The Young Gods

Biography

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The Young Gods (1985-present): a Industrial Metal band from Geneva, Switzerland.

ounded by Franz Treichler (vocals), Cesare Pizzi (tapes/synthesizer) and Frank Bagnound (drums), The Young Gods released their self-financed debut 45 Envoye (1986). The band took their name from the track Young God from the Swans's 1984 EP of the same name.

The follow-up, Did You Miss Me (1987), got them a deal with Belgian indie 'Play It Again Sam'. The production and punk French lyrics got their subsequent debut self-titled album acclaim, as did their second effort, L'Eau Rouge (The Red Water; 1989) without Frank who was replaced with Use Heistand on drums. The Young Gods Play Kurt Weill (1991) followed.

It wasn't until The Young Gods' next effort, TV Sky (1992) with Al Mondo replacing Pizzi, that they got recognition in the USA, helped greatly due to it being sung in English and recorded in New York City, a decision that also got them their first chart spot in the UK at 54.

After a bit of a break, they returned with Only Heaven (1995) becoming their most mature effort and one that won over the heavy metal audience while still catering to the industrial metal and indie fans. Heaven Deconstruction (1997) would follow on 'Interscope Records' amidst the success of bands like Nine Inch Nails, but not in the UK where it wasn't even released.

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The band's ambient-influenced record, Only Heaven, followed in 1995. To support the album, the band joined Ministry on their 1996 tour, touring extensively for two years. Hiestand decided the touring lifestyle was too tiring, left the band in 1996. Treichler and Monod, then living in New York, saw his departure as a sign and relocated back to Switzerland. To fill in for drumming duties, Bernard Trontin joined the band in 1997. A companion record to Only Heaven, titled Heaven Deconstruction, was independently released in 1996. The instrumental album featured ambient compositions produced during the Only Heaven recording sessions. Treichler originally wanted Only Heaven to be a double album featuring those outtakes but 'Interscope' put the kibosh to the idea. At the end of the decade, the label dropped the band, citing low commercial performance. By the turn of the century, the label dropped the act citing lack of sales.

Their electronic music-influenced album, Second Nature (2000) followed. Citing the past history with labels, the act signed to their manager's own label 'Intoxygene', which Treichler subsequently grew to regret.

Following the release of the 2001 live album Live Noumatrouff, (1997), the band was commissioned to compose instrumentals for Swiss Federal Office of Public Health at Expo.02. Those compositions were later reinterpreted and released under the name Music for Artificial Clouds (2004).

Between 2003 and 2004, the band was left without a manager and a label. So via 'Play It Again Sam', a compilation label, they released the compilation album XXY: 20 Years (1985-2005), featuring career highlights and rarities in 2004. Super Ready/Fragmenté (2007) would follow.

Following the tour for Everybody Knows (2010), Monod and Hänni departed the band in 2012. Treichler approached the band's former sampler player, Cesare Pizzi, who rejoined the band for the release of Data Mirage Tangram (2019).

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