Unit:187 was founded in 1994 by the Vancouver, Canada-based duo John Morgan and Tod Law, issuing a debut album entitled ‘Stillborn’ in 1997.
‘Loaded’ followed a year later, featuring new band members Jed Simon (guitar) and Byron Stroud (bass) of Strapping Young Lad and produced by that band’s leader (and future prog icon) Devin Townsend.
The album yielded instant industrial classics that included the title track and a remix of the song ‘Stillborn’ by Rhys Fulber (a member of Front Line Assembly and the producer of Fear Factory at that time).
Their third album, ’Capital Punishment’ (2002), utilised the electronic programming and production skills of Chris Peterson (live member of Front Line Assembly) and mixer Anthony Valcic (producer for both Skinny Puppy and Front Line Assembly), the group’s trademark synth riffs, movie samples and driving guitars blazing full-tilt from the start right through to the conclusion of the album.
2010’s ‘Out For Blood’ saw adjustments to the group line-up, with Chris Peterson becoming a permanent member and guitarist Ross Redhead (Decree) also joining. Punching fist-first through what they perceived as ‘goth euro-cheese’, they came up trumps with a solid dose of old-school industrial that hadn’t been heard in years.
Unit:187 vocalist/co-founder Tod Law sadly passed away in 2015, but left a legacy of music that has inspired the band to finally move forward. Now fronted by former backing singer Kerry Vink-Peterson, their brand new ‘KillCure’ album continues to pack attitude and punch, albeit with a dancefloor friendly edge.
KILLCURE
TRACKLISTING
1 Glamhammer
2 Eyes Open
3 Dick
4 New Beginning
5 Swallow
6 Famous Face
7 Overrun
8 KillCure
Tod Law – vocals 1, 4, 6, 8
Kerry Vink-Peterson – vocals 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8
Johnny Morgan – programming, composing, production
Chris Peterson – programming, production, mixing 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8
Ross Redhead – bass and guitar 1, 2, 4, 5
Stuart McGinley – bass 3, 6, 7, 8, guitar 6, 8
Justin Hagberg – guitar on 3, 7
Galen Waling – drums 7, 8
Adam Lastiwka – strings 8
Ken ‘hiwatt’ Marshall – mixing 1, 4
Greg Reely – mastering