Sounds of Mass Production
Encyclopedia
Sounds of Mass Production is a cyberpunk
/rap
/nu metal
/Industrial music
band from Seattle, WA
(US
). The band name is often referred to by the acronym SMP. Founded in 1992 (under the short-lived moniker, Synthesia Murder Program) by musicians Jason Bazinet and Sean Ivy, the band has gone through numerous lineup changes, with Bazinet remaining as the sole constant member and primary songwriter.
By the end of the '90s, SMP had moved to the Seattle based label ADSR Musicwerks. Through this label, they released Terminal in 2000. The track Policy became a dance club hit, but was indicative of a growing musical rift between Ivy and Bazinet. Songs on Terminal penned by Ivy tended towards more electronica and dance friendly tunes, while Bazinet held true to his gritty rap roots with songs like File 484 and Megaton. Sometime in 2001, Ivy and Bazinet parted ways, with Bazinet retaining the rights to the band. Sharifi also left the live lineup around this time.
Seeking to expand on the growing popularity of SMP, Bazinet left ADSR and signed on with Chicago based Invisible Records
for the release of the remix album Hacked in 2001, and the re-release of Terminal (with an altered track listing) a year later. Touring to support the new releases, Bazinet enlisted keyboarist Paul Furio
of Static Engine, drummer Charlie Lormé of Lifelike Feel, and guitarist Chris Roy of Doll Factory
. This period saw a tour of the American Southwest, as well as SMP opening for acts such as Pigface
, Gravity Kills
, and Meg Lee Chin
. Lormé and Roy left SMP in 2002, and Scott Brovan of Uglyhead filled in on Guitar.
In 2003, SMP left Invisible Records due to contractual disagreements, and Furio left the live lineup, to be replaced on keyboards by Garrick Antikajian of Doll Factory
. Bazinet formed his own label, Music Ration Records, for the release of the next album, Crimes of the Future. SMP enlisted Wade Alin of Christ Analogue
to produce Crimes, resulting in the most polished album yet, with booming drums and an in-your-face sound usually reserved only for major label releases.
In 2005, SMP released its first music video for This Perfect Day, the lead track on Crimes. Filmed in Seattle by Resonance Digital Arts, and directed by former keyboardist Furio, the video was made available both as a promotional DVD and as an online download. By 2005, SMP had also signed to Static Sky Records, which imploded having only released one SMP track, Beta Male.
On September 13, 2007, SMP released their fifth original studio album The Treatment, which includes 11 new tracks, on Bazinet's own imprint Music Ration Entertainment.
Tiring of the music industry and industrial music scene in general Bazinet put SMP on hiatus on 3/16/2008. The band re-emerged on 5/6/2009 with a new line-up, a new tour of the American Southwest, and ultimately, a new album, Coda.
Bazinet is also the current drummer for industrial acts 16Volt, Chemlab, and Front Line Assembly.
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983...
/rap
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
/nu metal
Nu metal
Nu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
/Industrial music
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...
band from Seattle, WA
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
(US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
). The band name is often referred to by the acronym SMP. Founded in 1992 (under the short-lived moniker, Synthesia Murder Program) by musicians Jason Bazinet and Sean Ivy, the band has gone through numerous lineup changes, with Bazinet remaining as the sole constant member and primary songwriter.
History
SMP debuted in 1995 with Stalemate, their first album, released on Re-Constriction Records. A raw, DIY sound, lo-fi movie samples, and lyrics with a retro-punk take on technology quickly set SMP apart from other industrial bands of the time. Three years later, SMP followed up with their second album, Ultimatum, which spawned their first underground hit song, Militia Love. Drummer Matt Sharifi of Omnibox had also joined their studio and live crew around this time.By the end of the '90s, SMP had moved to the Seattle based label ADSR Musicwerks. Through this label, they released Terminal in 2000. The track Policy became a dance club hit, but was indicative of a growing musical rift between Ivy and Bazinet. Songs on Terminal penned by Ivy tended towards more electronica and dance friendly tunes, while Bazinet held true to his gritty rap roots with songs like File 484 and Megaton. Sometime in 2001, Ivy and Bazinet parted ways, with Bazinet retaining the rights to the band. Sharifi also left the live lineup around this time.
Seeking to expand on the growing popularity of SMP, Bazinet left ADSR and signed on with Chicago based Invisible Records
Invisible Records
Invisible Records is a Chicago based record label founded by Martin Atkins to support and distribute the works of artists who preferred to work with a smaller, artist driven label.-Artist Roster:* Ashtrayhead* Attrition* Bagman* Bizarre Sex Trio...
for the release of the remix album Hacked in 2001, and the re-release of Terminal (with an altered track listing) a year later. Touring to support the new releases, Bazinet enlisted keyboarist Paul Furio
Paul Furio
Paul Joseph Furio is a veteran of the game development industry and a former musician. As a musician, he was the founder and creative force behind the band Static Engine, as well as the keyboardist for the band SMP...
of Static Engine, drummer Charlie Lormé of Lifelike Feel, and guitarist Chris Roy of Doll Factory
Doll Factory
Doll Factory is an Electronic rock / Post-punk revival / Electronic music band from Seattle, WA . Founded in 1998 by musicians Garrick Antikajian and Chris Roy, the band primarily works as a studio-based duo with Antikajian and Roy handling all writing, performance, and...
. This period saw a tour of the American Southwest, as well as SMP opening for acts such as Pigface
Pigface
Pigface is an industrial rock supergroup formed in 1990 by Martin Atkins and William Rieflin.-History:Pigface was formed from Ministry's The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste tour, which produced the In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up live album and video. For the tour, Al Jourgensen brought...
, Gravity Kills
Gravity Kills
Gravity Kills is an American industrial rock band from Jefferson City, Missouri. Their music was described by one critic as "a blending of eerie industrial rock with a pop-infused melodic chorus and a bit of hard-core head banging."...
, and Meg Lee Chin
Meg Lee Chin
Meg Lee Chin is best known for her work with the anarchic industrial supergroup Pigface, headed by Martin Atkins of Invisible Records. She built her own recording studio dubbed Egg, where she recorded her first album, and after appearing on Pigface's 1997 LP A New High in Low as well as its...
. Lormé and Roy left SMP in 2002, and Scott Brovan of Uglyhead filled in on Guitar.
In 2003, SMP left Invisible Records due to contractual disagreements, and Furio left the live lineup, to be replaced on keyboards by Garrick Antikajian of Doll Factory
Doll Factory
Doll Factory is an Electronic rock / Post-punk revival / Electronic music band from Seattle, WA . Founded in 1998 by musicians Garrick Antikajian and Chris Roy, the band primarily works as a studio-based duo with Antikajian and Roy handling all writing, performance, and...
. Bazinet formed his own label, Music Ration Records, for the release of the next album, Crimes of the Future. SMP enlisted Wade Alin of Christ Analogue
Christ Analogue
Christ Analogue is an industrial rock group started in 1995 by frontman and producer Wade Alin. They were known for their confident and remarkable live show.-History:Christ Analogue was devised in 1995 by programmer/vocalist Wade Alin...
to produce Crimes, resulting in the most polished album yet, with booming drums and an in-your-face sound usually reserved only for major label releases.
In 2005, SMP released its first music video for This Perfect Day, the lead track on Crimes. Filmed in Seattle by Resonance Digital Arts, and directed by former keyboardist Furio, the video was made available both as a promotional DVD and as an online download. By 2005, SMP had also signed to Static Sky Records, which imploded having only released one SMP track, Beta Male.
On September 13, 2007, SMP released their fifth original studio album The Treatment, which includes 11 new tracks, on Bazinet's own imprint Music Ration Entertainment.
Tiring of the music industry and industrial music scene in general Bazinet put SMP on hiatus on 3/16/2008. The band re-emerged on 5/6/2009 with a new line-up, a new tour of the American Southwest, and ultimately, a new album, Coda.
Bazinet is also the current drummer for industrial acts 16Volt, Chemlab, and Front Line Assembly.
Albums
- Stalemate (1995)
- Ultimatum (1998)
- Terminal (2000)
- Hacked (2001)
- Terminal - Reissue on Invisible Records (2002)
- Crimes of the Future (2004)
- The Treatment (2007)
- Pissing on the Legacy - Digital Only release (2008)
- Coda (2010)
- Shot - Digital Only release (2011)