A Split-Second | |
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Origin | Belgium |
Genres | EBM |
Years active | 1985–1991, 1994, 2004, 2009–current |
Labels | Antler, Animalized, Hypnobeat, Wax Trax! |
Website | asplitsecond |
Members | Marc Heyndrickx |
Past members | Peter Bonne |
A Split-Second is a Belgian electronic body music band. The duo — Marc Heyndrickx and Peter Bonne (under the artist name Chrismar Chayell)—were active from their debut in 1986 until they split up in 1991, and A Split-Second continued as a Heyndrickx solo project. They went on hiatus after a Swedish tour in 1994, and returned to the live scene in 2004. Since 2009, they have been playing live regularly.
After signing to Antler Records, A Split-Second made their debut in 1986 with the single "Flesh". It was followed the next year by another single, "Rigor Mortis", and the album Ballistic Statues.
In 1988, they were signed to the American label, Wax Trax! Records, and released the albums A Split-Second and From The Inside in the US. The singles "Rigor Mortis", "Mambo Witch" and "Colosseum Crash" (featuring guest vocals by Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra) were also chart-topping hits. New members Fedjean Venvelt (guitars) and Peter Boone (keyboards) joined the band for their first US tour.
Their 1990 album, Kiss of Fury, featured the track "The Parallax View", which was also a successful single and saw the band moving towards more of a guitar-based sound. Nico Mansy (keyboards) joined the band for their second US tour. "Flesh" peaked in the UK Singles Chart at #68 in December 1991.
In 1991, Bonne became involved in a side project, Wasteland, which soon became more important for him than A Split-Second. The duo split up by 1994, with Ickx continuing A Split-Second as a solo project. Two more albums were released, Vengeance C.O.D. in 1993 and Megabite released in 1995.
A Split-Second's debut single "Flesh" is credited with starting the New Beat genre, at 33 rpm, "Fat Ronnie's inspiration snowballed when Marc and a handful of other DJs were listening to "Flesh", the latest 12" from Belgian electronic band A Split Second in Antwerp's USA Import record store. By slowing the pitch control down to a lurching 33, Marc transformed the track from pleasant Euro-Industrialism to the melodramatic, pomp-laden epic that's been firing London warehouses all summer.".