Ultraviolence

by John Bush
The Earache label, renowned for its roster of harsh grindcore acts — Godflesh, Carcass, Fudge Tunnel — moved into the sympathetic world of hardcore gabber techno with the signing of Ultraviolence, masterminded by one Johnny Violent. His first, self-financed production was the Shout single, which appeared in 1991 on his own label. After the recording of a John Peel session in 1992, he signed to Food Records (also the home of Jesus Jones). Violent didnt quite fit in with the house leanings of Food and released only the Vengeance EP before moving to Earache. Fitting in quite well with the industrial attitude of Scorn, he recorded singles both as Ultraviolence (I, Destructor) and as himself (Johnny Is a Bastard) before his debut Ultraviolence full-length appeared in 1994. The album, Life of Destructor, was followed by Psychodrama one year later. By 1996, Johnny Violent reverted to his own name for the release of Shocker, also on Earache; Ultraviolences Killing God followed in 1998.