Paul Barker, left, and Chris Connelly of Bells Into Machines
Singer Chris Connelly and bassist/programmer Paul Barker — who played together in Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Pigface and various other Wax Trax! Records industrial-rock supergroups in the late ’80s and early ’90s — are writing and recording new music together as Bells Into Machines, a project billed as an “industrial/electronic/rock alliance.”
In addition to Connelly and Barker, the group features Slammin’ Watusis frontman Lee Popa, producer/engineer Toby Wright (Alice in Chains, Slayer, Primus) and guitarist Brian Diemar of AM Conspiracy and MMI, plus guests Janne Jarvis, Chris Rose, Hoss Wright and more.
According to the group’s Facebook page, what started out as a planned EP has grown into a full album “with plenty of killer remixes.” At least nine songs have been recorded so far, and the group has posted several — in various states of completion and mixing — online for fans to get an early taste.
Bells Into Machines live shows also are planned at some point.
The new project follows the joint appearance onstage by Barker and Connelly at 2011’s Wax Trax! Records Retrospectacle, a multi-night concert celebrating the 33 1/3rd anniversary of the legendary industrial label. The two joined former Revolting Cocks bandmate Luc Van Acker to perform RevCo classics in Chicago.
Below, you can hear a demo and remix that Bells Into Machines posted to Soundcloud, plus check out a lyric video to what appears to be a completed song called “Zero Soldiers.”
Bells Into Machines, “Zero Soliders”
Bells Into Machines, “Your Crime Scene My Career/Blood on the Bayou Remix”
Bells Into Machines, “Sweet Life in Soaring Light/Demo “
Huge fan of these guys output over the years, not feeling this though. Sounds a bit like NIN-lite with worse vocals.
I agree with Charles, this is not good.
It seems very uninspired
Total agree, i expect more of these guys
Terrible. Plus, reading what Paul did to Al makes me ill. but still I thought this Project MIGHT have some promise….I was wayyy wrong.
Will people stop doing projects with Chris Connelly please?
Good cut! That Your crime scene mix. Paul has interesting things to record. And I do like that Damage manual of Connelly.