PITCHSHIFTER

Pictured to the right is the original line up circa 1991 from the "Industrial" album (John A. Carter, Stuart Toolin, Mark Clayden).

Pitchshifter may be known today for their "nu-metal" mixed with industrial music, but they played a Godflesh worship sound, fusing monolithic riffs with drum machines and harsh growls early in their career. They're usually considered one of the first industrial metal bands along with Godflesh. This industrial metal sound is present in their first two full lengths "Industrial" and "Desensitized" as well as their EP "Submit" and single "Death Industrial".

Up to the release of "Infotainment?", they shifted to an industrial rock sound experimenting with drum and bass-type music (to many, this can be seen as nu-metal or one of the heavier breeds of it). The 1998 album "www.pitchshifter.com" broke the band into the mainstream where the bands sound completely changed. The vocals weren't growls or grunts; they became clean vocals very much in the vein of Spineshank. The band also incorporated many electronic beats as well as electronic samples. They continued with this sound, and never played any old material again live.

They broke up in the Spring of 2003 but accordingly though, the band has played some festivals and local shows but never were considered an active band. Rumours have spread that the band will release a new album soon in 2006 or 2007.

Pitchshifter's break into the mainstream was through being included in many video games of the late 90's like Twisted Metal 3 for Playstation.

Trivia:

People believe the band is called "Pitchshifter" because of the band's huge use of vocal manipulators (shifting the pitch of a voice in other words). This evidence is heavily supported in the bands older material with the machine-like growls in the songs.

The albums "Industrial" and "Submit" are known for using the same drum machine's which Godflesh used in their early career. Members of Pitchshifter used to frequent to Godflesh shows in the UK and ask what drum machines they used to play.

J.S. Clayden has been the primary vocalist throughout Pitchshifter's career but his brother Mark D. Clayden handled vocal duties on the first album "Industrial" while J.S. Clayden provided backing vocals. Up to the album "Submit", J.S. handled all vocal duties.

Pitchshifter has been known to highly influence Fear Factory, Napalm Death, Lostprophets, Helmet, Staind, Sikth, Hundred Reasons one way or another.

PSI Records is owned by J.S. Clayden. The acronym "P.S.I." stands for "Pitchshifter Industries".