released August 20, 2021

Synthesizers have been a part of modern culture since their appearance in the mid 20th century, and taking the word literally we find a rote description of an apparatus designed to “synthesize” (replicate) naturally occurring sound phenomena. The fidelity of modular synthesizers in particular lend themselves to even more complex and convincing approximations of “natural” sound sources when presented as music. A common operation is the SAMPLE & HOLD function, whereby a noise source is fed a repeating trigger (tempo) which it then “samples” (extracts a random voltage/value from) and “holds” for the duration of each pulse. The key word is RANDOM and the end result is typically a succession of arbitrary tones produced at a steady rate (think dial-up modem noise). As well as pitch, this process can also be applied to influence rhythm and timbral modulations in unique and interesting ways. I have employed the use of the Sample and Hold function heavily throughout the creation of this album, moreover - I have made it a central motif.

The more I’ve integrated modular synthesizers into my studio and material, the more synchronicity I’ve found between the processes of writing both metal and electronic music. Conventions dissolve and the distance between things like a “sick riff” and a “cool sequence” disappears. Frequency Modulation equates Distortion. With added emphasis on randomization and ‘logic’ processes applied to rhythm, the worlds of chaotic metal and experimental electronic music often blur together and compliment each other in both structure and sound - it’s been a perfect marriage for INFINITE HEX.

Simulacrum & Stimuli is not meant to be a ‘concept album’ per se, but the methods described above that were used to create it are deliberate and share a sensibility with Pär Olofsson’s cover artwork depicting humanities augmentation, symbiosis, and eventual dissolution into its own creation (technology). Correspondingly, the album title is a paraphrasing of Jean Baudrillard’s philosophical treatise Simulacra and Simulation, which posits that society/culture is a ever-morphing construct perpetuated through reinterpreted symbolism, facsimile, and idealized permutations of itself.

The album material was pieced together over a year on various equipment and in various locations. The sound sources and production tonalities across the album are not linear, and often disparate - this too is intentional. I invite the listener to approach Simulacrum & Stimuli as a singular, continuous piece of music; Ride along with the ebb and flow, and relent to the ever-permutating slide-show of riffs, beats, blasts and drones within.

Enjoy!

All music assembled, mixed and mastered by Otis Chamberlain
Artwork by Pär Olofsson