"Inside a cage of sound, Cold waves of electronics are juxtaposed against voices that seep through cracks in the walls of machinery and wires. Lyrics dart out in bullets from soundscapes peppered in sharp vocals and sound bites. A viola plays in the distance, giving life to this inorganic mass...
Such is the imagery that spawns Attrition, who, with its marriage of the classic and modern, has brought to music the equivalent of a surrealist painting. From its earlier sparse and stark soundscapes, to a more expansive palette of orchestral work, Attrition has successfully melded several genres into one. The music flows - from gothic to industrial to experimental to classical - so smoothly, they might as well be making their own category.
With more than fifteen albums of constant variety, and an ever-expanding sound, they remain one of music's darker and fascinating lights." Akane
ATTRITION are pioneers in a darker electronica. Formed in 1980 in Coventry, England, influenced by a mix of punk ideology and experimental art aesthetics, they emerged as part of the early '80's UK Industrial scene alongside contemporaries Coil, Test Department, Legendary Pink Dots, In The Nursery, Portion Control et al.
Founder Martin Bowes has steered the band through a 25 year career, fuelled by a succession of critically acclaimed albums...a selling over 70,000 to date.
The band has regularly toured Europe, North America and Mexico, Russia and Asia, appeared at major festivals and had their music included on a number of film soundtracks.... (most recently two of their songs are included on the US cult film “Mint in box” alongside the Pogues…)
Through their career Attrition have worked with musicians as diverse as psychedelic veterans The Legendary Pink
Dot’s to punk legend TV Smith to Franck Dematteis of the Paris Opera.
Attrition’s music has featured on countless releases - from 1984’s “Bullshit detector” on Crass records to the hugely successful “Animal liberation” album alongside Siouxsie & the Banshees, The Smiths, Nina Hagen & Lene Lovich etc…
Recently their song “Acid Tongue” featured on KTEL’s Industrial story CD - a who’s who of industrial music with
Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle, Ministry, Nitzer Ebb, Neubauten et al…
In Germany Orkus magazine’s Best of the 90’s collection featured their darkwave classic “A girl called harmony”…
Attrition’s work been remixed by underground artists from an eclectic mix of genres including Chris n Cosey, Martin
Atkins, Dance or Die and UK drum n bass act Rascal & Klone…(featured on the first Grand Theft Auto game soundtrack..)
Martin’s increasing studio production work has included mixes for The Damage Manual (Martin Atkins, Jah Wobble,
Geordie Walker, Chris Connelly et al…), Die Form, In the Nursery, Black tape for a blue girl, Emilie Autumn and more…
He has just completed work on a song for the new Pigface album and is recording the narrators voice to an upcoming
US horror film, “C for Chaos”…
ATTRITION are currently touring and working on their latest album…
Album Discography
1982. This Death House a soundtrack
1983. Action and reaction
1984. The Attrition Of Reason
1985. Smiling, At The Hypogonder Club
1986. In The Realm Of The Hungry Ghosts
1988. At The Fiftieth Gate
1991. A Tricky Business
1993. The Hidden Agenda
1995. Ephemera a soundtrack
1996. Three Arms & A Dead Cert
1997. Etude classical interpretations
1999. The Jeopardy Maze
1999.
Esoteria a collection of ambient works
2000. Heretic Angels live in the USA
2000. The Hand that Feeds the remixes
2001. Keepsakes & Reflections rarities
2003. The Eternity LP a collection of classical remixes and rarities
2004.
Dante’s Kitchen
2006. Tearing arms from Deities the twenty five year anniversary collection
2006. Something Stirs.
The beginning. 1981
– 83
2008.
All mine enemy’s whispers. The story of Mary Ann Cotton
2009.
Kill the Buddha! Live in Europe & the USA
"Forever there will be the speculation that the exploration of darkness as a beautiful place will lessen our fear of it all, ease the pain a little..."