Brainclaw
Encyclopedia
Brainclaw is an industrial
/electronic music
project initially created at Ithaca College
, NY in 1989 by David Giuffre. The band is now composed of David and Tara Giuffre. Notable songs are "Insekt/Angel" and "When The Dark Rains Come" which were used on the DVD releases of The Matrix Revolutions
, The Matrix Box Set and the Spider-Man
Collector's Edition. Brainclaw is currently signed to BLC Productions in Little Rock, AR.
The result of this work was an album of music called Infrastrukture. Six more albums followed, (Painselectiv - 1991, Shrieking In Standby - 1993, Sect - 1994, Treason - 1996, Strange Protection - 1997 and the abortive half album, Bodyhorror - 1998) each building on the work of the previous one, slowly refining both recording technique and compositional structure. There was no serious attempt to release this music until mp3.com offered an inexpensive route for musical exposure.
. This effectively put the Brainclaw project on hold. David wrote, sang and toured with this band for five years. After the band began moving in a different musical direction, David amiably parted ways with Carfax in early 2002, to make a serious attempt at rejuvenating the Brainclaw project. The project became more focused with the addition of partner Tara Giuffre. They began co-writing the new Brainclaw material.
stations began noticing the music, and began lending their support with plays of the new songs and reviews. The Official Brainclaw Website was completely re-designed. The selection of the song "Downsect" for the Spiderbite Studios CD compilation called Perversions of Industry would prove to be a far-reaching event, right into the present day. Brainclaw songs began climbing electronic music charts on the internet and alternative radio stations in many parts of the world. The rest of 2002 was spent writing songs, getting press and club/radio spins and promoting at events. The Insekt/Angel CD was self-released on March 1.
More worldwide publicity followed, as Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group licensed "When The Dark Rains Come" and "Insekt/Angel" for use on the DVD release of the Spider-Man Collector’s Edition DVD. The new Brainclaw CD was finally released to an increasingly interested electronic music community, and reviews and support began arriving internationally, as well as from North America. Then, the Insekt/Angel CD was picked up for distribution by Metropolis Records.
magazine.
In June, 2006, Kimberly Holler joined up as synthesist for live shows, and the Brainclaw Website was completely rebuilt around a totally interactive blog format. Brainclaw’s cover of "Work Hard" was selected to appear on the new Cryonica Music Depeche Mode
Tribute CD, Bright Lights, Dark Room in the UK.
Compilation Appearances:
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
/electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
project initially created at Ithaca College
Ithaca College
Ithaca College is a private college located on the South Hill of Ithaca, New York. The school was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a conservatory of music. The college has a strong liberal arts core, but also offers several pre-professional programs and some graduate programs. The college is...
, NY in 1989 by David Giuffre. The band is now composed of David and Tara Giuffre. Notable songs are "Insekt/Angel" and "When The Dark Rains Come" which were used on the DVD releases of The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix Revolutions is a 2003 American science fiction film and the third installment of The Matrix trilogy. The film was released six months following The Matrix Reloaded. The film was written and directed by the Wachowski brothers and released simultaneously in sixty countries on November 5,...
, The Matrix Box Set and the Spider-Man
Spider-Man (film)
Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film, the first in the Spider-Man film series based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Koepp...
Collector's Edition. Brainclaw is currently signed to BLC Productions in Little Rock, AR.
Early years
The Brainclaw project began as an ongoing experiment in composing aggressive electronic music, born at Ithaca College in 1989. Pennsylvania, USA-native David Giuffre decided to begin composing more polished compositions with the end result of publishing a full album of electro-industrial music, using the large body of mostly unfocused and unfinished work he had created up to that point, from 1985 to 1988. He continued to accumulate new music gear and build what would eventually become Studio Auroviral.The result of this work was an album of music called Infrastrukture. Six more albums followed, (Painselectiv - 1991, Shrieking In Standby - 1993, Sect - 1994, Treason - 1996, Strange Protection - 1997 and the abortive half album, Bodyhorror - 1998) each building on the work of the previous one, slowly refining both recording technique and compositional structure. There was no serious attempt to release this music until mp3.com offered an inexpensive route for musical exposure.
Other projects
In 1997, David was recruited to write and play in the newly-forming Philadelphia Goth Rock outfit, Carfax AbbeyCarfax Abbey
Carfax Abbey is a Philadelphia-based Industrial Rock band that started out in 1997. They have appeared on several Dark Alternative compilation albums such as Music from the Succubus Club, Asleep by Dawn, Dancing in the Dark: 10 Years of Dancing Ferret, and Dancing in the Dark 2006.The name of the...
. This effectively put the Brainclaw project on hold. David wrote, sang and toured with this band for five years. After the band began moving in a different musical direction, David amiably parted ways with Carfax in early 2002, to make a serious attempt at rejuvenating the Brainclaw project. The project became more focused with the addition of partner Tara Giuffre. They began co-writing the new Brainclaw material.
Debut album
As new songs were completed and released, internet radioInternet radio
Internet radio is an audio service transmitted via the Internet...
stations began noticing the music, and began lending their support with plays of the new songs and reviews. The Official Brainclaw Website was completely re-designed. The selection of the song "Downsect" for the Spiderbite Studios CD compilation called Perversions of Industry would prove to be a far-reaching event, right into the present day. Brainclaw songs began climbing electronic music charts on the internet and alternative radio stations in many parts of the world. The rest of 2002 was spent writing songs, getting press and club/radio spins and promoting at events. The Insekt/Angel CD was self-released on March 1.
Warner Brothers and Columbia TriStar
2003 began with the band's first professional photoshoots by Philadelphia photographer Kyle Cassidy, further modifications and upgrades to the Official Brainclaw Website and a re-uniting with old bandmates in Carfax Abbey, who approached David and Tara with the idea of fleshing out and recording songs for Carfax’s full-length release, Second Skin. The latter half of the year saw increased activity in the press, with reviews of Brainclaw’s Promo EP CD, especially a positive review in Industrial Nation magazine. They finished up the Carfax Abbey CD as the year closed, having recorded and produced six new songs, and began preparations for the release of their own full-length CD, called Insekt/Angel. As the year ended, Warner Brothers, alerted to Brainclaw music because of the Spiderbite compilation appearance of a year ago, licensed the song "When the Dark Rains Come" for use in the DVD release of Matrix Revolutions.More worldwide publicity followed, as Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group licensed "When The Dark Rains Come" and "Insekt/Angel" for use on the DVD release of the Spider-Man Collector’s Edition DVD. The new Brainclaw CD was finally released to an increasingly interested electronic music community, and reviews and support began arriving internationally, as well as from North America. Then, the Insekt/Angel CD was picked up for distribution by Metropolis Records.
Live shows
David and Tara decided to bring a live Brainclaw show to the stage, and using the experience gained from five years touring with Carfax Abbey, the duo began fleshing out a stage performance set. James Sewell of Divers Lust came on-board as a live drummer. Keyboardist Lorie K of Suture Seven also joined the live Brainclaw show. The 2004 shows were well-attended and reviewed, with a somewhat lighter schedule for the summer 2005 tour, to allow for the writing of a follow-up album to Insekt/Angel. Warner Brothers also licensed four more songs from Insekt/Angel for the Matrix DVD Box Set. In Spring, 2006 Lorie K. had a wonderful opportunity in early 2006 to relocate to Germany to pursue other projects, so the search began for a new live synthesist.Signing with BLC
In February, 2006, Brainclaw signed a deal with Arkansas-based independent label BLC Productions. The new Brainclaw CD, called Dead Monsters was released on BLC in both North America and Europe in April, 2006. Press opportunities and reviews occurred in such international publications as UK-based Kaleidoscope and Germany's Side-LineSide-Line
Side-Line is an online music magazine specialising in electronic music, and electro-goth/industrial in particular. It was founded in 1989 as a print publication, and had a circulation of 6,000 in Europe and America...
magazine.
In June, 2006, Kimberly Holler joined up as synthesist for live shows, and the Brainclaw Website was completely rebuilt around a totally interactive blog format. Brainclaw’s cover of "Work Hard" was selected to appear on the new Cryonica Music Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
Tribute CD, Bright Lights, Dark Room in the UK.
Discography
Album Releases:- Infrastrukture (1989 - out of print)
- Painselectiv (1991 - out of print)
- Shrieking In Standby (1993 - out of print)
- Treason (1996 - out of print)
- Strange Protection (1997 - out of print)
- Bodyhorror/Sect (1998 - out of print)
- Insekt/Angel (2004 - self-release, distributed internationally by Metropolis Records)
- Dead Monsters (2006 - BLC Productions in North America, E-Noxe and Al!ve in Europe)
Compilation Appearances:
- Perversions Of Industry (2003 - Spiderbite Studios)
- Interbreeding III: Xenophobic (2004 - BLC Productions)
- Interbreeding IV: Gefahrlich (2004 - BLC Productions)
- Interbreeding V: Subhuman - The Alien Agenda (2005) - BLC Productions)
- Interbreeding VII: Natural Enemies (2005 - BLC Productions)
- Electro/R/Evolution Volume 1 (2005 - Static Sky Records)
- Cryonica Tanz Volume 4 (2006 - Cryonica Music)
- Interbreeding VIII: Elements Of Violence (2006 - BLC Productions)
- Bright Lights, Dark Room: Depeche Mode Tribute (2006 - Cryonica Music)
- Interbreeding IX: Kuru (2007 - BLC Productions)
- Weatherhead 3 (2008 - Hypervoxx/Telegrammetry Rocordings)