Cyber-Tec Project
"Divide by 242" by Aaron Johnston
It is 1996 and all that remains of the old-guard industrial music
conglomerate is a gaggle of weathered old men and a few desperate
attempts at commercial fortitude. Front Line Assembly have tried
everything possible to rise above being club
exclusives and shot back to square one with Off-Beat Records in
the process. Skinny Puppy lay claim to one corpse, a
nomadic Ogre and a record label that is a stone's throw shy of
enthusiastic in regards to releasing the group's final album.
Ministry seem more adept at banging heads than tapping keyboards
and KMFDM committed suicide by re-introducing
Raymond Watts on vocals. The once infamous T.K.K. traded in their
blood red Gothic industrialism for a little rave green and
Nitzer Ebb picked up guitars on their way to alternative glory.
To quote Eric Powell of 16 Volt, "The Wax Trax era is
dead."
Still, what list of 1980's industrial pioneers would be complete
without Front 242? The front foursome who practically invented
"EBM" are certainly more than deserving of mention.
With regards to the death toll, aside from the Angels Vs. Animals
and Live Code import releases, nothing has been heard from the
whole group in almost three years. When you break that group into
sections, a different story unfolds. Richard 23, the 242 studio
percussionist turned spastic stage jogger resurfaced in 1995 with
a rap/metal/industrial ode to a fallen champion, Free Tyson Free.
Later that year, Jean-Luc DeMeyer, the sturdy voice behind the
Front, was spotted outside camp 242 doing vocals for a new techno
project by Jonathan Sharp and Ged Denton called Cyber-Tec. With
regards to his involvement in the new group, DeMeyer explains,
"I didn't want to influence the music and production, I was
only there when the original mixes were made, and let the
musicians take their own direction. I asked for only a few minor
adjustments, and my only demand was that I had no distortion on
my vocals."
The product DeMeyer speaks of is the self-titled Cyber-Tec EP
released on Fifth Colvmn late last year. The sound of
Cyber-Tec can be split between two distinct realms of
familiarity. Musically, the project is dead-on techno with an
industrial
edge similar to the more recent Fuck Up Evil and Evil Off Front
242 releases. Vocally, the group conjures steadfast
memories of classic Front 242 in all of the most triumphant, rich
and gallant ways. With remixes by K-Nitrate, Birmingham 6,
Cubanate and Tim Woodward, the EP goes from harsh pulp devouring
stomps to spacial passages that trip well beyond the
realms of simple ecstasy.
With such a hands-off enlistment, wonders abound over DeMeyer's
future with the group, "We will record our first full album
this year. Jonathan Sharp has since left the group and Mark Heal
of Cubanate has joined to help with the music. I like to use
the term 'deep industrial' to describe the new album, because it
shows a wide range of atmospheres from industrial to almost
ambient. We have 14 songs so far and the rough versions are
extremely rich and dense, by far the most inspirational music I
have ever worked on and easily the best creation I have ever been
involved with."
Taking such pride in a single release is a strong statement for a
man responsible for over twenty releases in his life-time. But,
as
DeMeyer reveals, it's most certainly not the only thing cooking
over his fires, "I'm working on two other projects at the
moment. The first is what I consider to be my real new band,
Cobalt 60. It's a fast, hard and melodic combination of techno
rhythms and sampled guitars somewhere between techno-Ramones and
a sped-up Suicide. We're currently talking to a few
labels who have shown interest. The second is the next Birmingham
6 album which will be recorded this April for which I wrote
lyrics and will sing on several tracks. I feel B6 have solid
material and should rapidly emerge as one of the most exciting
new techno-industrial talents. I also wrote lyrics for two songs
with TCHAK!, Richard's new project. One of them has incredible
commercial potential and, if produced the right way, could become
an international hit-single."
As far as life outside of 242 goes, DeMeyer shows few signs of
home sickness, "Since 242 stopped, I have written more than
40 songs in one and a half years! I've never been that busy in my
life. It's immensely enjoyable to work without any pressure
from record companies, and I'm very lucky to have met the people
I'm working with today." As for the fate of Front 242,
DeMeyer speaks words some do not wish to hear, "We have no
intention of working together in 1996 because we are all quite
pleased with our side-projects. If one day we do, the four of us
will be present."
(This article is quite old. Cyber Tec Project is now called C-Tec and have released the album JL speaks of on TVT Records here in America. It's called "Darker" and is indeed quite good. Also, Front 242 are going on tour this summer -- 1998)