| About RORSCHACH TEST:
Founder James Baker’s musical origins started in the church, with his natural musical
ability standing out through the weekly ritual of hymns and gospel. Rock music was off
limits in his youth, sparking his initial rebellion against tradition while he pursued his
desire for rock and roll. He learned guitar and continued to sing, this time in a drastically
different style than that of his church upbringing, leading to Rorschach Test’s well-known
debut on Slipdisc/Mercury Records, 1998’s Unclean.
Compared to the radical rumors and tales of his rebellious past, James Baker has come
full circle in embracing his identity as a person of faith, extending to his time spent the
past several years as a hospice chaplain. Rather than looking back in history, he
focuses on the present, and carries his own journey as a source of inspiration for
himself and others through his work with the non-profit record label of his own creation, Unlabeled Artists, empowering underserved communities to support themselves through their art.
James Baker knew at first visit that Full Well Recording Studio was the ideal creative space,
with an array of analog and traditional and vintage consoles, instruments, and
equipment available for owner Mike Bolenbach (best known for Alice Cooper’s Welcome
2 My Nightmare) to produce the most authentic recordings of Rorschach Test, with the
true integrity of a human touch. Kolby, whose musical background includes a stint as
the guitarist of CO-OP with Dash Cooper, co-produced alongside Mike Bolenbach.
Rorschach Test re-emerged in May of 2024 with a new line-up and new single in tow, “Fallen” (the title track from the new album which dropped October 31st) and celebrated National Goth Day with a video premiere at Outburn.
Next up was “Belated” which premiered at Revolver on August 2nd. Revolver writes,
“Gothic industrial-metal veterans Rorschach Test played shows with Korn and Type O Negative, among others, back in the Nineties and offered up three well-liked albums including their 1998 Slip Disc debut, Unclean, before going on hiatus for several years. The band resurfaced this spring with the single Fallen … Now, the trio are back once again with another new song, ‘Belated,’ which stays true to Rorschach Test’s original concept: ‘a cybernetic organism with an overlay of human flesh, portrayed sonically in the form of synthesizers and programming surrounded by live playing.'”
Lyric inspirations are the result of growth and transformation, unapologetically addressing dark and difficult topics of realistic issues, negative archetypes, and struggles of humanity. Doing so through the lens of metal serves to address the darkest of sounds and subjects, understanding and embracing the shadows of life, inspiring freedom from them in the process.
In 2024, after a long, hard battle, the United States Copyright Office ruled in Rorschach Test’s founder James Baker’s favor, and granted him the copyright on the original version of the iconic industrial 90’s album Unclean. It was remastered and released on Friday, December 13th.
Unclean is characterized by its bold, uncompromising themes, searing guitar riffs, heavy industrial beats, and intense, raw vocals. Songs like “Satan” and “Sex” exemplify the band’s ability to push boundaries, while other tracks delve into themes of rebellion, spiritual conflict, and the darker facets of the human experience. The intricate programming of Troy Kerr is accented by the ethereal gothic guitar layers provided by Benjamin Anderson (Walking Papers, Missionary Position, Geoff Tate Orchestra). Altogether, Unclean has been widely acclaimed as the perfect alchemy of Industrial, Metal and Gothic genres. Founder/Frontman James Baker recalls “It was very interesting touring on this album. I would look out at the crowd and see steampunks next to Slayer fans, next to ghost white vampire children. Each was there for their own reason, but all were there for the songs.”
Unclean remains a key release in Rorschach Test’s discography, and in the history of Industrial music, showcasing the band’s creativity and their willingness to challenge convention. James Baker says “Although there are dozens of reviews touting the praise of Unclean, I prefer to listen to my fanbase on what the album means to them…The overwhelming response is that the album made them feel heard, understood and connected. We had many fans write us and tell us that they struggled with suicidal ideation, and that Unclean basically saved their lives.”
Get both Unclean and Fallen here: www.rorschachtest.com
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