Pitchshifter

by Stanton SwihartDrumnbass consisting of J.S. Clayden (vocals, programming), J.A. Carter (guitar, programming), M.D. Clayden (bass), and D. (live drums), British band Pitchshifter started out in the early-90s industrial underground as aggressive social confronters hearkening back to the early days of British punk and American hardcore (à la the Minutemen and Dead Kennedys). The band signed to Earache in 1992, and their first couple releases — the mini-album Submit (1992) and the full-length Psensitised (1993) — firmly entrenched the band in the industrial underground and brought their music to the attention of American listeners. Pitchshifters shows used live programming and slides, and further spread their music in the States, though their confrontational attitude almost ensured a lack of commercial airplay. 1996s Infotainment saw Pitchshifter starting to outgrow their industrial roots and explore computer technology in an effort to bring their brand of aggressive social and political awareness to a more mainstream audience. The album is filled with exciting aggression and high-speed techno breaks that were unusual in commercial music. In addition, Pitchshifter included free samples at the end of the CD, and encouraged listeners to steal them for their own use. The band toured relentlessly and successfully for the next couple years, playing with the likes of Korn, Tool, Ministry, and even Girls Against Boys, bringing them to the attention of American major label DGC, which signed them in 1997. During this period the band also took a musical leap as evidenced by their 1998 release www.pitchshifter.com, their first on DGC Records. Filled with an enlightening combination of hard, punky breakbeats veering toward a unique sort of sweaty drumnbass, the album is built both on samples and live playing, thanks in part to the addition of guitarist Jim Davies. Deviant followed in mid-2000.