LOS ANGELES, CA- 8mm is a Los Angeles based band that was founded by superstar producer/mixer multi-instrumentalist Sean Beavan (Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Guns N Roses, etc) and his wife, vocalist Juliette Beavan. If you aren’t familiar with the name of their band, I’m willing to bet that you’re already familiar with their music. After all, regarded as one of the most licensed bands in the music industry, the odds are very good that you’ve actually enjoyed their music in the soundtracks of some of the films and television programs that you’ve watched. From “Underworld: Awakening” to “Dirty Little Liars” to “Grey’s Anatomy” to “Nip Tuck”, 8mm’s music has been placed everywhere in some pretty significants scenes. Are you a One Tree Hill fan?
Last month, the Los Angeles based band 8mm independently released their latest EP Heart-Shaped Hell. On Heart-Shaped Hell, the band leans heavier on dark industrial rock tones and has produced a solid collection of sharply produced cuts that jam pack its 5 songs with a vast array of mysterious, emotional tones.
From the menacingly anthemic “Self Inflicted Heartache”, to the gritty and danceable “Supercrush”, to the mystically etherial (think a sonic meld of Sneaker Pimps a la “Six Underground” and Tricky) balance of the rest of the EP, Heart-Shaped Hell sets a beautifully haunting mood from the start and carries it through until the finish.
On February 27 at Lucky Strike Live in Hollywood, 8mm took the stage to celebrate the EP’s release. In front of eager fans, the band, performing as a trio (my apologies to their guitarist, whose name I did not note), gave a truly mesmerizing performance.
As if on cue, when the shadowy tones of the music started to pump from the venue’s speakers, the stage filled with a hazy mist adding to the already dark mood. As Juliette cooed and belted the melodies of each cut, lights projected from the scaffolding above and behind her reflected off her sequined dress providing a visual stimulant that matched the powerful aural stimulus that we were receiving.
8mm performed most (if not all) of the songs from Heart-Shaped Hell this night, and they even threw their most popular song (according to Spotify), “Give It Up”, into the set as well. It was a short performance, but it definitely opened my eyes to the huge, and polished, sound of their live shows.
In an interview conducted with Totally-LA that night, Juliette and Sean professed their dream to, one day, perform on the venerable stage of The Greek Theatre. Heart-Shaped Hell and their sonic grandeur is definitely a good start on eventually getting there.
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