“A true industrial rhythmic synthetic rampage with evenly distributed guttural/melodic vocals and distinctive tracks that add to the ambience and sleekness”
SPILL MAGAZINE
“The emotion and power of the songs shine through, with deep and dirty guitars and powerhouse basslines. Fans are certain to be satisfied”
METAL DIGEST
“Far more than a show of brute force, this boasts tricky layers and confident songwriting that stands the test of time. 16Volt just keep getting better”
SONIC SEDUCER
With roots dating back to the early days of the industrial rock scene, the US band 16Voltalso crossed over into related genres as soon as group founder Eric Powell signed his first record deal in 1991 while still in his teens.
‘More Of Less’ (out today, 25th July) is the band’s first full-length record since 2017, when Powell put the group on a hiatus that lasted seven years. The announcement of the album in mid-June coincided with the release of a single entitled ‘White Noise’, which Powell explains “is a song about feeling unheard, when your voice gets drowned out and it seems like you can’t get a word in or no-one is listening to you. To others, you become just white noise, that static sound of nothingness.”
The single followed hot on the heels of a first ever (and already sold out) vinyl pressing of ‘Wisdom’, the group’s 1993 debut album. Powell’s reactivation of 16Volt in 2024 had been marked with the release of ‘Negative On Arrivals’, which combined songs from the group’s previous two records in 2016 and 2017.
A relentless early ‘90s schedule for 16Volt saw Powell work alongside co-producers David Ogilvie (Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy), Keith ‘Fluffy’ Auerbach (Ministry) and Jeff ‘Critter’ Newell (Ministry, Angels & Airwaves, blink-182) for the recording of ‘Wisdom’ (1993), ‘Skin’ (1994) and ‘LetDownCrush’ (1996). With these albums all earning critical praise and pole positions on the US Alternative Chart, the band built a live following as they toured extensively around North America, subsequently signing to Mercury Records.
Producer Bill Kennedy (Nine Inch Nails, Megadeth, Sepultura, Mötley Crüe) was hired to help make ‘SuperCoolNothing’ (1998), which featured film composer Joseph Bishara (Insidious, The Conjuring, Marylin Manson, Danzig), Chris Vrenna (Nine Inch Nails), Mike Peoples (Skrew) and Kraig Tyler (Crazytown), but Powell found himself in the middle of a legal battle prior to album release when Seagram took over the label and cut all its funding. In a genius move, Powell bought back the rights and made a deal with Sony to feature the album in the Playstation game ‘Primal’.
The mid-’00s saw 16Volt sign to Metropolis Records and release the albums ‘FullBlackHabit’ (2007), ‘American Porn Songs’ (2009) and ‘Beating Dead Horses’ (2012) featuring guests Paul Raven (Ministry, Killing Joke, Prong), Steve White (KMFDM) and mix engineer Shaun Thingvold (Strapping Young Lad, Lamb of God).
Meanwhile, the group’s headline tours were supplemented by stints with the likes of Korn, Filter, Fear Factory, Prong, Orgy, Stabbing Westward, Revolting Cocks, Front Line Assembly, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult and Front 242.
2016 saw the release of ‘The Negative Space’, produced by Marc Jordan (Velvet Revolver, The Cult, Hyro Da Hero, Die Antwoord), with the EP ‘Dead On Arrivals’ following a year later
16VOLT | 2025 photos of Eric Powell taken by Molly Powell