Press Release by Raquel Figlo December 5th, 2023
Derision Cult fuses technological sounds with classic metal, rock, and even outlaw country to evoke an entirely new feeling from their audience with each new release. They will be performing their first live show on December 14th, playing all of the tracks off their acclaimed debut album, “Mercenary Notes Part 1”, which has been described by fans as “a bold sonic rebellion unmasking corporate distortion.” The setlist will include their esteemed release, “Slaves Rebuild”, as well as several unreleased tracks off the upcoming album “Mercenary Notes Part 2” – which will be out next year. This second album with feature Reeves Gabrels on lead guitar, as well as guest vocalists from Chicago Industrial legend Jim Marcus. Their show on the 14th will be the first time band member Sean Payne will be on stage in their hometown since his accident in May, and a potential guest appearance of Martin Atkins – former drummer for NIN, Killing Joke, current drummer for Pigface, owner of the Chicago Museum of Post Punk and Industrial, and remixer for Derision Cult.
Hailing from Chicago, IL, Derision Cult is made up of many luminaries of the Chicago Industrial scene, such as frontman Dave McAnally, and members of Cyanotic (fellow Glitch Mode Recordings band) which includes Sean Payne on synths (Cyanotic, Conformco, Vampyre Anvil), Brad Huston on lead guitar (Cyanotic), and Jesse Hunt (Cyanotic, Conformco, Hunt Hent Hawk). With inspiration ranging from Die Warzau, Sister Machine Gun, David Bowie, Metallica, Megadeth, Prong, Ministry, White Zombie, and Circle of Dust, Derision Cult utilizes varied influences to create a truly unique sound unlike what is typical of rock and metal bands.
Best described by Dave himself, Derision Cult forms a “sonic insurgency” through its combination of industrial metal with a tinge of outlaw country. Taking some influence from his other band Cyanotic, Derision Cult uses cyberpunk-infused metal to focus their message on resisting media manipulation and corporate greed within their lyrics and against-the-grain sound.
Collaborating with Alex Zander of MKUltra and through bonding over their mutual love of old-school 70’s outlaw country, Ministry, and Wax Trax, Dave has been invited to be on the MKUltra podcast, and to play at the MKUltra Christmas party. He described his excitement by sharing, “He’s been an awesome friend to me, helping connect us to wonderful people like Pete Berwick who starred in the “Slaves Rebuild” video, and we have a blast on his podcast. It’s going to be a blast playing the Christmas party and seeing who winds up on the naughty list! We can’t wait to take these tracks out of the Glitch Mode HQ and on to the stage!”
The show on the 14th promises to be an exhilarating celebration of the bands’ work up to this point – sharing songs we all know and love from the group, as well as new tracks we have yet to hear.
“We’re absolutely stoked to hit the stage and there’s no better place than the Live Wire! This is Derision Cult which means we’re mixing up raw and loud guitars with Glitch Mode’s mechanized madness. This ain’t just another gig, it’s a goddamn celebration! We’re alive and can’t wait to round out the year with you on December 14th! ” -Dave McAnally, frontman of Derision Cult
About Derision Cult:
Derision Cult is a clandestine project by Chicago’s own Dave McAnally – a former advertising industry insider, and now a Chicago artist collective leader. By rejecting media manipulation, Derision Cult wields heavy beats, thrashing guitars, and cyberpunk aesthetics to emancipate the minds of its audience. Their most recent project, “Mercenary Notes Pt 1” (EP), was released on Dec 23, 2022, via Glitch Mode Recordings and gained tremendous audience feedback and industry acclaim. Now set to release their next release “Slaves Rebuild”, the group explores a new sound and shocks audiences once again.