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→Style
== Style ==
Finite Automata's overall style is much akin to bands of the same genre, most notably Skinny Puppy and Frontline Assemblyearlier on, and incorporating more of an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aggrotech#Aggrotech Aggrotech] influence later in their career. Most works have a deep, dark layered sound reminiscent incorporating elements of bands from the early eighties 80's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-industrial_music post-industrial scene]and more modern elements of Industrial Rock, Terror Noise, and Dark Ambient. Percussion tracks are often forged out of found material and recorded sounds which are spliced and altered to give them their characteristic harshness. The band's primary keyboardist, c. Grendel, often cites Project Pitchfork and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depeche_Mode Depeche Mode] as his primary influences, contributing to his melodic style of composition. The band's instruments of choice are Yamaha and Ensoniq keyboards dating from the mid to late eighties; citing the metallic and brassy quality of the instruments' output. The band often makes use of heavy sampling, most notably from obscure 80's and early 90's science fiction and horror films. Usage of warped live radio broadcasts during live performances is also common.
Mod Eschar's vocal and lyrical influences include [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nivek_Ogre Nivek Ogre], Peter Spilles, and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rozz_Williams Rozz Williams]. The subject matter of the music is often convoluted as Eschar's lyrical style is often recited from an observational point of view, lending to the ambiguous nature of the band's lyrical content.
Performances by the band are often full-scale productions, with the band often bringing their own lighting crew, equipment, props, costumes and volunteer cast of actors. The band's performances often feature themes of control, greed, vanity, torture, fatalism and helplessness. During the band's Recurse years, Eschar would often with Mod being be "tormented" by various masked figures throughout the performance. The theatrics often make liberal use of stage blood and feature strange contraptions and masks sculpted and created by Mod Eschar himself.Recently the group has taken a more dystopian and apocalyptic style in regards to their stage presentation. Late 2010 saw a marked change in the band's Modus Operandi, as they began moving away from their previous influences and began to incorporate more modern elements into their overall sound. Both Eschar and (c.) Grendel have cited the reasoning as being a desire to not be compared to their influences, and to grow as musicians, as well as have the music more accurately articulate their ideas. ''"I've personally found that I have begun to open up more as an artist... We want to come into our own... the old sound, that Skinny Puppy, FLA influence was a great place to start... but we aren't them. When I started this I had no idea how to articulate my ideas, and I was drawn to these bands as if they were mentors of sorts, but it's time for us to grow and change and our music should reflect more of who we are rather than who we like "'' - Mod Eschar, October 2010
==References==