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16volt - Denial Highway Tour, 2008
Whenever an established band takes an extended hiatus, there is always the anticipation and the risk of returning. This is especially true with regards to the band's live performance as the world of music has undergone many changes, from the transition of varying formats from CDs to digital and online media, to the ever-changing musical landscape where the current trends can be a determining factor in a band's success, both in the studio and on the stage. Underground music finds itself in a strange yet all-too-familiar position of potentially leading the revolution towards newer and better ways of making music and being but a minor entity fated to drown in an unforgiving sea of mainstream mediocrity. Of course, this has always been the case, and more often than not, the bands and artists that make a lasting impression are the ones that stand apart from the crowd - neither leaders nor followers. The late comedian George Carlin offered an alternative to the doctrine of "Lead, follow, or get out of the way" by stating, "I don't do any of those. I obstruct!" Such a statement is applicable to a band like 16volt, who - like many bands that achieved a similar stature in the scene - went through all of these phases. Once following in the footsteps of groups like Ministry and KMFDM, 16volt would then become leaders of the '90s coldwave movement, reigning in a new form of music that blended the caustic atmospheres of industrial music with the abrasive attitude of punk and rock & roll. After a series of misfortunes in the latter half of the decade (name your poison: faltering record sales, changing lineups, collapsing record labels), the band took a prolonged leave of absence, thus getting out of the way. However, they would not stay out of the way for too long, be it due to their rabid fan base or front man Eric Powell's intangible need to continue his mission to create some hard-hitting industrial rock that few can match up to. After nearly a decade of silence, broken only in 2002 by the re-release of their 1998 album SuperCoolNothing, the soundtrack to the Primal video game, and an opening slot on KMFDM's Sturm & Drang tour, 16volt returned in 2007 with FullBlackHabit. The album effectively stood as an obstruction against the current trends of overly distorted terror EBM and power noise and saccharine synthpop, assaulting audiences with a full-blown industrial rock fury that recalled their coldwave glory. After more than a year, the band has finally returned to the road, sharing the stage with their Metropolis label mates Bella Morte on the 2008 Denial Highway tour.
As the band's first tour in six years, the Denial Highway tour features a new lineup for 16volt, most of which were involved in the recording of FullBlackHabit, including Eric Powell, PIG/KMFDM guitarist Steve White, SMP's Jason Bazinet on drums, and 16volt veteran Mike Peoples on bass, filling in for Paul Raven, who sadly passed away in November of last year. While this is hardly the classic lineup for 16volt that long time fans remember, this powerful all-star cast more than lives up to the challenge as they unleash a blistering set list chockfull of some of the band's best known songs from their discography, including a few new additions from the latest album. Some might say that this was a response to Ministry's recent C.U. LaTour, in which that band bade their farewells by primarily focusing on their more recent albums rather than presenting a more comprehensive retrospective of their discography, although it most likely wasn't 16volt's intention - at least, not consciously. Indeed, while Ministry deserve some small ounce of credit for bravely snubbing the concept of a "greatest hits" tour, it's hardly satisfying to the fans who would prefer to see them perform those beloved songs one last time before going out in a blaze of glory. 16volt, on the other hand, come running from the opposite direction, figuratively and literally. Sure, they offer up a few new songs from FullBlackHabit, most of which had never been performed live until now. "I'm Just a Mess" kicks off the proceedings with its unconventional time signatures, pulsating rhythms, chugging guitars, and Powell's vocals that run the gamut from venomous rage to quiet introspection all within the one song, immediately setting the mood for the whole show. Other songs from the album include "Cables & Wires," in which Powell retreats to the keyboard for a brief synth solo, as well as crowd-pleasing thrashers like "The Defect People" and "Suffering You," to the more melodic but no less intense fare of "Feel it Through" and "Therapy." However, the real treat for the rivet heads comes when the band breaks into their first hit, "Motorskill." Like walking back into an old abandoned factory where the fumes from the leaking acid vats fill the air to pierce your lungs... but you can't help but miss the feeling, to hear this song performed live after so long is a welcome moment of coldwave nostalgia that drew the most powerful response from the crowd, aside from perhaps "The Cut Collector," in which everyone shouted the song title on queue. Such was also the case with "Swarm" and "The Dreams that Rot in Your Heart" from LetDownCrush, the title track from Skin, and "Machine Kit," "I Fail Truth," and "And I Go" from SuperCoolNothing, making for one of the most comprehensive set lists one could ask for from 16volt.
Of course, with such an all-star lineup of musicians, it's no wonder 16volt still manage to awe and enthrall audiences even now. To see Steve White slinging his six-string is to watch not only a professional at work, never once stooping to silly rock star poses or histrionics, but to see a guitarist churning out a clean yet vicious array of thunderous riffs, comparable to a blacksmith wielding his hammer upon a well-worn anvil. The same can be said of Jason Bazinet behind the drum kit, his skins complementing the programmed backing tracks as only a true industrial beatmaster can. Powell and Peoples sharing the stage again also made for a nice sight, especially as they playfully trampled over each other in the closing moments of the Philadelphia show, their faces wide with the smiles of two old friends reunited. As a front man, Powell hasn't lost anything from his time away; still an imposing, sometimes intimidating figure behind the microphone, his stage presence is the stuff of rock & roll legend. Occasionally sporting his guitar for certain songs, his voice effectively acts as a conduit for a depth of emotion and lyricism that few in the industrial music scene can match. Even in such a small venue as The Manhattan Room in Philadelphia, PA (literally, the club's layout was such that the dance floor/stage area was hardly much wider than the average bar, making for an incredibly cramped space), the band blasted out their set with all the fervor of a caged lion clawing its way through the bars. Then again, the band did forego an encore. Whether this was due to the small space of The Manhattan Room or not, who can say? However, as Powell and company left the stage, he did state that they would rather share a drink with the fans, which if nothing else showed the band's eagerness to connect with their audience on more than a musical level; those musicians too egotistical to acknowledge their fan base would do well to take a lesson from 16volt. The band's show in Washington, DC was an equally intimate, though thankfully more spacious affair, complete with fog machines and strobe lights to enhance the visual presentation. Unlike Philadelphia, DC was given the benefit of an encore; following audiences chants of "16volt! 16volt!," Powell and company returned to the stage, joking that they had taken a bathroom break together, "something we've learned from women." One certainly can't accuse 16volt of not being entertaining.
Another interesting aspect to the Denial Highway tour is the opening acts; besides Bella Morte, each show features a local opening act, drawing back to 16volt's place as leaders in the underground music scene, willing to give attention to the up-and-coming acts that follow in their wake. Granted, Bella Morte have earned their own place in the scene with their stylized brand of darkwave and goth rock, making them seem a somewhat dubious act to share the bill with the machine rock of 16volt. Still, Andy Deane and company offer up their own charismatic performance, drawing as rabid a crowd as 16volt, full of their trademark dark melodies and haunting atmospheres, topped off with the raucous guitar-driven energy evocative of their punk and death rock influences. Like 16volt, Bella Morte play a variety of songs from their albums, with several additions from their most current release, although this writer is only vaguely familiar with the band's oeuvre so all that can really be said here is that they did well to draw the crowd in and give them a memorable show. Even if 16volt hadn't followed, it could be said that the audience would've left satisfied. Philadelphia's opening acts included the distorted fury of 9:12 and Dyksick, both of which played a similar brand of EBM-influenced danceable electro/industrial, complete with scathing, overdriven vocals, hard-driving beats, and scorching synth lines. As these bands are still relatively new to the scene, one can only wish them luck in reaching past the confines of their influences and achieving a sound that can be called their own. This is not to say that they didn't do their best to get the crowd riled up for the main event; 9:12's vocalist took to leaving the stage and mingling with the audience during the performance, making them almost part of the show, while Dyksick's front man KD Depressor included a monologue at one point on the resurgence of industrial music in the underground, urging the fans to attend live shows and support the music. Baltimore's Hollowboy also deserve mention for their blend of electro-pop melody and goth rock atmosphere, complete with an engaging and faithful cover of The Cure's "The Walk," making for the perfect opener for Bella Morte in DC. However, it was Cyanotic's appearance on the tour that perhaps complemented 16volt the most with their potent mix of industrial, metal, and drum & bass. With a new lineup - which includes Born into Oblivion's Eris on drums and keyboardist Kevin Lach - and the Gears Gone Wild compilation to boot, Cyanotic pummeled the small but enthusiastic Philadelphia audience with a set of their most bludgeoning tracks from their Transhuman album, complete with a series of kinetic video projections in lieu of a light show, making for a wonderful audio/visual experience.
With so much activity and such a turnout in Philadelphia and DC, as well as bands like Rabbit Junk, Left Spine Down, and Everything Goes Cold joining the bill in their respective areas, it's hard to imagine that the rest of the Denial Highway tour would not be a success. At the very least, these two shows have proven that not only is there still a large audience for the goth/industrial music scene, ready and willing to give their loudest cheers to up-and-comers and established acts alike, but also that 16volt's return is more than welcome. With a little bit of luck, the fruits of their labor on the Denial Highway tour will result in 16volt being able to provide us with several more years of powerful machine rock. In a scene oversaturated with imitators and look-alikes, where the trend-of-the-moment spawns more repetition than revolution, 16volt stand poised to obstruct the fads and eventually lead the future generation of the industrial underground.
As the band's first tour in six years, the Denial Highway tour features a new lineup for 16volt, most of which were involved in the recording of FullBlackHabit, including Eric Powell, PIG/KMFDM guitarist Steve White, SMP's Jason Bazinet on drums, and 16volt veteran Mike Peoples on bass, filling in for Paul Raven, who sadly passed away in November of last year. While this is hardly the classic lineup for 16volt that long time fans remember, this powerful all-star cast more than lives up to the challenge as they unleash a blistering set list chockfull of some of the band's best known songs from their discography, including a few new additions from the latest album. Some might say that this was a response to Ministry's recent C.U. LaTour, in which that band bade their farewells by primarily focusing on their more recent albums rather than presenting a more comprehensive retrospective of their discography, although it most likely wasn't 16volt's intention - at least, not consciously. Indeed, while Ministry deserve some small ounce of credit for bravely snubbing the concept of a "greatest hits" tour, it's hardly satisfying to the fans who would prefer to see them perform those beloved songs one last time before going out in a blaze of glory. 16volt, on the other hand, come running from the opposite direction, figuratively and literally. Sure, they offer up a few new songs from FullBlackHabit, most of which had never been performed live until now. "I'm Just a Mess" kicks off the proceedings with its unconventional time signatures, pulsating rhythms, chugging guitars, and Powell's vocals that run the gamut from venomous rage to quiet introspection all within the one song, immediately setting the mood for the whole show. Other songs from the album include "Cables & Wires," in which Powell retreats to the keyboard for a brief synth solo, as well as crowd-pleasing thrashers like "The Defect People" and "Suffering You," to the more melodic but no less intense fare of "Feel it Through" and "Therapy." However, the real treat for the rivet heads comes when the band breaks into their first hit, "Motorskill." Like walking back into an old abandoned factory where the fumes from the leaking acid vats fill the air to pierce your lungs... but you can't help but miss the feeling, to hear this song performed live after so long is a welcome moment of coldwave nostalgia that drew the most powerful response from the crowd, aside from perhaps "The Cut Collector," in which everyone shouted the song title on queue. Such was also the case with "Swarm" and "The Dreams that Rot in Your Heart" from LetDownCrush, the title track from Skin, and "Machine Kit," "I Fail Truth," and "And I Go" from SuperCoolNothing, making for one of the most comprehensive set lists one could ask for from 16volt.
Of course, with such an all-star lineup of musicians, it's no wonder 16volt still manage to awe and enthrall audiences even now. To see Steve White slinging his six-string is to watch not only a professional at work, never once stooping to silly rock star poses or histrionics, but to see a guitarist churning out a clean yet vicious array of thunderous riffs, comparable to a blacksmith wielding his hammer upon a well-worn anvil. The same can be said of Jason Bazinet behind the drum kit, his skins complementing the programmed backing tracks as only a true industrial beatmaster can. Powell and Peoples sharing the stage again also made for a nice sight, especially as they playfully trampled over each other in the closing moments of the Philadelphia show, their faces wide with the smiles of two old friends reunited. As a front man, Powell hasn't lost anything from his time away; still an imposing, sometimes intimidating figure behind the microphone, his stage presence is the stuff of rock & roll legend. Occasionally sporting his guitar for certain songs, his voice effectively acts as a conduit for a depth of emotion and lyricism that few in the industrial music scene can match. Even in such a small venue as The Manhattan Room in Philadelphia, PA (literally, the club's layout was such that the dance floor/stage area was hardly much wider than the average bar, making for an incredibly cramped space), the band blasted out their set with all the fervor of a caged lion clawing its way through the bars. Then again, the band did forego an encore. Whether this was due to the small space of The Manhattan Room or not, who can say? However, as Powell and company left the stage, he did state that they would rather share a drink with the fans, which if nothing else showed the band's eagerness to connect with their audience on more than a musical level; those musicians too egotistical to acknowledge their fan base would do well to take a lesson from 16volt. The band's show in Washington, DC was an equally intimate, though thankfully more spacious affair, complete with fog machines and strobe lights to enhance the visual presentation. Unlike Philadelphia, DC was given the benefit of an encore; following audiences chants of "16volt! 16volt!," Powell and company returned to the stage, joking that they had taken a bathroom break together, "something we've learned from women." One certainly can't accuse 16volt of not being entertaining.
Another interesting aspect to the Denial Highway tour is the opening acts; besides Bella Morte, each show features a local opening act, drawing back to 16volt's place as leaders in the underground music scene, willing to give attention to the up-and-coming acts that follow in their wake. Granted, Bella Morte have earned their own place in the scene with their stylized brand of darkwave and goth rock, making them seem a somewhat dubious act to share the bill with the machine rock of 16volt. Still, Andy Deane and company offer up their own charismatic performance, drawing as rabid a crowd as 16volt, full of their trademark dark melodies and haunting atmospheres, topped off with the raucous guitar-driven energy evocative of their punk and death rock influences. Like 16volt, Bella Morte play a variety of songs from their albums, with several additions from their most current release, although this writer is only vaguely familiar with the band's oeuvre so all that can really be said here is that they did well to draw the crowd in and give them a memorable show. Even if 16volt hadn't followed, it could be said that the audience would've left satisfied. Philadelphia's opening acts included the distorted fury of 9:12 and Dyksick, both of which played a similar brand of EBM-influenced danceable electro/industrial, complete with scathing, overdriven vocals, hard-driving beats, and scorching synth lines. As these bands are still relatively new to the scene, one can only wish them luck in reaching past the confines of their influences and achieving a sound that can be called their own. This is not to say that they didn't do their best to get the crowd riled up for the main event; 9:12's vocalist took to leaving the stage and mingling with the audience during the performance, making them almost part of the show, while Dyksick's front man KD Depressor included a monologue at one point on the resurgence of industrial music in the underground, urging the fans to attend live shows and support the music. Baltimore's Hollowboy also deserve mention for their blend of electro-pop melody and goth rock atmosphere, complete with an engaging and faithful cover of The Cure's "The Walk," making for the perfect opener for Bella Morte in DC. However, it was Cyanotic's appearance on the tour that perhaps complemented 16volt the most with their potent mix of industrial, metal, and drum & bass. With a new lineup - which includes Born into Oblivion's Eris on drums and keyboardist Kevin Lach - and the Gears Gone Wild compilation to boot, Cyanotic pummeled the small but enthusiastic Philadelphia audience with a set of their most bludgeoning tracks from their Transhuman album, complete with a series of kinetic video projections in lieu of a light show, making for a wonderful audio/visual experience.
With so much activity and such a turnout in Philadelphia and DC, as well as bands like Rabbit Junk, Left Spine Down, and Everything Goes Cold joining the bill in their respective areas, it's hard to imagine that the rest of the Denial Highway tour would not be a success. At the very least, these two shows have proven that not only is there still a large audience for the goth/industrial music scene, ready and willing to give their loudest cheers to up-and-comers and established acts alike, but also that 16volt's return is more than welcome. With a little bit of luck, the fruits of their labor on the Denial Highway tour will result in 16volt being able to provide us with several more years of powerful machine rock. In a scene oversaturated with imitators and look-alikes, where the trend-of-the-moment spawns more repetition than revolution, 16volt stand poised to obstruct the fads and eventually lead the future generation of the industrial underground.
16volt, Washington, DC, July 2, 2008
16volt, Philadelphia, PA, June 29, 2008
Cyanotic, Philadelphia, PA, June 29, 2008
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