Channel Zero (band)
Encyclopedia
Channel Zero is a heavy metal
band formed in Brussels
, Belgium
. They are one of the best known heavy metal bands from Belgium and were often referred to as "the Belgian Metallica
." They disbanded at the height of their career in 1997, however in 2009, the band announced a series of reunion gigs starting in January 2010.
, Belgium
in 1990. They released their first album Channel Zero in 1992. Their second album Stigmatized For Life (mixed by Vinnie Paul
of Pantera
) followed in 1993.
They achieved their breakthrough with the album Unsafe in 1994. The album featured guest vocals of Billie Milano of S.O.D.
and Richard 23
of Front 242
. Their last studio album Black Fuel was released in 1996.
In 1997 the band announced their break-up. They released one last live album of their performance at Marktrock
, Leuven
in 1997, simply titled Live. Franky De Smet Van Damme went on to form his own band Skitsoy, while Xavier Carion later formed Sons of Jonathas.
In 2010 the band played six reunion shows in AB concert hall. The first three sold-out within 49 minutes, the next two, announced one week later, again sold out very fast. The last one took a day. This way, the band gave every fan the opportunity to go to the concerts for a correct price.
A new single "Black Flowers" was released January 22, 2010, suggesting a definitive come back of the band after 13 years in the dark.
On April 5, 2010 Franky revealed that they are working on a new album. He did this in an interview he gave during 'De zwaarste lijst' a radio show on the Belgian radio station StuBru
The band played concerts at the Graspop Metal Meeting
2010 and 2011 festival in Dessel, Belgium. They also played at Rock Werchter
2010.
Live:
EP:
Singles:
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band formed in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. They are one of the best known heavy metal bands from Belgium and were often referred to as "the Belgian Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
." They disbanded at the height of their career in 1997, however in 2009, the band announced a series of reunion gigs starting in January 2010.
History
Channel Zero was formed in BrusselsBrussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
in 1990. They released their first album Channel Zero in 1992. Their second album Stigmatized For Life (mixed by Vinnie Paul
Vinnie Paul
Vincent Paul Abbott, also known as "Vinnie Paul" is a heavy metal drummer and producer who is currently a member of supergroup Hellyeah, but is best known for being a member, and co-founder, of the heavy metal band Pantera...
of Pantera
Pantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
) followed in 1993.
They achieved their breakthrough with the album Unsafe in 1994. The album featured guest vocals of Billie Milano of S.O.D.
Stormtroopers of Death
Stormtroopers of Death, better known as S.O.D., was a crossover thrash band formed in New York in 1985. They are commonly credited as being among the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal into a style sometimes called "crossover thrash." The song "March of the S.O.D.," from their 1985...
and Richard 23
Richard Jonckheere
Richard Jonckheere , aka Richard 23 or Richard JK, is an Industrial and EBM musician. He is a member of Front 242 and was a founding member of Revolting Cocks...
of Front 242
Front 242
Front 242 is a pioneering Belgian electronic music group that came into prominence during the 1980s. They are known for being the premier pioneer of electronic body music and as a major influence on the electronic and industrial music genres.-Formation:...
. Their last studio album Black Fuel was released in 1996.
In 1997 the band announced their break-up. They released one last live album of their performance at Marktrock
Marktrock
Marktrock is a popular crowd-puller music festival held each year around the August 15, in the heart of the university town of Leuven, Belgium.There is also a smaller Marktrock festival in Poperinge which is held the last Saturday of August....
, Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
in 1997, simply titled Live. Franky De Smet Van Damme went on to form his own band Skitsoy, while Xavier Carion later formed Sons of Jonathas.
In 2010 the band played six reunion shows in AB concert hall. The first three sold-out within 49 minutes, the next two, announced one week later, again sold out very fast. The last one took a day. This way, the band gave every fan the opportunity to go to the concerts for a correct price.
A new single "Black Flowers" was released January 22, 2010, suggesting a definitive come back of the band after 13 years in the dark.
On April 5, 2010 Franky revealed that they are working on a new album. He did this in an interview he gave during 'De zwaarste lijst' a radio show on the Belgian radio station StuBru
The band played concerts at the Graspop Metal Meeting
Graspop Metal Meeting
Graspop Metal Meeting is an annual metal festival in Dessel, Belgium that has taken place each year since 1996. Despite the small size of the festival grounds the festival draws a large number of international spectators, with a total of 142,000 visitors in the course of the 2011 edition...
2010 and 2011 festival in Dessel, Belgium. They also played at Rock Werchter
Rock Werchter
Rock Werchter is a Belgian annual music festival held in the village of Werchter, near Leuven, since 1974. It is one of the five biggest annual rock music festivals in Europe...
2010.
Members
- Franky De Smet-Van Damme – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Mikey Doling – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s - Phil Baheux – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Tino De Martino – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Xavier Carion – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(out due to ear damage will be replaced by ex-Soulfly/SNOT guitarist Mikey Doling)
Discography
Albums:- Channel Zero (Shark Records – 1992)
- Stigmatized For Life (Shark Records – 1993)
- Unsafe (Play it again Sam – 1994)
- Black Fuel (Play it again Sam – 1997)
- Feed 'Em with a Brick (Roadrunner Records – 2011)
Live:
- Live (Play it again Sam – 1997)
- Live at the Ancienne Belgique – CD + DVD (CNR Records / Roadrunner Records – 2010)
EP:
- Suck My Energy (Play It Again Sam – 1995)
- Help (Play It Again Sam – 1995)
- Heroin (Play It Again Sam – 1995)
- Fool's Parade (Play It Again Sam – 1996)
Singles:
- Run W.T.T. (Play It Again Sam – 1995)
- Call On Me (Play It Again Sam – 1997)
- Black Flowers (Roadrunner Records – 2010)
- Hot Summer (Roadrunner Records – 2011)