Chemlab is a Coldwave and Industrial rock (or "Machine Rock") band formed i… Read Full Bio ↴Chemlab is a Coldwave and Industrial rock (or "Machine Rock") band formed in Washington D.C. in 1989 by Dylan Thomas More and Jared Louche with the help of short-time member Joe Frank. Influenced by the pioneers of the industrial genre, such as Throbbing Gristle, Chemlab brought a rough, experimental approach to their music. Moving to New York City in 1990 and dubbing their drug-influenced sounds 'Angel-Dustrial', they built up a strong fanbase by touring with such artists as White Zombie, KMFDM, Nine Inch Nails, GWAR, 16Volt and Sister Machine Gun. They released only two albums and two maxi-eps as the original duo. Their first album, "Burn Out At The Hydrogen Bar", recorded at famed Chicago Trax studio, is considered to be one of the top ten most influential cult Industrial records. Jared and Dylan recorded and toured with many seminally important musicians such William Tucker (Ministry, etc), Geno Lenardo (Filter etc), Charles Levi (My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, etc) and Krayge Tyler (Crazytown, etc).

Chemlab broke up in 1997, and reformed in 2004 with Jared as the only original member. Working with the members of Acumen Nation, old touring guitarist Greg Lucas and Julian Beeston (Nitzer Ebb, etc), he recorded and released an album entitled "Oxidizer". Recently, after a massive seven year hiatus from the stage, Jared and a backing band comprised of the members of Electro-Industrial group Mindless Faith has taken Chemlab back on the road again. They have performed around the country at a number of festivals and are planning tours for 2007. The album "Rock Whore vs Dance Floor", a varied collection of remixes from "Oxidizer" by Die Warzau, 16Volt, Cubanate and many others, was released in late spring, 2006.

Jared Louche announced on stage during a performance on September 7th 2012 in Chicago, that it would be the band's final show

In the spring of 2018, it was announced that Chemlab would return for Cold Waves 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 at Cold Waves VIII, along with 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 10 Ton Pressure cassette demos as well as new songs. The band performed at the Oriental Theater in Denver with Pop Will Eat Itself and Scifidelic from September 21 to 22, 2019. '

For more in-depth information go to: www.hydrogenbar.com as well as: www.myspace.com/chemlab

filament
Chemlab Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

We gave birth to Television (Zeus)
Emerging from our brow (Zenith)
Blurred the sky with radar dishes
Choking up the airwaves
It's coming down

Our kiss gives blisters
The Midas touch Medusa in smokestacks

Turn to tarmac highway ribbons
Factory stench smoke belching
Cover up the air in a cloak of black

Blow a fuse in overload
We gave birth to one thousand suns above our heads
We gave birth to fire in the sky

A stitch in time now hypodermic
Beaches drowning in medical waste
Waves of cotton hairballs blood clots oil drums bursting
The Exxon backwash leaves a bad taste

Power failure socket burnout
Ozone turned to aerosol

Water and lead and iodine (a toast)
And apathy will dig a grave for us all

Overall Meaning

The song Filament by Chemlab is a commentary on the destructive nature of human progress and technology on the environment. The opening lines "We gave birth to Television (Zeus)/Emerging from our brow (Zenith)" allude to the myth of the birth of Athena, who was born fully formed from the brow of Zeus. In this context, it could be interpreted as humans creating technology that has taken on a life of its own, similar to Athena's creation. The reference to "blurring the sky with radar dishes/Choking up the airwaves" speaks to the harmful effects of radio waves and pollution that have resulted from technological advancement.

The lyrics continue with the line "Our kiss gives blisters/The Midas touch Medusa in smokestacks," which could be interpreted as humans destroying the environment with their touch. This line alludes to the Greek myth of Medusa, whose gaze turned people to stone. Here, the smokestacks are being compared to Medusa's stare, as they turn everything they touch to a harmful smog. The following lines mention the "factory stench smoke belching/Cover up the air in a cloak of black," further emphasizing the negative impact that technological progress has had on nature.

The chorus "We gave birth to fire in the sky" could be interpreted as a reference to destructive inventions like bombs and missiles. The following lines describe the various pollutants that humans have introduced into the environment, such as "beaches drowning in medical waste/Waves of cotton hairballs blood clots oil drums bursting." The final line "And apathy will dig a grave for us all" indicates that despite all the harm caused, people remain apathetic to environmental issues, leading to inevitable self-destruction.

Line by Line Meaning

We gave birth to Television (Zeus)
We invented and brought into existence the concept of television, similar to how the ancient Greeks believed that the god Zeus was responsible for creating and controlling the world.

Emerging from our brow (Zenith)
Television was a product of our hard work and ingenuity, much like how the goddess Athena was born from the forehead of Zeus in ancient Greek mythology.

Blurred the sky with radar dishes
The abundance of radar dishes has led to a distortion of the natural beauty of the sky and the environment.

Choking up the airwaves
The proliferation of television and other electronic devices has resulted in an overwhelming amount of signals crowding the airwaves, causing interference and making it difficult for other forms of communication to be transmitted.

It's coming down
The consequences of our actions and inventions are starting to take effect and negatively impact the world and its inhabitants.

Our kiss gives blisters
Our actions and inventions can cause harm and damage to the environment and ourselves, much like how a kiss from Medusa in Greek mythology could turn people to stone.

The Midas touch Medusa in smokestacks
The pollution and toxic waste produced by factories and smokestacks can be just as destructive as the mythological creature Medusa, turning everything it touches into something harmful and deadly.

Turn to tarmac highway ribbons
The constant development and expansion of highways and roads has led to a loss of natural landscapes and the destruction of habitats for many species.

Factory stench smoke belching
Industrialization has led to the constant release of harmful and unpleasant pollutants into the air, causing a myriad of health and environmental issues.

Cover up the air in a cloak of black
The pollution and emissions from factories and other industries can lead to a significant decrease in air quality and the creation of smog and other noxious fumes.

Blow a fuse in overload
The constant use and reliance on electronic devices and technology can lead to overuse and burnout, causing malfunctions and breakdowns.

We gave birth to one thousand suns above our heads
The abundance of light and electricity produced by our creations and inventions can be seen as a metaphorical 'sun' shining down on us, providing us with resources and amenities.

We gave birth to fire in the sky
Our inventions and innovations have led us to the creation of awe-inspiring sights and wonders, such as fireworks and space exploration.

A stitch in time now hypodermic
We must act quickly and proactively in order to prevent further damage to the environment and our health, similar to how a hypodermic needle must deliver medicine quickly and accurately.

Beaches drowning in medical waste
The constant disposal of medical waste into our oceans and waterways can cause significant harm and destruction to marine life and ecosystems.

Waves of cotton hairballs blood clots oil drums bursting
The harmful waste and pollutants from our industrialization and modern world are causing significant damage and destruction to our environment and health.

The Exxon backwash leaves a bad taste
The negative consequences and backlash from our reliance on fossil fuels and the oil industry cannot be ignored, and are still felt to this day.

Power failure socket burnout
The systems and infrastructure that we rely on are not infallible, and can fail or break down if not properly maintained.

Ozone turned to aerosol
The depletion and destruction of the ozone layer has resulted in significant environmental consequences, such as global warming and increased cancer risks.

Water and lead and iodine (a toast)
The water that sustains us is often polluted and contaminated with dangerous substances, leading to serious health risks and concerns.

And apathy will dig a grave for us all
If we continue to ignore the significant and harmful impacts of our actions, we risk causing irreversible damage and destruction to our environment and ourselves, leading to our ultimate demise.

Contributed by Sarah G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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