Static-X
Houston Hughes
Issue date: 4/13/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
On Tuesday of last week, two highly anticipated rock albums hit shelves: Cannibal, by Static-X, and Vena Sera, by Chevelle. Both bands have produced a number of hits in the past, both are currently touring, and both have the potential to put out an amazing album. So, as college students, which album should you put your hard-earned money towards (or, perhaps more accurately, which should you set your computer to download)? Let us start, as I always like to do, with a brief history of each band.
The post-grunge band Chevelle was formed in 1994 by brothers Pete and Sam Loeffler (guitar/vocals and drums, respectively) and bassist Matt Scott. After switching bassists from Scott to their brother Joe Loeffler, Chevelle released their first album, Point #1, in 1999, to mild success. It was their 2002 release Wonder What's Next that truly propelled them to stardom, thanks to heavy radio play of the singles "Closure", "The Red" and the number one hit, "Send the Pain Below." This run continued with their next album, This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In), especially with their second number one single, "Vitamin R (Leading Us Along)." This trend shows no sign of stopping, as their first single from Vena Sera, "Well Enough Alone", has already reached number eight on the US rock charts.
The industrial metal (sometimes classified as "death disco") band Static-X was formed by Wayne Static, Ken Jay, Tony Campos and Koichi Fukuda, also in 1994. They also released their first album, Wisconsin Death Trip, in 1999, less than two months prior to Chevelle's first album. Even though the album didn't break the top 100 on the charts, it has sold over one million copies to date. Since then, they have released four other albums, each selling progressively less with the exception of their last album, Start a War. Another interesting tidbit: out of the 10 singles they've released thus far, every one has managed to break into the Top 40 of the US mainstream rock charts, but none has ever made it above the number 20 spot, achieved only by their first single "Push It." Static-X is a band with moderate success and a fair amount of radio play that have just never been able to really break through. They are hoping to end that trend with Cannibal, and it looks possible: the single "Destroyer" is currently at the 27 spot and still climbing.
The post-grunge band Chevelle was formed in 1994 by brothers Pete and Sam Loeffler (guitar/vocals and drums, respectively) and bassist Matt Scott. After switching bassists from Scott to their brother Joe Loeffler, Chevelle released their first album, Point #1, in 1999, to mild success. It was their 2002 release Wonder What's Next that truly propelled them to stardom, thanks to heavy radio play of the singles "Closure", "The Red" and the number one hit, "Send the Pain Below." This run continued with their next album, This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In), especially with their second number one single, "Vitamin R (Leading Us Along)." This trend shows no sign of stopping, as their first single from Vena Sera, "Well Enough Alone", has already reached number eight on the US rock charts.
The industrial metal (sometimes classified as "death disco") band Static-X was formed by Wayne Static, Ken Jay, Tony Campos and Koichi Fukuda, also in 1994. They also released their first album, Wisconsin Death Trip, in 1999, less than two months prior to Chevelle's first album. Even though the album didn't break the top 100 on the charts, it has sold over one million copies to date. Since then, they have released four other albums, each selling progressively less with the exception of their last album, Start a War. Another interesting tidbit: out of the 10 singles they've released thus far, every one has managed to break into the Top 40 of the US mainstream rock charts, but none has ever made it above the number 20 spot, achieved only by their first single "Push It." Static-X is a band with moderate success and a fair amount of radio play that have just never been able to really break through. They are hoping to end that trend with Cannibal, and it looks possible: the single "Destroyer" is currently at the 27 spot and still climbing.
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