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Biography
Infobox musical artist | name = Combichrist| image = Andy LaPlegua in February 2010.jpg| caption = Andy LaPlegua of Combichrist performing in 2007| background = group_or_band| alias =| origin = Norway | genre = Aggrotech , Electronic body music|EBM , industrial music cite web|title=Interview: Andy LaPlegua (Combichrist)|url= http://truecultheavymetal.com/index.php/dominion/2011/05/10/interview-andy-laplegua-combichrist|work= http://truecultheavymetal.com|publisher=Dominioncite web|url= http://www.raves.com/cdreviews/show/60/COMBICHRIST-EVERYBODYHATESYOU |title=Combichrist -Everybody Hates You (Metropolis) |publisher=Raves.com |date= |accessdate=2010-07-05cite web|url= http://www.wrappedinwire.com/C/Combichrist.htm |title=Music Exile - CD Reviews |publisher=Wrappedinwire.com |date= |accessdate=2010-07-05cite web|url= http://alternation.eu/combichrist,id,40,artysci.html |title=Combichrist - AlterNation |publisher=Alternation.eu |date= |accessdate=2012-02-06cite web|url= http://www.tigerweekly.com/stephensays/? p=145 |title=Serving Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana |publisher=Tiger Weekly |date=2010-06-30 |accessdate=2010-07-05| years_active = 2003–present| label = Metropolis Records (North America) Out of Line (Europe)| associated_acts = Icon of Coil , Scandy, Panzer AG , Eighteen Visions , Imperative Reaction | website =| current_members = Andy LaPlegua - Vocals Joe Letz - Drums Z Marr- Electronics Trevor Friedrich - Percussion Abbey Nex - Guitar| past_members = Wes Borland -guitar Jon Horton - percussion Shaun F - keyboard Kourtney Klein - Percussion Mr. Bjoern Petersen - programming/guitar (later keyboard) Syn M - keyboard Kourtney Klein - percussion| notable_instruments = Combichrist is an United States|American aggrotech band formed in 2003 by Norwegian people|Norwegian Andy LaPlegua , who also founded the bands Icon of Coil , Panzer AG , Scandinavian Cock, and Scandy. Combichrist is based in Atlanta , Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia . The band consist of only Andy in the studio with Joe Letz , Z_Marr, Trevor Friedrich, and a revolving guitarist spot currently filled in by Abbey Nex for live performances. Releases by the band have been very successful in terms of sales and charted in top positions for dance and alternative charts worldwide, a few releases have even sold out completely. The lyrical content of Combichrist typically varies from themes of misogyny , murder and suicide to BDSM and paramilitary themes, with some sampling of movies, phone calls, or interviews done throughout most songs.
History
Formation
The first material LaPlegua wrote for the project was a powernoise / techno crossover track Thanx to my Buddies under the moniker D.r.i.v.E for the Advanced Electronics Vol. 2 compilationcite web|title=D.r.i.v.E song|url= http://www.discogs.com/Various-Advanced-Electronics-Vol-2/release/382552|accessdate=26 January 2012. The song was later remade into Like to Thank My Buddies on Combichrist's album Everybody Hates You . The project's name was later changed to Hudlager and then finally to Combichrist before the debut album The Joy of Gunz was released on the German record label Out of Line .cite web|title=Name Change|url= http://vampirefreaks.com/content/comment.php? entry=293& t=Interview+with+Combichrist|accessdate=30 December 2011 The band name came from a fanzine of Andy's in the 1990s, with Combichrist being a character in it that was a "punk-rock messiah." The character would go on drug and alcohol fueled rampages, later healing those whom he had beaten.cite web|title=Origin of the Combichrist Name|url= http://www.twistmagazine.se/inter/combichristen|accessdate=25 November 2011
A few years after the band's conception, LaPlegua departed Norway for the United States, which is now the current home-base for Combichrist and his other projects Scandy, Panzer AG, and Scandinavian Cock.cite web|title=Confirmation of location|url= http://clatl.com/cribnotes/archives/2010/11/23/atlantas-combichrist-brings-feast-of-industrial-chaos-to-masquerade|accessdate=25 November 2011
Success
Combichrist's first LP The Joy of Gunz was released in 2003. On Halloween of the same year, the limited edition EP Kiss The Blade was released with 667 pressings which sold out in less than a week.cite web|title=Combichrist band history from Metropolis Records|url= http://metropolis-records.com/artist/combichrist|accessdate=25 November 2011
In 2004, the second EP, Sex, Drogen Und Industrial , spent several weeks at number one in the Deutsche Alternative Charts|DAC charts . At the same time that Sex, Drogen Und Industrial was released, a limited edition of 666 white-vinyl 12" pressings for Blut Royale were produced, and sold out quickly.
The year 2005 saw the release of Everybody Hates You and it was at this time that Andy began labeling the music as "Techno Body Music" or TBM.cite web|title=Andy talks Combichrist and the changing soundscape|url= http://www.electrowelt.com/index.php? Itemid=72& catid=1& id=653:exclusive-interview-with-andy-laplegua-combichristpanzer-ag-icon-of-coil-scandy& option=com_content& view=article|accessdate=25 November 2011 The band released a song called "This is TBM" on the Out-of-Line compilation Techno Body Music volume 1 .cite web|title=TBM Compilation|url= http://www.discogs.com/Various-This-Is-Techno-Body-Music-Vol-1/release/533127|accessdate=25 November 2011 After this release, Andy stopped referring to their music as TBM. Shortly after the release of the album, Kourtney Klein was added as alternating keyboardist and drummer to the band. cite web|last=Zero Music interviews kourtney Klein (2006)|url= http://www.nitzer-ebb.de/ebbdotcom/interview_2006_kourtneyklein.html|publisher=Zero Music Magazine|accessdate=29 April 2012
Their 2006 single " Get Your Body Beat " was released to commercial success debuting in the number 14 slot for Billboard (magazine)|Billboard s Dance Singles on the date 06/06/06.cite book|title=Combichrist Debuts at #14|url= http://books.google.com/books? id=_A4EAAAAMBAJ& pg=PA53& dq=combichrist& hl=en& ei=EU3PTr7oM-Hy0gGpoJEy& sa=X& oi=book_result& ct=result& resnum=10& ved=0CGAQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage& q=combichrist& f=false|publisher=Billboard|accessdate=25 November 2011 The music video for the single was included on the DVD release of the biopunk film The Gene Generation with the song also being used in the movie.cite web|title=Combichrist and VNV nation work on Gene Generation|url= http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php? id=14814_0_2_0_C|accessdate=22 January 2012 The band embarked on a North American tour with KMFDM soon after the release of the single.
On March 6 2007 What the Fuck is Wrong With You People? was released to some critical praise and popularity.cite web|title=What the fuck is wrong with you people? review|url= http://www.releasemagazine.net/Onrecord/orcombichristwtfiwwyp.htm|accessdate=22 January 2012cite web|title=Another album review|url= http://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-combichrist-what-the-fck/|accessdate=22 January 2012
Pull Out Kings producer and songwriter Z Marr joined the band as keyboardist in January 2008 to begin work on the album Today We Are All Demons .cite web|title=Z Marr's personal page|url=https://www.facebook.com/gregory.steward|accessdate=30 December 2011 According to an exchange with a fan, Trevor Friedrich of Imperative Reaction , he was asked to join the band as a drummer with Joe Letz (of Eighteen Visions and Wednesday 13 ) in October 2008.cite web|title=Fan Exchange with Trevor|url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php? fbid=345339868861198& set=a.279211235474062.64130.204432579618595& type=1& theater|accessdate=29 April 2012 He replaced Kourtney Klein, who began full time work with Nitzer Ebb . cite web|title=Kourtney Klein's departure|url= http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2012/03/kourtney_klein_army_on_the_dance_floor.php? page=2|accessdate=29 April 2012
Combichrist released Today We Are All Demons on Jan 20, 2009. For part the European tour that year, Trevor was temporarily replaced by Mark Jackson of VNV Nation .cite web|title=Mark Jackson fills in for Trevor|url= http://www.blackvector.se/mark-jackson-joining-combichrist-tour/|accessdate=25 November 2011 Combichrist's song "Shut Up and Bleed" featuring W.A.S.T.E was put on the soundtrack for the horror movie The Collector (2009 film)|The Collector .cite web|title=Movie Soundtrack|url= http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0844479/faq|accessdate=25 November 2011 Their song "Today We Are All Demons" (Beneath the World Mix) was put on the soundtrack for the movie Underworld: Rise of the Lycans . cite web|title=Combichrist on Undreworld 3 soundtrack|url= http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2009/01/28/underworld_rise_of_the_lycans_soundtrack|accessdate=22 January 2012
Limp Bizkit 's guitarist Wes Borland joined Combichrist briefly in October 2009 for their tour of North America and in the studio for recording of new material on Making Monsters .cite web|url= http://www.kerrang.com/blog/2010/10/limp_bizkit_guitarist_joins_co.html |title=Combichrist -Limp Bizkit guitarist joins Combichrist |publisher=Kerrang.com |date=2010-10-22 |accessdate=2010-11-19
Combichrist's latest album, Making Monsters , was released digitally on 31 August 2010 and on CD on 28 September 2010.cite web|title=New Combichrist Album|url= http://www.fearnet.com/news/b19738_combichrist_making_monsters_this_fall.html|accessdate=25 November 2011 Combichrist began a tour in support of the new album in late 2010, with Aesthetic Perfection and iVardensphere as the support bands. http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/music/959 Combichrist Announce 'Monsters On Tour' http://www.regenmag.com/News-5102-Combichrist.html Combichrist announce next U.S. tour In 2011, after opening for Rammstein at Madison Square Garden in December 2010, both bands announced Combichrist would be supporting Rammstein on their North American tour and Andy announced the "Monsters on Tour Part II" taking place around the scheduled Rammstein shows. The "Monsters on Tour Part II" had the same support as the 2010 tour but with the additions of Angel Spit and God Module performing with them on select dates.cite web|url= http://www.alterthepress.com/2010/10/combichrist-to-support-rammstein-at.html |title=Combichrist to support Rammstein at Madison Square Guarden
Combichrist's song Never Surrender was featured in a gameplay demo for the upcoming Hack and slash|hack-n-slash style video game DmC Devil May Cry with Andy LaPlegua working on the soundtrack for the whole game.cite web|url= http://sinzine.com/component/k2/item/78-andy-laplegua-on-the-cross-over-appeal-of-combichrist |title=Andy LaPlegua talks about the crossover appeal of Combichrist A new song called Bottle of Pain was released in January 2012 for the Underworld: Awakening movie soundtrack. cite web|title=Underworld 4 soundtrack|url= http://love-it-loud.com/news/the-cure-lacuna-coil-and-combichrist-to-return-for-underworld-awakening-soundtrack/|accessdate=22 January 2012
Controversy
At the 2012 Kinetik Festival , Combichrist were criticized from the stage by opening act Ad·ver·sary for "the use of misogynist and racist tropes in the band’s music and publicity materials." cite web|title=Kinetik Update 2012: Ad·ver·sary’s Performance|url= http://www.idieyoudie.com/2012/05/kinetik-update-2012-ad%C2%B7ver%C2%B7sarys-performance/|accessdate=22 May 2012. The presentation specifically took issue with the band's use of the Confederate Flag , the video for their song Throat Full of Glass, and the lyric "all you feminist cunts / you know that you want it / give head if you got it". cite web|title=Ad·ver·sary: Making a statement in the industrial music scene|url= http://shamelessmag.com/blog/2012/05/adversary-making-a-statement-in-the-industrial-mu/|accessdate=22 May 2012
