Who (Band):
Combichrist started as a side project of Andy LaPlegua,
the lead vocalist of
Icon Of Coil. The style of Combichrist is
harder than Icon Of Coil, but still embraces certain elements that made Icon Of
Coil a success. The explosive style of Combichrist garnered a ton of attention
and popularity that made it sky rocket in multiple genres throughout North
America, South America, and Europe. Combichrist has been one of the bands that
has drawn elements from multiple genres into its unique style and formed them
into a potent format that can place many of the songs in clubs and radio. When
combined with their amazing live performances it makes for a concert that is
truly an unforgettable experience.
What (Band): Many artists will work on side projects, but it is
truly rare for the side projects to gain a level of dominance that will rival
and even surpass what the main project has. Combichrist may have been a side
project of Andy, but it has evolved into something epic that many consider to be
his greatest work in music. This is not to discount his other work, but
Combichrist is a band that is an extension of Andy and shows his level of
understanding and love in the music he creates for the world.
Why (Song): Denial shows a special format that ties it to Electro, Electro-Industrial, and even Alternative Metal. It shows a fluid format that fits in with many of the existing formats of music in Europe and the United States for the respective genres it touches.
Where (Song): Among the arsenal of music that Combichrist has
made, Denial is among the more aggressive in the chorus and almost
foreboding in the verse and interlude portions of the song. This makes this a
perfect song for Electro-Industrial and Alternative Metal formats at clubs.
The fact that it is a combination of the melody and the lyrics that cut to the
core of the listener makes it a good visceral song for radio. The added perk is
that the lyrics evoke emotion without using words that would violate any FM
radio laws in North America or Europe. That being presented this would be a good
song for FM radio stations in Metal, Alternative, and Industrial shows.
The fact that it has elements that make it diverse will add vitality to many
show formats and open doors to other styles of music for the station's
listeners.
How (Song): Denial is an impressive song when listening to
it by those that like the harder side of Electronic Music. What makes Denial
stand out though is the lyrics. There is a small selection of songs that have
lyrics that can drill down to the emotional core. This is a song that gives a
facet of viewing a slice of life that most have experienced or can comprehend.
How many of us have had challenging times that were compounded by the
involvement of another person? How many of us have spent long hours looking into
that inner mirror when these situations have transpired? Denial gives
this aspect of life an audio form.
Coctail (Sounds Like): 1 part Machinegun GoGo (Panzer AG) + 1 part Jonathan Davis (of Korn) + 1/4 part
Misery Loves Company (Angels On Acid)
+ 1/4 Serenity Is The Devil (Icon Of Coil)
Combine in a blender and add it next on the playlist!
Draven Taylor's Note: Many established artists will work on other
projects. Sometimes the other projects will rival the original project that the
artist works on, but often they are meek shadows of what the artist can create.
Andy has a number of projects he works on and what is truly impressive is that
they all are a reflection of him and have distinct styles that make them unique.
If you listen to more than one project he is involved in back to back in most
cases it will take a few songs before most will even fathom they are from the
same person. That alone is impressive to me. Combined with the fact that Andy
makes the music as an expression of himself and never compromises himself and
the direction he has is equally impressive.
Combichrist has had both passionate fans and haters of them as a band. This is
expected as they surfaced and didn't make a splash, they dominated when they
surfaced. The pace they vaulted to the top in their genres and that they have
maintained themselves as one of the upper tier artists will gain them a huge fan
base and a few that envy what they have accomplished. Personally, I hope that no
matter what Andy doesn't give up on making music as I think he makes music that
many love and has been impactful on other artists in a positive fashion.