Based in Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States, the Electric Hellfire Club was formed in 1991 when Thomas Thorn (aka Buck Ryder) departed My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult. The band has undergone many changes in membership, with only frontman Thomas Thorn remaining throughout its history.
The Electric Hellfire Club initially comprised Thorn (vocals, keyboard programming), co-founder and keyboardist Shane Lassen (aka Rev. Dr. Luv), and guitarist Ronny Valeo. After the initial string of live shows, drummer Eric Peterson (aka Janna Flail) would be added to enhance the band's live shows, thus completing the band's original lineup.
Prior to recording the first album Burn, Baby, Burn! (1993), dancer and back-up singer Sabrina Satana would join the group, and Peterson would be replaced on drums by Richard Frost.
The EHC toured extensively throughout the early to mid-1990s, both as an opening act, and as headliners in their own right. They toured with Type O Negative, Christian Death, Spahn Ranch, Penal Colony, and Genitorturers, amongst others.
During this period, the band released a remix album called Satan's Little Helpers (1994) and their second full-length LP entitled Kiss the Goat (1995). The band also released the Trick or Treat? single (1995), which featured cover songs like Halloween Medley (featuring the Bauhaus song Bela Lugosi's Dead) and AC/DC's Highway to Hell, along with a Leæther Strip remix of the original EHC track Incubus.
On January 22, 1996, Shane Lassen was killed in an automobile accident. After the death of The Rev. Dr. Luv, the band regrouped and recorded the album Calling Dr. Luv, dedicating the title track, a cover of the KISS song from which Lassen drew his stage name, in his honor.
After recording Calling Dr. Luv, the band began extensive touring again, setting out on the road with legendary noise musician Boyd Rice. During this period of near-constant touring, the band toured with such acts as Type O Negative, Danzig, Coal Chamber, GWAR, Powerman 5000, Fear Factory, Godflesh, and played one-off shows with Spahn Ranch and Alien Sex Fiend.
Before setting off on tour with GWAR in the summer of 1997, the band entered the studio and recorded the single D.W.S.O.B., which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1997 film Gummo.
They also performed a cover tune for the television theme song Charles in Charge, changing it and the inferred meaning with a goth/industrial style. The song was released on the two cd set of 36 TV show opening tunes of TV cover songs done by goth/industrial bands. The CD was titled TV Terror: Felching a Dead Horse and was released in September 1997.
EHC released their second remix album called Unholy Roller in 1998, followed by the compilation album Empathy for the Devil (2000), featuring previously released/unreleased cover songs and holiday hymns.
In 2000, the band also put out their fourth full-length LP Witness the Millennium. This marked a huge change in the sound of the band, which became more guitar-oriented and influenced by metal. The last EHC release entitled Electronomicon (2002) continued this industrial metal sound.
Following the completion of an extensive tour in 2002, the band entered a period of extended hiatus that has lasted 13 years. Numerous rumors of new tour dates and studio material, including a DVD, have surfaced since then, but other than a cover song of Metallica's Devil's Dance, released through the band's website in early 2004, no such activity has come forth.
2005 saw the band scatter, and enter a period of hiatus. Frontman Thomas Thorn relocated from the band's native Wisconsin to the Florida Keys, and Sabrina Satana relocated to Los Angeles. The official website went offline, and the official message board was taken down as well. 2005 and 2006 saw no official activity from the band.
In 2007 a new official website appeared at electrichell.net, and the band's page on the website myspace.com began receiving updates. Information on the website and Myspace page indicated that the band was regrouping and possibly working together again, and that Wilhelm Curse had resumed keyboarding duties for the band.
Throughout mid to late 2008, the band began releasing demo versions of previous songs, and other rare recordings via their page on myspace.com. These tracks were available for streaming, and changed on a semi-regular basis. This is to date, the only instance that the band had officially made available material from the 1991 demo album entitled 12 Songs from Hell.
Early 2009 brought about the reactivation of the band in earnest. In January it was reported at electrichell.net and on the band's MySpace page that preliminary work had started on a new full-length album, which would mark the band's first studio album in seven years. It also saw Charles Edward from the Denver area gothic metal band Seraphim Shock join the band as guitarist, replacing long time band member Ricktor Ravensbrück, who was serving time in federal prison on drug charges. Original drummer Eric Peterson rejoined the band in February, reuniting half of the band's original lineup.
In February 2011, a news update to the band's official site indicated that work on a new album was "indefinitely postponed." Shortly afterwards, the band's official site electrichell.net went down.
In February 2014, Frozen North Records announced via MK Ultra that Thorn, Ravensbrück & company had reunited and been signed to produce their first new album in over a decade, titled "Tech Noir." The album will reportedly pay tribute to not only the band's electro-industrial roots but also maintain the heavy-hitting metal crunch they've been associated with more lately.
As of December 2014, nothing else is known about future releases, except that the band has hinted on their official Facebook page that the new album will be coming soon.
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THE ELECTRIC HELLFIRE CLUB - OFFICIAL FACEBOOK
THE ELECTRIC HELLFIRE CLUB - OFFICIAL MYSPACE
THE ELECTRIC HELLFIRE CLUB - FAN SITE
Current Members:
Thomas Thorn - vocals, keyboards, samples, programming
Sabrina Satana - vocals, bass
Eric Peterson - drums, percussion
Ricktor Ravensbrück - guitars, bass
Discography:
1993 - Burn, Baby, Burn!
1994 - Satan's Little Helpers
1995 - Kiss the Goat
1995 - Trick or Treat?
1996 - Calling Dr. Luv
1998 - Unholy Roller
2000 - Empathy for the Devil
2000 - Witness the Millennium
2002 - Electronomicon
Sympathy for the Devil
The Electric Hellfire Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man's soul and faith
And I was 'round when Jesus Christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game
I stuck around St. Petersburg
When I saw it was a time for a change
Killed the czar and his ministers
Anastasia screamed in vain
I rode a tank
Held a general's rank
When the blitzkrieg raged
And the bodies stank
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
Ah, what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game
I watched with glee
While your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades
For the gods they made
I shouted out,
"Who killed the Kennedys?"
When after all
It was you and me
Let me please introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
And I laid traps for troubadours
Who get killed before they reached Bombay
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name
But what's confusing you
Is just the nature of my game
Just as every cop is a criminal
And all the sinners saints
As heads is tails
Just call me Lucifer
Cause I'm in need of some restraint
So if you meet me
Have some courtesy
Have some sympathy, and some taste
Use all your well-learned politesse
Or I'll lay your soul to waste
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game
The Electric Hellfire Club's song "Sympathy for the Devil" is a cover of the Rolling Stones classic, which was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. The lyrics are told from the perspective of the devil, who introduces himself as a man of wealth and taste, and boasts about great moments in history he's been a part of. The devil claims to have stolen many a man's soul and faith over the years, and even boasts about being present during Jesus Christ's moment of doubt and pain. The devil also takes credit for playing a role in some of history's most infamous events, including killing the czar and his ministers, riding a tank during the blitzkrieg, and being the mastermind behind the assassination of the Kennedys.
The lyrics of "Sympathy for the Devil" reflect the dark side of human nature, and the nature of temptation and sin. The devil is portrayed as charming, charismatic, and powerful, and the song suggests that his influence can be felt in every aspect of society. Despite the devil's evil nature, the lyrics also suggest that he has a certain charm and appeal, and that he is ultimately in control of his own fate.
Line by Line Meaning
Please allow me to introduce myself
Let me tell you who I am
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I have money and refined preferences
I've been around for a long, long year
I have existed for a very long time
Stole many a man's soul and faith
I have corrupted people's beliefs and values
And I was 'round when Jesus Christ had his moment of doubt and pain
I was there when even Jesus experienced hardship and uncertainty
Made damn sure that Pilate washed his hands and sealed his fate
I ensured that Pilate condemned Jesus and washed his hands of responsibility
Pleased to meet you
Nice to make your acquaintance
Hope you guess my name
I want to know if you recognize me
But what's puzzling you
You seem confused by
Is the nature of my game
My true intentions and motives
I stuck around St. Petersburg
I was present in St. Petersburg at a significant moment
When I saw it was a time for a change
When I recognized the need for transformation
Killed the czar and his ministers
I was responsible for the assassination of the czar and his advisors
Anastasia screamed in vain
Anastasia was a victim of my violent actions
I rode a tank, held a general's rank, when the blitzkrieg raged
I served in a high-ranking military position during a particularly intense and violent conflict
And the bodies stank
The casualties of the war were decaying and creating an unpleasant odor
I watched with glee, while your kings and queens, fought for ten decades
I found amusement in observing the power struggles among monarchs over a significant time period
For the gods they made
Due to their belief in divine rulership
I shouted out, 'Who killed the Kennedys?'
I questioned the assassination of John F. Kennedy
When after all, it was you and me
Ultimately, we are all responsible for the wrongs that occur in society
Let me please introduce myself
Again, let me tell you who I am
And I laid traps for troubadours, who get killed before they reached Bombay
I set up schemes to trap and harm traveling musicians
But what's confusing you, is just the nature of my game
Your confusion is simply due to my deceptive nature
Just as every cop is a criminal, and all the sinners saints
The line between good and evil is not always clear-cut
As heads is tails, just call me Lucifer
I am often associated with evil and temptation
Cause I'm in need of some restraint
I recognize my own tendencies towards excess and recklessness
So if you meet me, have some courtesy
If you encounter me, please be polite
Have some sympathy, and some taste
Try to understand and show compassion, and behave respectfully
Use all your well-learned politesse, or I'll lay your soul to waste
Be on your best behavior, or I will harm you in ways that affect your moral being
Contributed by Lila D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.