LVL (band)
Encyclopedia
lvl is both the solo music project and personal moniker for New York City musician Dan Levler. lvl was formerly called Level but changed the name to avoid confusion with a handful of other bands with the same name. lvl's musical output ranges from fast-paced industrial metal
to mellow electronica. Levler is the younger brother of musician Klayton
.
, an industrial metal band that gained a strong cult following throughout the 1990s. In 1995 Levler performed as part of Argyle Park
, another of Klayton's bands, for their first and only live show. Levler appeared on the last Circle of Dust album, Disengage, in 1998 with two remixes credited to his name.
While releasing Devil's Advocate, Levler also took part in the resurrection of Argyle Park, called AP2. Level was the primary songwriter on the reformed band's only album, Suspension of Disbelief
, which was released in 2000. Two years later, Level worked on the fourth Criss Angel
album, the soundtrack to Mindfreak, remixing material from the preceding Criss Angel Trilogy that had been written by Klayton while also contributing four of his own compositions.
Level's second solo album, Denial, was released by Flaming Fish in 2003 and almost entirely lacked the driving guitars of the debut album, featuring instead lush, moody synths and electronics; "the new album is mellow, although the tempos are up". Buka of Argyle Park contributed lyrics and vocals to the song "What Free Is". Denial was long delayed in being released, with six of the ten songs eventually being put online as mp3s to sate fans before the full album finally went on sale. Denial is also now out of print.
In 2004, Levler produced and performed programming on fellow New York artist Breather's Slowly Sinking EP for Flaming Fish Music. He also announced and took pre-orders for a retrospective release called Re:issue that would include both remasters and re-recordings of a selection of songs from Devil's Advocate and Denial, the Klayton remix of "She:Backslide", and some new material.
. This is when Levler officially changed the name of his band from Level to lvl. He explained his absence since 2003's Denial and announced that he was working on new material in addition to the Re:issue project. However, apart from a handful of new demos, only one minor release has since been issued, that being a remix single of the song "Home" from the Denial album. Various financial and hardware problems, including a hard drive failure that deleted an album's worth of songs, have prevented lvl from moving forward with his new album work and Re:Issue seems to have been indefinitely delayed.
Compilation Appearances
Remixes Contributed
Other Appearances
Industrial metal
Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...
to mellow electronica. Levler is the younger brother of musician Klayton
Klayton
Scott Albert, now known as Klayton, is a multi-instrumentalist musician formerly of New York City and currently of Detroit, Michigan who has led several cult status underground bands and has performed under a variety of stage names since the early 1990s...
.
Early years
Dan Levler first appeared in the late 1980s as a member of Immortal, a New York thrash metal band fronted by Klayton. Immortal broke up and Klayton went on to found Circle of DustCircle of Dust
Circle of Dust were a 1990s Industrial rock band created and run by Klayton who is now more widely known for his solo band Celldweller. Circle of Dust was, along with contemporaries Mortal and Deitiphobia, instrumental in bringing industrial metal to the Christian alternative metal scene...
, an industrial metal band that gained a strong cult following throughout the 1990s. In 1995 Levler performed as part of Argyle Park
Argyle Park
For the park of the same name in Babylon, NY, see Argyle Lake ParkArgyle Park was an underground industrial rock supergroup founded in New York City in 1994 and active until 1996. Members of the group reformed under the name AP2 in 1998, and were active under that name until winter 2000...
, another of Klayton's bands, for their first and only live show. Levler appeared on the last Circle of Dust album, Disengage, in 1998 with two remixes credited to his name.
Flaming Fish Music years, 1997-2004
In 1997 Levler signed to Flaming Fish Music and released his first song on a compilation, followed two years later by the debut full length album Devil's Advocate, which was composed of songs Levler had written from 1992 to 1996. The album has been described as mixing drum'n'bass, trance, and industrial metal. Only 1,000 copies of the album were pressed and it is now out of print. There were plans to send purchasers of Devil's Advocate a limited edition EP consisting of remixes and outtakes, but this fell through and only one remix of the song "She:Backslide", done by Klayton, ever surfaced.While releasing Devil's Advocate, Levler also took part in the resurrection of Argyle Park, called AP2. Level was the primary songwriter on the reformed band's only album, Suspension of Disbelief
Suspension of Disbelief (Argyle Park album)
Suspension of Disbelief was the lone AP2 release, put out by Tooth & Nail Records in 2000. AP2 was a sequel of sorts to the band Argyle Park, who released their only album Misguided in 1995. Argyle Park had consisted of Buka and Klayton, while AP2 featured primary players Buka and Level, with...
, which was released in 2000. Two years later, Level worked on the fourth Criss Angel
Criss Angel
Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos , better known by the stage name Criss Angel, is an American illusionist, writer, director, musician, and actor...
album, the soundtrack to Mindfreak, remixing material from the preceding Criss Angel Trilogy that had been written by Klayton while also contributing four of his own compositions.
Level's second solo album, Denial, was released by Flaming Fish in 2003 and almost entirely lacked the driving guitars of the debut album, featuring instead lush, moody synths and electronics; "the new album is mellow, although the tempos are up". Buka of Argyle Park contributed lyrics and vocals to the song "What Free Is". Denial was long delayed in being released, with six of the ten songs eventually being put online as mp3s to sate fans before the full album finally went on sale. Denial is also now out of print.
In 2004, Levler produced and performed programming on fellow New York artist Breather's Slowly Sinking EP for Flaming Fish Music. He also announced and took pre-orders for a retrospective release called Re:issue that would include both remasters and re-recordings of a selection of songs from Devil's Advocate and Denial, the Klayton remix of "She:Backslide", and some new material.
FiXT Music, 2005-present
Flaming Fish Music settled into dormancy and little was heard of lvl until 2006 when he was signed to Klayton's new label, FiXT MusicFiXT Music
FiXT is an American independent media company with several divisions including a record label, an online music store, a film/TV/video game music licensing arm, and a remix contest site and community...
. This is when Levler officially changed the name of his band from Level to lvl. He explained his absence since 2003's Denial and announced that he was working on new material in addition to the Re:issue project. However, apart from a handful of new demos, only one minor release has since been issued, that being a remix single of the song "Home" from the Denial album. Various financial and hardware problems, including a hard drive failure that deleted an album's worth of songs, have prevented lvl from moving forward with his new album work and Re:Issue seems to have been indefinitely delayed.
Discography
- Devil's Advocate (1999, Flaming Fish Music)
- as part of AP2Argyle ParkFor the park of the same name in Babylon, NY, see Argyle Lake ParkArgyle Park was an underground industrial rock supergroup founded in New York City in 1994 and active until 1996. Members of the group reformed under the name AP2 in 1998, and were active under that name until winter 2000...
: Suspension of DisbeliefSuspension of Disbelief (Argyle Park album)Suspension of Disbelief was the lone AP2 release, put out by Tooth & Nail Records in 2000. AP2 was a sequel of sorts to the band Argyle Park, who released their only album Misguided in 1995. Argyle Park had consisted of Buka and Klayton, while AP2 featured primary players Buka and Level, with...
(2000 Tooth & Nail Records) - Denial (2003, Flaming Fish Music)
- Home Re:mix (2007, Fixt Music)
Compilation Appearances
- as part of Backwoods: Christmas in Heaven (1996, Flying Tart Records) - "Christmas Wishes"
- Lethal Injection (1997, Flaming Fish Music) - "What If?"
- "She:Backslide (Klay Scott Revision)" – unofficially leaked online in 1999/2000
- Automata 3.0 (2001, Flaming Fish Music) - "Restore (Demo)"
- Automata 5.0 (2003, Flaming Fish Music) - "Home (Blind Master)"
- Automata 7.0 (2007, Flaming Fish Music) - "Reaching Out"
- Fixt Music Comp 2008 (2008, Fixt Music) – "Home (Celldweller Remix)"
Remixes Contributed
- Circle of DustCircle of DustCircle of Dust were a 1990s Industrial rock band created and run by Klayton who is now more widely known for his solo band Celldweller. Circle of Dust was, along with contemporaries Mortal and Deitiphobia, instrumental in bringing industrial metal to the Christian alternative metal scene...
- "Levler 1 (Easier To Hate)" and "Levler 2 (Alone To Die)" on DisengageDisengageDisengage is third and final album by Circle of Dust released in 1998. Klay Scott began to work on the album soon after a brief departure from Angeldust, a music/magic project he and Criss Angel collaborated on together. After Circle of Dust's contract with R.E.X. expired, Klay Scott took the band...
, 1998 - KlankKlankKlank is the nickname for New York City-based musician Daren Diolosa and the name of Diolosa's band. Diolosa formed Klank in the mid 90's when he was a member of industrial metal band Circle of Dust, for whom Klank was a guitarist...
- "Dark India Mix" on Numb, 1999 - CelldwellerCelldwellerCelldweller is a Detroit, Michigan-based Electronic Rock project that was created by multi-instrumentalist Klayton, former frontman and songwriter of the bands Circle of Dust, Argyle Park, Angeldust . Celldweller's music is multi-faceted, often labeled electronic rock and more commonly being...
- "Symbiont (End Title Remix by Level)" on Symbiont Remixes, 2000
Other Appearances
- Criss AngelCriss AngelChristopher Nicholas Sarantakos , better known by the stage name Criss Angel, is an American illusionist, writer, director, musician, and actor...
– Mindfreak (2002 soundtrack, Apitrag) – remixing, contributed four new songs - Breather – Slowly Sinking EP (2004, Flaming Fish Music) – production and programming
External links
- Official lvl site, no new updates since 2006
- lvl on Myspace
- lvl's page at Fixt
- Celldweller tribe, an exhaustive fan page and resource for Celldweller and related artists, including lvl