Current Members:
Bryan Erickson (a.k.a. Hexfix93, Disease Factory) - lead vocals, composition, guitar, lyrics, mixing, production, various
Early projects, early changes, and first albums (1990ā1995)
In the early 1990s, Erickson and Grigory, both residents of Colorado, brought together their shared interest in creating music to record a series of demos. With the addition of Gary Slaughter and Chris Workman, the group attempted several bands, including Disease Disco Factory, a parody of then-popular Dance group C+C Music Factory. Following a turbulent period for Erickson and Slaughter, Workman left the group. Slaughter and Erickson experimented with two new side-projects, Cyber Christ and Vortex. Cyber Christ explored a harsh and melancholy sound that was a sharp contrast to the group's other projects. When Erickson discovered that the term "Cyber Christ" had been used in the 1992 film The Lawnmower Man, he renamed the band Velvet Acid Christ in honor of a bad acid trip. The Vortex project was merged into Velvet Acid Christ to form one body of work.
In 1994, Workman returned to assist with the band's self-produced gothic-styled demo tape, Fate. Given encouraging response from friends, the band followed up with other self-produced albums, 1994's Pestilence, a dance-oriented album, and 1995's Neuralblastoma, a harder-sounding album.
Erickson, along with friends and minor contributors Steve Bird and Dan Olson, started the brief-lived record label Electro Death Trip (EDT) Records to better promote these recordings. In 1995, the three began distributing hand-made CD copies of Fate, Pestilence, and Neuralblastoma for resale in local music shops.
Label interest, touring, and a troubled rise (1996ā2000)
Slaughter and Workman temporarily left the band during the first half of 1996 as Erickson continued the project alone, handing out copies of Velvet Acid Christ's recordings to industry representatives, including musician Bill Leeb of industrial pioneer Front Line Assembly. Leeb passed the music to Thorsten Stroht, a media promoter with European label Off-Beat Records. Off-Beat A&R negotiated a deal with the band.
For their first Off-Beat release, the group submitted 1996's Church of Acid, a compilation of selected tracks from Velvet Acid Christ's first three albums with an additional two new tracks, Disflux and Futile. Church of Acid was well received in Europe, and Futile became a regularly played track in many nightclubs across the continent. In 1997, United States label Pendragon Records released Church of Acid in America, though the two new tracks were removed due to a lack of trademark clearance for television samples used in the songs.
The band's next album, Calling Ov the Dead, was rejected by Off-Beat for not sounding edgy enough, prompting Slaughter's permanent departure. With the assistance of Bird and Olson, the band addressed the label's concerns and released Calling Ov the Dead in late 1997, with American distribution following through Pendragon in 1998. In the process, Erickson had accumulated a substantial financial debt.
With a line-up consisting of Erickson, Stroht and German musician Ingo Beitz, the band toured Europe in 1998 with Off-Beat label-mate Suicide Commando, which attracted the attention of Metropolis Records, the largest industrial label in United States. The parent label of Pendragon, Metropolis distributed the album Neuralblastoma, as a partnership that would endure.
Velvet Acid Christ spent the majority of 1999 in the studio, first collaborating with Germany's Funker Vogt on a remix EP entitled Velvet Acid Christ Vs Funker Vogt: The Remix Assault, then shifting to Velvet Acid Christ's next full-length recording, Fun With Knives. With Workman an occasional contributor, Erickson sought production assistance on Fun With Knives from the bands Luxt and 4th New Army. Fun with Knives, released by Metropolis and new Off-Beat sub-label dependent, became the band's best-selling album. Sales were propelled by the singles Decypher and Fun with Drugs, and by the track Slut, which featured vocals from Luxt's Anna Christine.
In spite of the success of the band, stress had led Erickson into depression and increased drug abuse, which channeled into the creation of the band's next album, Twisted Thought Generator. Simultaneously, the band toured Europe with industrial acts Project X and Stromkern and toured the United States and Canada with bands Din_Fiv and Haujobb. The line-up of the band during this period was unstable. Workman, citing a conversion to Christianity, resigned from the band with a request that his name be retracted from all previous albums. The first leg of the European tour consisted of Erickson, Bird and Stroht; the second leg, Erickson and Olson. The North American tour was performed by Erickson, Stroht and drummer Paul Lipman. With various contributors, Erickson completed Twisted Thought Generator. Due to lingering disputes, he withdrew the band from Dependent Records and submitted the album to Metropolis.
A change of pace, new early material, and beyond (2001ā present)
Erickson placed Velvet Acid Christ on a short hiatus in 2001, as he abandoned his dependence on drugs in favour of exercise and a vegan raw foodist diet. Newly clean, Erickson created the 2003 album Hex Angel: Utopia/Dystopia. Though critical response was mixed, Hex Angel: Utopia/Dystopia ranked #1 on Germany's Deutsche Alternative Charts (DAC) for four weeks after its release, and the album's single Pretty Toy reached #18 on the Billboard Alternative Chart during the same year. The album also marked the band's short-lived return to Dependent Records.
Erickson spent 2004 releasing and reissuing some of Velvet Acid Christ's earliest material. With the four-volume compilation series Between the Eyes, the band published a collection of its singles and B-sides, then followed with subsequent re-releases of Fate (Vol. 2), Pestilence (Vol. 3), and Neuralblastoma (Vol. 4). The band also offered free MP3 downloads of Dimension 8 and Oblivion Interface on its website until early 2005. Dimension 8, which had been available as a hidden bonus on Twisted Thought Generator, and Oblivion Interface (informally known as Between the Eyes, Vol. 5) provided fans with previously unheard work from the Cyber Christ-Vortex era of 1991ā1994.
In 2005, Erickson collaborated with guitarist Todd Loomis on a new album, Lust for Blood, which was released on September 26, 2006. With Lust for Blood, the crew labored intensively to create a new overall sound while maintaining the band's original characteristics. Following its release, Lust for Blood ranked at the top of Germany's DAC for four weeks; the album's single release, Wound, ranked on the DAC's singles chart for eight weeks and held the #1 position for four weeks.
In 2009, Erickson began to create the next LP with minimal input from Loomis this time when he was working on his project The Twilight Garden. The result was The Art of Breaking Apart, released October 27, 2009. This LP was a tribute to bands like Current 93 and Death in June and brought VAC many new fans while making the others angry at the new direction of the music.
In 2010ā2011, Bryan Erickson teamed up with William Anderson of Louisiana. William did a ton of sampling, and Bryan made a bunch of VAC B-sides that turned into Toxic Coma tracks. The project had a revolving door of members, again Bryan being the main constant. They released a LP entitled Satan Rising under Toxic Coma on Metropolis Records. It fused the techno sound of Fun With Knives and the brutal black humor of Toxic Coma. Erickson then began to write more music for future VAC LPs.
In October 2012, Velvet Acid Christ released their tenth LP entitled Maldire. The release marked a return to the dark electronic sound. Erickson formed a live band and toured extensively (2012-2014) to support the album. The latest album entitled Subconscious Landscapes was released October 28, 2014. A remastered Greatest Hits compilation was released by Metropolis Records on May 6, 2016.
Discography:
Studio Albums
1994 - Fate
1994 - Pestilence
1995 - Neuralblastoma
1997 - Calling Ov the Dead
1999 - Fun With Knives
2000 - Twisted Thought Generator
2003 - Hex Angel (Utopia/Dystopia)
2006 - Lust for Blood
2009 - The Art of Breaking Apart
2012 - Maldire
2014 - Subconscious Landscapes
Compilations / Demos / EPs / Singles
1992 - Oblivion Interface (demo re-released in 2004)
1993 - Dimension 8 (demo re-released in 2000)
1996 - Church of Acid (1994-1995 compilation)
1998 - Neuralblastoma (1994-1995 compilation)
1999 - Fun With Razors (remix EP)
1999 - Decipher (maxi-single)
1999 - Fun With Drugs (maxi-single)
1999 - The Remix Wars: Strike 4: Funker Vogt vs. Velvet Acid Christ (remix EP)
2001 - Dial 8 (maxi-single)
2003 - Pretty Toy (maxi-single)
2004 - Between the Eyes Vol. 1 (singles compilation)
2004 - Between the Eyes Vol. 2 (re-release of Fate)
2004 - Between the Eyes Vol. 3 (re-release of Pestilence)
2004 - Between the Eyes Vol. 4 (re-release of Neuroblastoma)
2006 - Wound (maxi-single)
2009 - Caustic Disco (maxi-single)
2016 - Greatest Hits (remastered compilation)
Maldire
Velvet Acid Christ Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll cast the spell
Won't believe in you
I'll cut my flesh
Never believed in you
I'll chant your name
Nothing you say is true
I'll cast the curse
So you say I'm evil
I'll cast the spell
So you think you're pure
I'll cut my flesh
So you think I owe you
I'll chant your name
So you think you're the cure
I'll cast the curse
So you try to bend my words
I'll cast the spell
So you try to manipulate
I'll cut my flesh
I won't ever capitulate
I'll cast a curse
Trust your filth
Nail the curse
Never forgive
Refuse to live
Baptized in filth
Soiled in sin
Spellbound to lust
In flames we trust
Coffin dust and spirits
Rosaries and dreams
Fear in your illusions
Adds to your confusion
Coffin dust and spirits
Rosaries and dreams
Fear in your illusions
Adds to your confusion
Can't believe in you
I'll cast the spell
Won't believe in you
I'll cut my flesh
Never believed in you
I'll chant your name
Nothing you say is true
I'll cast the curse
So you say I'm evil
I'll cast the spell
So you think you're pure
I'll cut my flesh
So you think I owe you
I'll chant your name
Trust your filth
Nail the curse
Never forgive
Refuse to live
Baptized in filth
Soiled in sin
Spellbound to lust
In flames we trust
Coffin dust and spirits
Rosaries and dreams
Fear in your illusions
Adds to your confusion
Coffin dust and spirits
Rosaries and dreams
Fear in your illusions
Adds to your confusion
The lyrics of Velvet Acid Christ's "Maldire" offer a powerful and unapologetic statement against those who seek to control and manipulate others. The singer voices their disbelief and mistrust in the specific person being addressed, defiantly declaring that they will not be swayed by their words or influence. Instead, the singer proclaims their intention to cast spells, cut their flesh, chant names, and curse this person, asserting their own power over the situation. The phrase "trust your filth, nail the curse, never forgive, refuse to live" reinforces this sentiment, suggesting that the singer is completely cutting ties with this person and their actions.
The phrase "baptized in filth, soiled in sin, spellbound to lust, in flames we trust" conveys a sense of chaotic and intense desire. The references to "coffin dust and spirits, rosaries and dreams" suggest a certain level of occultism or supernatural elements at play. The final refrain of "fear in your illusions adds to your confusion" is a potent condemnation of the manipulations of the person being addressed, suggesting that their efforts to control and deceive others will ultimately lead to their own downfall.
Overall, the lyrics of "Maldire" are a powerful and provocative statement against those who seek to exert control over others. Through its references to spells, cutting, and curses, the song conveys a sense of otherworldly power and a willingness to fight against those who seek to limit or manipulate.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't believe in you
I have lost faith in you and your words.
I'll cast the spell
I will call upon supernatural forces to achieve my purpose.
Won't believe in you
I will not trust you anymore.
I'll cut my flesh
I will cause physical pain to myself to divert my focus from you.
Never believed in you
I have always doubted your authenticity.
I'll chant your name
I will use your name in a repetitive manner to create a hypnotic trance for myself.
Nothing you say is true
I don't believe in any of your claims.
I'll cast the curse
I will invoke a supernatural power to bring harm to you.
So you say I'm evil
You label me as a wicked person.
So you think you're pure
You consider yourself morally superior.
So you think I owe you
You believe that I'm indebted to you in some way.
Trust your filth
You can rely on your evil deeds to succeed.
Nail the curse
Make sure the curse is going to work.
Never forgive
I won't pardon your actions.
Refuse to live
I won't lead a life where you hold power over me.
Baptized in filth
Dirt, impure acts and behavior have become an integral part of my life.
Soiled in sin
I have been corrupted by evil deeds and immoral behavior.
Spellbound to lust
I am captivated and under the influence of impulses and desires that drive me.
In flames we trust
We have faith in destruction and the power of flame.
Coffin dust and spirits
Remains of the dead and supernatural beings are present around me.
Rosaries and dreams
Religious symbols and beliefs are mixed with my fantasies.
Fear in your illusions
The fear you experience in your mind projects imaginary scenarios.
Adds to your confusion
These illusions create chaos and uncertainty in you.
Contributed by Thomas W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
A. S.
Perfect!!! Total miazga! VAC! š¤
Dependent
you are welcome
Dave's Domain
Iām the guy that played the priest in this video. It was fun.
NefariousNik1
Very nice,, "I like it" :)
chris urner
Never saw the video for this before, thx for upload - great
Dependent
you're welcome
Yggdrasill4
BLasted this in my 2018 gt350r when I was angry with my girl sitting next to me running her hands over my body
Dependent
Memories ...
fatalfallacy
well done, anyhow too much :w: in the voice imho. looking forward for the album.
Pieter Rossouw
Awesome