Through the release of Shiv-r’s debut dark electronic album with a horror edge, Hold My Hand, by three labels; Metropolis Records, Infacted Recordings, and Deathwatch Asia, Shiv-r has experienced a good deal of success worldwide in a relatively short period of time. We had the chance to talk with one half of Shiv-r, Pete Crane, about their new EP Incision, touring Australia and Europe, his other musical projects including The Crystalline Effect, and the importance that captivating visual elements play in his projects.

interview : Jennifer Link
photographer : Brent Leideritz
makeup artist : Mishka
hair stylist : Mishka
model : Pete Crane
assistant : Wendy Crane

Originally from Australia, you moved to London and wrote Shiv-r’s Hold My Hand while there, and you are currently living in the Netherlands, what areyour favorite aspects of each? And how have these locations influenced the style and sound of your projects?

Pete Crane : London was probably the single biggest influence in the formation of Shiv-r. I was living in a ghetto-ass area, faced with seeing violence, extreme coldness, emotional alienation, and general filth on a daily basis. I was essentially screaming for expression in a perpetually dark and claustrophobic environment. The Netherlands is like the ‘anti-London’ for me, in that it’s much quieter, more open, and less centralized. I have since moved back to Sydney, Australia, but with plans to move overseas again in 2012. Ironically, I find the unbeatable weather of Sydney and the cheerful atmosphere of the Netherlands almost take away the inspiration I was feeding on in London, as though the oppression was fueling me. Satisfaction is a very dangerous thing!

How heavily do you weigh visual aesthetic, fashion, and style in your current musical projects?

PC : Shiv-r is an all-encompassing project for us so the visual element needs to go hand-in-hand with the music. We create strong, dark music with a haunting, delicate twist, and our visual aesthetic needs to express this. We’ve been fortunate enough to collaborate with amazing fashion designers like Mother of London and photographers like Brent Leideritz on achieving this vision and it’s something we’ll be doing more of.

read the full interview in the February/March 2011 Issue

Ascii.Disko – Stay Gold Forever Gold

Deftones – Diamond Eyes

Edge of Dawn – Anything That Gets You Through The Night

Ellen Allien – Dust

Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma

LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening

Front Line Assembly – Improvised Electronic Device

The Lovecrave – Soul Saliva

Mothboy – Bunny

Nice Nice – Extra Wow

SE – L36

Shiv-r – Hold My Hand

The Sight Below – It Falls Apart

read the reviews in the June/July 2010 Issue

I must say I am in love with the new Shiv-r album Hold My Hand. The album itself reminds me of the early Combichrist before they started to write music for their stage show. The video for “The End” is dark and well produced, giving the band a visual presence that helps push them past fellow bands in their genre. Take a peek at the video and enjoy the makeover. ;)

- Mike