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The Electric Hellfire Club

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The Electric Hellfire Club is an industrial metal band mixing elements of glam metal, techno, gothic rock, phycedelia and experimental noise. The band's music, described as "electro evil," contains numerous Satanic themes, along with celebrations of evil, violence, sex, devil worship, and mass murder. The band also makes use of sampling, mainly from grindhouse horror films and criminal documentaries.

Like My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult and Marilyn Manson, The Electric Hellfire Club use Satanism as a shock technique. Much of their publicity has come from raising the ire of religious conservatives, and the band even allowed themselves to be interviewed by evangelical author and talk-show host Bob Larson.

History

Based in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Electric Hellfire Club was formed in 1991 when Thomas Thorn (aka Buck Ryder), departed the industrial/Techno band My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, due to a personal dislike of the direction that the band's music was headed in. Regarding his depature from the band, Thorn would later be quoted as saying "I took the 'Kill' out of 'Thrill Kill Kult'".

Thus, The Electric Hellfire Club was comprised of Thorn (vocals, keyboard programming), co-founder and keyboardist Shane Lassen (aka Rev. Dr. Luv), and guitarist Ronny Valeo. After the intial 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 the recording the first album, Burn, Baby, Burn! Dancer and back-up singer Sabrina Satana would join the group, and Peterson would be replaced on drums by percussionist Richard Frost.

The EHC toured extensively throughout the early to mid 1990's, both as an opening act, and as headliners in their own right. Among the bands they toured with are: Type O Negative, Christian Death, Spahn Ranch, Danzig, Penal Colony, and Genitorturers.

On January 21, 1996, Shane Lassen was killed in a 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. Midway through this tour, drummer Richard Frost and Keyboardist Giddle "Go-Go" Partridge departed the band, thus beginning a lengthy cycle of revolving band members, that lasted until the band's last known activity in 2002. 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 Goth legends Alien Sex Fiend.

At some point during 1996, singer Thomas Thorn met Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey, and was ordained a priest in the Church of Satan by LaVey.

The Electric Hellfire Club has been inactive since early 2002, following the completion of a national tour. Members Klem Kthulu and Black Circle Chucky were reported to have been dismissed by Thomas Thorn after completion of this tour. 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.

Singer Thomas Thorn was rumored to have relocated from the band's native Wisconsin to the Florida Keys sometime in early 2005. Dancer and Bassist Sabrina Satana was also rumored to have relocated to Los Angeles in late 2003 or early 2004. In mid- to late 2005, the band's official website at electrichell.com, run since 2002 by former keyboardist Wilhelm Curse, went offline. The current status of the band is not known.

Line up

The band has undergone many changes in membership, with only lead singer Thomas Thorn remaining throughout its history.

Current Members

  • Thomas Thorn - vocals, keyboards, samples, programs
  • Ricktor Ravensbrück - guitars, effects
  • Sabrina Satana - bass, vocals

Former members

  • Ronny Valeo - guitar (1991-1993)
  • John Hatch aka Janna Flail, Eric Peterson, Rex Sterling - drums (1991-1992, 1996-1997, 1998)
  • Shane Lassen aka The Rev. Dr. Luv - keyboard (1991-1996)
  • Richard Frost - drums, programs (1992-1996)
  • Michael Moloch - guitar (1994)
  • Gregor Mephisto - guitar (1994-1996)
  • Giddle "Go Go" Partridge - dancer (1995), live keyboards (1996)
  • Lady Bathory - keyboard (1996)
  • Eric Sizemore - drums (1997)
  • Wilhelm Curse - keyboard (1996-1998, 2002) unspecified involvement in 2002 tour, playing keyboards in at least one show
  • Vernon Bradley Womack aka Vern Vitn aka Burn, Baby, VERN - drums (1997-1999)
  • Adam N. Evol - guitar (1997)
  • Peter Guillard - keyboard (1998)
  • Lisa Lovecraft - keyboard (1998-1999)
  • Todd "The Toad" Ruzicka - drums (1999)
  • James "The Butcher" Casper - drums (1999)
  • Dioblo Ocho - drums (1999)
  • Dominic St. Charles - guitar (2000)
  • Bill Hamning - drums (2000)
  • Michele Mortem - bass (2000)
  • Klem Kthulu - drums (2001-2002)
  • Black Circle Chucky - live keyboards (1999-2002)

Discography

Burn Baby, Burn

1993, Cleopatra Records

  1. Invocation
  2. Age of Fire
  3. Psychedelic Sacrifice
  4. Fall From Grace
  5. Prodigal Son (A Libertine's Lament)
  6. Mr. 44
  7. Where Violence Is Golden...
  8. The Electric Hellfire Acid Test
  9. Epitaph
  10. Black Bus

Satan's Little Helpers

1994, Cleopatra Records

  1. Psychedelic Sacrifice (Say You Love Satan Mix)
  2. Satan's Little Helpers
  3. Mr. 44 (Sam Speaks Mix)
  4. Baptized in Blood
  5. Mr. 44 (Sean Sellers Mix)
  6. Kali on Acid (Acid Test Remix)
  7. Night of the Buck Knives (Altamont Mix)

Kiss the Goat

1995, Cleopatra Records (reissued 2005)

  1. Invitation to Your Damnation (Electric Hellfire Club Edit)
  2. Hellfire
  3. Darkshines War / In the Temple of Flesh
  4. The Abattoir Eternal
  5. Slaughter of Elysium
  6. Incubus
  7. Evil Genius (The Queen of Sin)
  8. Love is the Law
  9. Jack the Knife
  10. Bitchcraft
  11. Creepy Crawler
  12. Night of the Buck Knives (Coming Down Fast Mix)
  13. Kiss the Goat

2005 reissue is remastered and adds the following bonus tracks:

  1. Hellfire (Cykophuk Remix)
  2. The Root of All Evil
  3. Charles in Charge

Trick or Treat? Halloween '95

1995, Cleopatra Records (Limited pressing of 1,000 LP's on Orange Vinyl, and 500 CD copies)

  1. Halloween Medley (Halloween Theme/Incubus/Bela Lugosi's Dead/Black No. 1/Incubus reprise)
  2. Highway to Hell
  3. Incubus (Leæther Strip remix)

Calling Dr. Luv

1996, Cleopatra Records

  1. Funeral Procession
  2. Book of Lies
  3. Hellflower
  4. Prince of Darkness
  5. He Who Holds the Lightning Rod
  6. Circuit Breaker
  7. Very Groovy Boots
  8. Servants of Evil
  9. Ultraviolence
  10. Pack 44
  11. Unleash the Beast
  12. Calling Dr. Love
  13. 7th Angel

Unholy Roller

1998, Cleopatra Records

  1. Unholy Roller
  2. He Who Holds the Lightning Rod (Ranchero Remix)
  3. Prince of Darkness (Black Version)
  4. Hellfire (Cykophuk Remix)
  5. Prince of Darkness (Mutated Mix)
  6. The Root of All Evil (Bring Me the Head of Bob Larsen)
  7. Prince of Darkness (Laughing All the Way Remix)
  8. Shout at the Devil
  9. Prince of Darkness (Darkest Version)
  10. Book of Lies (Ether-eal Mix)

Empathy for the Devil

1999, Cleopatra Records

  1. Sympathy for the Devil
  2. Killing an Arab
  3. Highway to Hell
  4. Shout at the Devil
  5. Devil Inside
  6. The Bishop's Folly

Also in a second CD the first track of their 1995 EP trick or treat? was replicated.

Witness The Millennium

2000, Cleopatra Records

  1. Kirkcarrion
  2. One Dark Horse
  3. The Bishop's Folly
  4. Invisible Empire
  5. Speed Demon
  6. My Name Is Legion
  7. Paradise Reclaimed
  8. The Monkey's Paw
  9. Wormwood
  10. Number of the Beast

Electronomicon

2002, Cleopatra Records (reissued 2005)

  1. Into Thee Abyss
  2. Wired in Blood
  3. Sons of the Serpent
  4. Hypochristian
  5. Stockholm Syndrome
  6. Whores of Babylon
  7. Broken Goetia
  8. I Dream of Demons
  9. Nordland
  10. Tannhauser Gate
  11. This is the Zodiac
  12. Hymn to the Fallen: Conjuration (Song of Azazel)
  13. Hymn to the Fallen: Goat Mass
  14. Hymn to the Fallen: Revelry (Feast of the Beast)
  15. Keys to the Kingdom

Cover Songs

The Electric Hellfire Club has performed a number of cover songs:

  • "Baby's on Fire" originally by Brian Eno (on the compilation A Tribute to the Music & Works of Brian Eno)
  • "Bela Lugosi's Dead" originally by Bauhaus (on the compilation The Passion of Covers: A Tribute to Bauhaus)
  • "Calling Dr. Love" originally by KISS (on the album Calling Dr. Luv)
  • "Charles in Charge" the Charles in Charge TV show theme song (on the compilation TV Terror)
  • "Devil's Dance" originally by Metallica (available on EHC website)
  • "Devil Inside" originally by INXS (on the album Empathy for the Devil)
  • "God" originally by The Smashing Pumpkins (on the compilation A Gothic Industrial Tribute to the Smashing Pumpkins)
  • "Halloween Theme" originally by John Carpenter (on the album Empathy For The Devil)
  • "Heresy" originally by Nine Inch Nails (on the compilation A Tribute to Nine Inch Nails: Re-Covered in Nails)
  • "Highway to Hell" originally by AC/DC(on the album Empathy for the Devil also included on Covered In Black released by cleopatra records)
  • "Killing an Arab" by The Cure (on the album Empathy for the Devil)
  • "Land of Rape and Honey" originally by Ministry (on the compilation Another Prick in the Wall: A Tribute to Ministry)
  • "Light My Fire" originally by The Doors (on the compilation Darken My Fire)
  • "Lucifer Sam" originally by Pink Floyd (on the compilation A Saucerful of Pink: A Tribute to Pink Floyd)
  • "Number of the Beast" originally by Iron Maiden (on the album Witness The Millennium)
  • "Opiate" originally by Tool (on the compilation A Tribute to Tool)
  • "Shout at the Devil" originally by Mötley Crüe (on the album Unholy Roller)
  • "South of Heaven (live)" originally by Slayer (on the compilation Straight to Hell: A Tribute to Slayer)
  • "Sunday Bloody Sunday" originally by U2 (on the compilation We Will Follow: A Tribute to U2)
  • "Sympathy for the Devil" originally by The Rolling Stones (on the album Empathy for the Devil)
  • "Worlock (Truth Decay Version)" originally by Skinny Puppy (on the compilation Hymns of the Worlock: A Tribute to Skinny Puppy)
  • "Get Your Gunn" originally by Marilyn Manson (on the compilation A Tribute to Marilyn Manson)
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