Chemlab is an American industrial rock band formed in Washington D.C., in 1989 by Dylan Thomas More, Joe Frank, and Jared Louche. Influenced by the pioneers of the industrial genre, such as Throbbing Gristle, Chemlab mixed experimental sounds with rock and metal within an electronic framework. They released their first EP 10 Ton Pressure, parted ways with Frank and moved to New York City, their base for the duration of their career. Chemlab released their debut albumBurn Out at the Hydrogen Bar in 1993 and toured with acts such as White Zombie, KMFDM, Nine Inch Nails, 16volt, and GWAR.
History
Initial releases (1990-2004)
Chemlab's first release was the EP 10 Ton Pressure, in 1990. Chemlab toured as opening acts for Nine Inch Nails from 1990 to 1991 for the Sin tour, which was a part of the greater Pretty Hate Machine Tour. After releasing the albums Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar and East Side Militia on Fifth Colvmn Records, Chemlab broke up in 1997 and then later reformed in 2004 to release an album entitled Oxidizer with Jared as the only original member.
Intermittent touring (2004-2012)
After a seven-year hiatus from the stage, Jared recreated Chemlab and, with a backing band composed of the members of electro-industrial group mindFIELD performed a one-off show in Boston, Massachusetts in August 2005. The band played another one-off show, this time in New York City on January 7, 2006. A third show in San Francisco on March 17, 2006, saw the band joined by fellow coldwave bands Babyland and Deathline International. The band has recently played at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival and the Blacksun Festival. In late 2007, the band toured the US for the first time in eight years, with the supporting line-up of multi-instrumentalist/programmer Gabriel Shaw, Wade Alin and Jason Bazinet. During the spring of 2010, Chemlab toured North America with 16volt and Left Spine Down. Jared Louche announced on stage during a performance on September 7, 2012 in Chicago, that it would be the band's final show.
Later years (2012-Present)
In the spring of 2018, it was announced that Chemlab would return for Coldwaves VII in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles to perform Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar in its entirety to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the album's release. The band also performed a number of other standalone shows. The band later released the compilation Tape Decay in 2019. This release includes unreleased tracks from the East Side Militia, Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar and ten ton pressure cassette demos as well as new songs. The band performed at the Scifidelic in the Oriental Theater in Denver with Pop Will Eat Itself from 21 to 22 September, 2019.
