Chrome was a highly original sounding and influential futuristic science fiction/punk band that came out in the mid 1970's. Chrome's sound is incredible..they use tape loops and all kinds of homemade sound effects to a nightmarish effect. Helios Creed's deranged, psychedelic guitar playing, and distorted vocals add to the mix. Combine that with Damon Edge's ear for cold keyboards, synths, and dance rhythms and you have apocalyptic
futuristic/punk/dance/metal/space rock for a millennium that has yet to come. Their music paints haunting and alien aural soundscapes and their lyrics convey an acute sense of paranoia and isolation. If there is such a thing as a soundtrack to the works of Philip K. Dick or the cut-up science fiction works of William S. Burroughs, Chrome is it. Chrome would eventually disband after Helios Creed left the band in 1983 to pursue a solo career. After Damon Edge's death in 1995, Helios Creed reformed Chrome, releasing some new material and performed several live shows.
I love all of Chrome's output with Helios Creed, so it is hard to name a favorite. All of their albums are different, each painting a different mood. My personal favorites are "Half Machine Lip Moves" and "Alien Soundtracks", both released in the late 1970's. You can purchase them separately or as one album. These two works are Chrome's most adventurous. They effortlessly blend cut-up sound collages and tape loops in with their unrelenting punk/industrial space rock soundscapes. It is difficult to determine where one song ends and the next one begins at times. Both releases are best appreciated listened to as a whole, or back to back, as they both have a similar feel.
Here's "You've Been Duplicated" from 'Half Machine Lip Moves"...
futuristic/punk/dance/metal/space rock for a millennium that has yet to come. Their music paints haunting and alien aural soundscapes and their lyrics convey an acute sense of paranoia and isolation. If there is such a thing as a soundtrack to the works of Philip K. Dick or the cut-up science fiction works of William S. Burroughs, Chrome is it. Chrome would eventually disband after Helios Creed left the band in 1983 to pursue a solo career. After Damon Edge's death in 1995, Helios Creed reformed Chrome, releasing some new material and performed several live shows.
I love all of Chrome's output with Helios Creed, so it is hard to name a favorite. All of their albums are different, each painting a different mood. My personal favorites are "Half Machine Lip Moves" and "Alien Soundtracks", both released in the late 1970's. You can purchase them separately or as one album. These two works are Chrome's most adventurous. They effortlessly blend cut-up sound collages and tape loops in with their unrelenting punk/industrial space rock soundscapes. It is difficult to determine where one song ends and the next one begins at times. Both releases are best appreciated listened to as a whole, or back to back, as they both have a similar feel.
Here's "You've Been Duplicated" from 'Half Machine Lip Moves"...
Chrome - Youve Been Duplicated -
...and here's "Slip It to the Android" from "Alien Soundtracks". Enjoy.
2 comments:
Brilliant use of tape looped lyrics and the violin.
Slip it to the Android reminds me very much of... something, some other song that is on the tip of my tong, but can't quite name. Delightfully infuriating!
Glad you liked it. Chrome was (and is) still years ahead of their time.
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