Deadly Apples
Encyclopedia
Deadly Apples is a Canadian post-industrial and industrial rock
act, founded in 2002 by Alex Martel (sometimes referred to as Freak) in Montreal, Quebec
. Martel is the only original member of Deadly Apples and serves as its frontman, producer, art director, songwriter and instrumentalist along with bandmates Antoine Lamothe and Daniel Pelletier. Underground metal audiences in Canada warmly received Deadly Apples in its early years while the music was mainly influenced by alternative metal
. The band gained a larger audience throughout the years as the music shifted to a more accessible industrial rock
sound, resulting in moderate success.
Deadly Apples released two EP's, Metamorphosis Has Begun in 2005 and Infected in 2008, both produced and recorded by Martel with different producers. Although the recording and touring band featured a revolving lineup over the years, it currently consists of Martel on vocals, keyboards, sampling, guitars and tambourine; Lamothe on drums, keyboards and piano; Pelletier on guitars and keyboards; Gabriel Maurice on bass and piano. On stage, Deadly Apples usually gives harsh performances that frequently culminate with the band destroying their instruments, among various other stage antics by Martel that garnered some controversy. The band toured Canada and the U.S. many times since 2004, but has yet to do a full-scale U.S. tour.
. In 2003, the name Deadly Apples was chosen and a revolving lineup of musicians accompanied Martel.
By early 2004, Martel had teamed up with Karl St-Pierre on guitars. St-Pierre's heavy metal
influences, along with the emotional and melancoly music Martel was writing, defined the early sound of Deadly Apples that appealed to underground rock and metal audiences. Accompanied by Gabriel Maurice on bass, Mathieu Raby on drums and Melissa Lord on keyboards, Deadly Apples toured extensively in 2004 and 2005 through Canada.
The album mixed metal riffs, melodic piano, ambient keyboards, emotional vocals and growls. Some critics classified Metamorphosis as alternative metal
, gothic rock
and doom metal
. MetalUniverse.net defined the music as psychotic metal.
The Metamorphosis period was defined by dark imagery and concerts that combined the theatrical performances of acts such as Marilyn Manson
and the careless grunge
attitude of bands like Nirvana
. Deadly Apples started getting recognition from their peers and opened for established Quebec bands like Grimskunk, Kataklysm
and Anonymus
.
In 2006, Martel started writing what would later become the Infected EP. His growing fondness for industrial music
and interest for synthesizers, sampling and programming heavily influenced the new songs. In between writing, Deadly Apples continued touring in 2006 and 2007 as a four-piece, Martel handling the keyboards and sampling along with Maurice. The live shows became less theatrical and more atmospheric.
Martel's antics on stage became increasingly harsh and controversy arose many times. Aside from the frequent destroying of instruments, Martel attacked drummer Raby several times on stage. After Raby forgot to trigger the outro of a show, Martel threw a cymbal to Raby's head and subsequently fired him because of his poor drumming skills. Martel and St-Pierre also used to frequently spit at each other and sometimes at the crowd, often resulting in minor fights or riots.
, Cryptopsy
, Despised Icon
). After spending almost a year in the studio, the record was finally released in June 2008.
The album was released as both a free digital download on the band's official website and as a traditional CD. Martel released the following statement on the band's website:
Infected is a diverse industrial rock
album that moves away from the more metal-oriented Metamorphosis. Both critics and fans embraced the band's new sound, image and live show. Lamothe joined the live band on drums and his input in Deadly Apples since 2007 has been significant. Gabriel Maurice rejoined the band on bass, while a number of guitar players have revolved during the Infected tour.
Deadly Apples started touring Canada and the U.S. in the support of Infected in June 2008. They played the festival circuit during summer, which included stops at the Petite-Nation Rockfest and Outaouais Emergent Music Festival. Stage antics and controversy kept growing at every concert. While standing on a barricade near the crowd, Martel used his microphone to attack a drunk attendee who was taunting him. In September 2008, at a club concert near Ottawa, the band's sampler broke, resulting in the band smashing all the instruments and stopping the set after one song. More controversy arose when the band played Lamothe's psychological short film The Subject as a show intro (Lamothe works in the film industry in Montreal). The short film features a scene in which a prostitute is brutally killed by a deranged man. The band toured extensively with Ok Volca during the fall.
A music video was shot during fall 2008 for the song "Self-Inflicted Oppression", directed by Lamothe, but has yet to see release. In early 2009, the band premiered a stripped down electroacoustic set, opening for the cross-Canada tour of Blindoldfreak, solo project of Nine Inch Nails
keyboard player Alessandro Cortini. Following that run, the band continued touring with both their usual and stripped down sets, performing at several festivals in Canada and the U.S., including stops at New Hampshire's Rock On! Fest featuring Korn
and Toronto's Virgin Fest featuring Nine Inch Nails
and The Pixies.
meets White Stripes meets Portishead. Kind of."
In between recording sessions, Deadly Apples played a handful of large-scale festivals during the summer of 2010, including stops at Heavy MTL
alongside Korn
, Rob Zombie
and Avenged Sevenfold
, as well as Petite-Nation Rockfest alongside Alexisonfire
, Anti-Flag
and Misfits.
During Spring 2010, Korn
guitarist James 'Munky' Shaffer recorded guitar parts with the band while in Maine for two songs off the album. Commented Martel: "I've known James for a long time, and having opened for Korn several times, he's always on the side of the stage watching our set. It was a natural process and we're happy to have him on the album, he's been very generous of his time." Others guests are slated to appear on the album, but the band has yet to announce them. The album is set to be done in the summer of 2011.
Industrial rock
Industrial rock is a musical genre that fuses industrial music and specific rock subgenres. Industrial rock spawned industrial metal, with which it is often confused...
act, founded in 2002 by Alex Martel (sometimes referred to as Freak) in Montreal, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Martel is the only original member of Deadly Apples and serves as its frontman, producer, art director, songwriter and instrumentalist along with bandmates Antoine Lamothe and Daniel Pelletier. Underground metal audiences in Canada warmly received Deadly Apples in its early years while the music was mainly influenced by alternative metal
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
. The band gained a larger audience throughout the years as the music shifted to a more accessible industrial rock
Industrial rock
Industrial rock is a musical genre that fuses industrial music and specific rock subgenres. Industrial rock spawned industrial metal, with which it is often confused...
sound, resulting in moderate success.
Deadly Apples released two EP's, Metamorphosis Has Begun in 2005 and Infected in 2008, both produced and recorded by Martel with different producers. Although the recording and touring band featured a revolving lineup over the years, it currently consists of Martel on vocals, keyboards, sampling, guitars and tambourine; Lamothe on drums, keyboards and piano; Pelletier on guitars and keyboards; Gabriel Maurice on bass and piano. On stage, Deadly Apples usually gives harsh performances that frequently culminate with the band destroying their instruments, among various other stage antics by Martel that garnered some controversy. The band toured Canada and the U.S. many times since 2004, but has yet to do a full-scale U.S. tour.
Formation: 2002-2004
In 2002, Alex Martel started playing with fellow students at his high school in Quebec. He had no musical knowledge and didn't own a microphone or any instrument. He taught himself how to sing and play guitar, piano and other instruments. The initial sound was mostly influenced by alternative metalAlternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
. In 2003, the name Deadly Apples was chosen and a revolving lineup of musicians accompanied Martel.
By early 2004, Martel had teamed up with Karl St-Pierre on guitars. St-Pierre's heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
influences, along with the emotional and melancoly music Martel was writing, defined the early sound of Deadly Apples that appealed to underground rock and metal audiences. Accompanied by Gabriel Maurice on bass, Mathieu Raby on drums and Melissa Lord on keyboards, Deadly Apples toured extensively in 2004 and 2005 through Canada.
Metamorphosis Has Begun: 2005-2007
The band's first EP, Metamorphosis Has Begun, was recorded over a weekend at a studio in Montebello, Quebec in 2005. It was produced by Martel and Jean-Guy Bruneau. Despite its raw sound, it gained many positive reviews in magazines across the world.The album mixed metal riffs, melodic piano, ambient keyboards, emotional vocals and growls. Some critics classified Metamorphosis as alternative metal
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
, gothic rock
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
and doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
. MetalUniverse.net defined the music as psychotic metal.
The Metamorphosis period was defined by dark imagery and concerts that combined the theatrical performances of acts such as Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
and the careless grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
attitude of bands like Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
. Deadly Apples started getting recognition from their peers and opened for established Quebec bands like Grimskunk, Kataklysm
Kataklysm
Kataklysm is a Canadian death metal band. They call their musical style "northern hyperblast" after an advertisement in M.E.A.T. magazine describing another band, Fear Factory, as "hyperblast". The term refers to the extremely fast blast beats that Kataklysm's drummer, Max Duhamel, fuses into the...
and Anonymus
Anonymus
Anonymus is the Latin spelling of anonymous. This Latin spelling, however, is traditionally used by scholars in the humanities to refer to any ancient writer whose name is not known, or to a manuscript of their work...
.
In 2006, Martel started writing what would later become the Infected EP. His growing fondness for industrial music
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
and interest for synthesizers, sampling and programming heavily influenced the new songs. In between writing, Deadly Apples continued touring in 2006 and 2007 as a four-piece, Martel handling the keyboards and sampling along with Maurice. The live shows became less theatrical and more atmospheric.
Martel's antics on stage became increasingly harsh and controversy arose many times. Aside from the frequent destroying of instruments, Martel attacked drummer Raby several times on stage. After Raby forgot to trigger the outro of a show, Martel threw a cymbal to Raby's head and subsequently fired him because of his poor drumming skills. Martel and St-Pierre also used to frequently spit at each other and sometimes at the crowd, often resulting in minor fights or riots.
Infected: 2007-2009
During spring 2007, the initial version of Infected was recorded and produced by Martel and producer Yves Bouthillier with the touring band. Unsatisfied with the result, Martel scrapped the recordings and dismissed Bouthillier as well as the entire touring band. He went on to work with producers Antoine Lamothe (formerly of Endensa, Skindealer, Syntheticuse and Dee) and Dan Pelletier (formerly of Minds). Together, they revamped Deadly Apples, wrote new songs and recorded the album in various studios in Montreal, Montebello and Daytona Beach, Florida. Infected was mastered in St-Zenon, Quebec by Pierre Remillard (RushRush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
, Cryptopsy
Cryptopsy
Cryptopsy is a Canadian technical death metal band from Montreal, Quebec, formed in 1988. The band has sold over 300,000 records.-Necrosis :...
, Despised Icon
Despised Icon
Despised Icon was a Canadian deathcore band from Montreal, Quebec. Formed in 2002, the band is notable for the use of two vocalists; Alexandre Erian, takes use of a mid-range screaming technique, and Steve Marois for the low growling vocals, and high pitched screamed vocals...
). After spending almost a year in the studio, the record was finally released in June 2008.
The album was released as both a free digital download on the band's official website and as a traditional CD. Martel released the following statement on the band's website:
"Deadly Apples is aware of this new era of constant technology development we live in and encourages using it to its full potential. The band applauds its peers such as Nine Inch NailsNine Inch NailsNine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
, RadioheadRadioheadRadiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
and Saul WilliamsSaul WilliamsSaul Stacey Williams is an American poet, writer, actor and musician known for his blend of poetry and alternative hip hop and for his leading role in the 1998 independent film Slam.-Biography:...
for having the courage to take a step forward in that direction.
DA does not solicit or accept donations, but encourages fans to attend concerts, purchase a physical copy if you still collect CD's, purchase other merchandise or simply pass along the word to friends."
Infected is a diverse industrial rock
Industrial rock
Industrial rock is a musical genre that fuses industrial music and specific rock subgenres. Industrial rock spawned industrial metal, with which it is often confused...
album that moves away from the more metal-oriented Metamorphosis. Both critics and fans embraced the band's new sound, image and live show. Lamothe joined the live band on drums and his input in Deadly Apples since 2007 has been significant. Gabriel Maurice rejoined the band on bass, while a number of guitar players have revolved during the Infected tour.
Deadly Apples started touring Canada and the U.S. in the support of Infected in June 2008. They played the festival circuit during summer, which included stops at the Petite-Nation Rockfest and Outaouais Emergent Music Festival. Stage antics and controversy kept growing at every concert. While standing on a barricade near the crowd, Martel used his microphone to attack a drunk attendee who was taunting him. In September 2008, at a club concert near Ottawa, the band's sampler broke, resulting in the band smashing all the instruments and stopping the set after one song. More controversy arose when the band played Lamothe's psychological short film The Subject as a show intro (Lamothe works in the film industry in Montreal). The short film features a scene in which a prostitute is brutally killed by a deranged man. The band toured extensively with Ok Volca during the fall.
A music video was shot during fall 2008 for the song "Self-Inflicted Oppression", directed by Lamothe, but has yet to see release. In early 2009, the band premiered a stripped down electroacoustic set, opening for the cross-Canada tour of Blindoldfreak, solo project of Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
keyboard player Alessandro Cortini. Following that run, the band continued touring with both their usual and stripped down sets, performing at several festivals in Canada and the U.S., including stops at New Hampshire's Rock On! Fest featuring Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
and Toronto's Virgin Fest featuring Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
and The Pixies.
First full-length album: 2010-now
In January 2010, Martel and Lamothe reunited with Infected co-producer Daniel Pelletier, who later joined the band as full-time guitar player. Along with Maurice, the band started recording their third offering and first full-length album in Montebello, Quebec. Martel described the new material as "really catchy yet very raw and dirty, with ambient soundscapes and electronics -- something unique and different with peaks and valleys. Think of it as Nine Inch NailsNine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
meets White Stripes meets Portishead. Kind of."
In between recording sessions, Deadly Apples played a handful of large-scale festivals during the summer of 2010, including stops at Heavy MTL
Heavy MTL
Heavy MTL is a two-day heavy metal and hard rock festival in Montreal, Quebec, at Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Sainte-Hélène held in the summer. The 2008 edition attracted a crowd of around 36,000 people....
alongside Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
, Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie is an American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He founded the heavy metal band White Zombie and has been nominated three times as a solo artist for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.Zombie has also established a career as a film director, creating the...
and Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California. Formed in 1999, the group consists of vocalist M. Shadows, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, bassist Johnny Christ....
, as well as Petite-Nation Rockfest alongside Alexisonfire
Alexisonfire
Alexisonfire was a five-piece, Juno-nominated post-hardcore band that formed in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada in 2001. The band consisted of George Pettit , Dallas Green , Wade MacNeil , Chris Steele , and Jordan Hastings .They describe their music as "the sound of two Catholic high-school girls...
, Anti-Flag
Anti-Flag
Anti-Flag is a punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States, formed in 1988. The band is well known for its outspoken political views. Much of the band's lyrics have focused on fervent anti-war activism, criticism of United States foreign policy, corporatism, U.S. wealth...
and Misfits.
During Spring 2010, Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
guitarist James 'Munky' Shaffer recorded guitar parts with the band while in Maine for two songs off the album. Commented Martel: "I've known James for a long time, and having opened for Korn several times, he's always on the side of the stage watching our set. It was a natural process and we're happy to have him on the album, he's been very generous of his time." Others guests are slated to appear on the album, but the band has yet to announce them. The album is set to be done in the summer of 2011.
Touring band
Current members
- Alex Martel - vocals, sampling, piano, keyboards, tambourine (2002–present)
- Antoine Lamothe - drums, piano, synthesizers (2007–present)
- Gabriel Maurice - bass, keyboards (2004–present)
- Dan Pelletier - guitars, bass, keyboards (2008, 2010–present)