


Discography


Studio albums

*'' Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar'' (1993) *''
East Side Militia ''East Side Militia'' is the second studio album by American industrial rock band Chemlab, released on October 8, 1996 by Fifth Colvmn and Metal Blade Records. Its original title was supposed to be "Jesus Christ Porno Star" (which instead became ...
'' (1996) *''
Oxidizer An oxidizing agent (also known as an oxidant, oxidizer, electron recipient, or electron acceptor) is a substance in a redox chemical reaction that gains or " accepts"/"receives" an electron from a (called the , , or ''electron donor''). In ot ...
'' (2004)


Compilation albums

*'' Suture'' (2001) *''
Tape Decay ''Tape Decay'' is a compilation album by Chemlab, released on September 18, 2019 by Armalyte Industries. It contains demo versions of songs from ''10 Ton Pressure'', ''Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar'' and ''East Side Militia'' combined with three p ...
'' (2019)


Remix albums

*'' Rock Whore vs. Dance Floor'' (2006)


EPs

*'' Ten Ton Pressure'' (1990) *''
Magnetic Field Remixes ''Magnetic Field Remixes'' is a compilation album by Chemlab, released on October 11, 1994 by Fifth Colvmn and Metal Blade Records. It served as a way for the band to reissue their 1990 debut EP '' 10 Ton Pressure'' with an expanded track listi ...
'' (1994) *'' The Machine Age'' (2003)


Singles

*" Exile on Mainline" (1996) *"
Electric Molecular ''East Side Militia'' is the second studio album by American industrial rock band Chemlab, released on October 8, 1996 by Fifth Colvmn and Metal Blade Records. Its original title was supposed to be "Jesus Christ Porno Star" (which instead became ...
" (1996)


References


External links


Official Chemlab website
(archived)
Official FacebookChemlab Interview on a local NYC comedy TV show
* * {{Chemlab Musical groups established in 1989 Cyberpunk music American industrial rock musical groups Musical groups disestablished in 2012 Fifth Colvmn Records artists Invisible Records artists Underground, Inc. artists