Listen & Buy
Don Gordon created Numb in 1986 as an art project designed to address
issues of social desensitization, releasing their first limited edition
cassette, "Blue Light", in 1987. Their debut eponymous CD came out in 1988
(and was reissued by Metropolis in 1997), a terrifying assortment of
emotional assaults: confusion, anger, and alienation taking musical forms
and ravaging the senses.
"Christmeister", originally released in 1990 (and reissued by Metropolis
Records in 1996), took a much more aggressive stance than their debut, with
their electronic approach being augmented by aggressive guitars that ripped
apart the emotional stability of its listeners.
In 1993, Numb's third CD, "Death on the Installment Plan", was released
upon the unsuspecting North American public. This album was described as a
"high-intensity blast of near madness", with guitars and synthetics working
in a near-perfect collusion.
The following year, Numb's mini-CD "Fixate" was released, including
remixes from "Death..." and several live tracks. 1994 also saw the release
of "Wasted Sky", a post-apocalyptic vision of technology as religion, of
truth as virtual reality. This album became Numb's Metropolis Records debut
in 1995, and has remained one of this label's most popular releases.
After "Wasted Sky", Numb added permanent vocalist David Collings to its
ranks, and had the opportunity to hone their skills on the road. "Koro" is
a documentation of the band's live power, recorded in Japan in 1995. Numb
has also appeared on the "Operation Beatbox" CD with their cover of Salt 'n
Pepa's "Push It"; on the "Television Terror" compilation with their
rendition of the theme song for "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood"; and has
composed scores for one play, three short films, and one performance work.
The band released "Blood Meridian" in late 1997: a collection of primal
dance fury, pure electronics sans guitar, electronica with attitude; and
followed it up the following year with "Language of Silence", a CD
guaranteed to fill dance floors with new and old fans, all the while
keeping the mediocrity of mainstream techno at bay with its uncompromising
harshness and brilliant arrangements.
Numb's dark vision of tomorrow remains crystal clear.
