Black Light Burns is an American gothic / alternative rock supergroup created by Wes Borland (formerly of Limp Bizkit, Big Dumb Face, Eat the Day). The band's lineup consists of Borland himself, along with Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle), Josh Eustis (Telefon Tel Aviv) and Josh Freese (The Vandals, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails). Their debut album, Cruel Melody, was released on June 5, 2007.
Borland states that Black Light Burns is the culmination of the various projects he has been working on ever since he quit Limp Bizkit in 2001. Things began with Big Dumb Face, a solo project that Borland had been working on during his time with Limp Bizkit. Borland didn't take the project too seriously, and used it to basically test the waters, and see how hard it would be to do something serious on his own, without the aid of his bandmates. After he quit the band, he began working on several different projects. The first of which was supposed to be an instrumental album one could listen to and simply relax. Simultaneously, he began Eat The Day. With this project, Borland stated that he became cocky, and thought because of his previous success with Limp Bizkit, duplicating that success with a new band would be simple. He soon found out this wasn't the case. Eat The Day eventually unraveled itself, as, in Borland's words, "I think everybody involved in that project had different ideas about the direction that it should go". Borland became self-absorbed, and along with continuous pressure from the label, and struggles finding a lead singer for the band, the project eventually disbanded.[1]
In terms of their lineup, Black Light Burns is somewhat of a successor to the brief project The Damning Well, which consisted of mostly the same members. The main difference this time around being that Borland has taken vocals into his own hands, after many attempts to find a proper vocalist in various projects.
After the 'failure' of Borland's various projects, he returned to Limp Bizkit once again, turning down the spot as Nine Inch Nails touring guitar player. According to vocalist Fred Durst, Borland only agreed to return to the band on the condition that their label, Geffen, agreed to support his solo project, Black Light Burns.
It began only as a side project, with Borland writing many of the songs during his time off from Limp Bizkit, but soon things in Limp Bizkit became very quiet, and Borland himself stated that Black Light Burns was now his main project, and anything else he did, including Limp Bizkit, was a side project. Eventually arguments broke out on MySpace between Borland and Durst, and Borland left Limp Bizkit once again, although according to him, the band members had already gone their separate ways, he simply decided not to return.
The Black Light Burns song titled "I Have a Need" was instrumentally written to be included on the Limp Bizkit release The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1), but was cut in order for the EP to remain mostly metal oriented. It features Limp Bizkit's bassist Sam Rivers on the track, and Wes was allowed to use the song for Black Light Burns when the song was turned down for use by Limp Bizkit.
On June 16, Borland announced that the band and Geffen Records had parted ways. There was little word in the following months over the situation regarding a new label, though as of October 25, the band is in negotiations with a label, and are hoping to release their debut album early 2007.
Borland has stated that he is the only constant in Black Light Burns, as the other members of the studio lineup are expected to be mostly unable to participate in touring with Black Light Burns, such as the notoriously busy Josh Freese.
The initial touring lineup of Black Light Burns Wes Borland - Vocals, Guitar, Marshall Kilpatric - Drums (previously in The Esoteric), Nick Annis - Guitar (previously in Open Hand, Turn of the Screw), Sean Fetterman - Bass (previously in Turn of the Screw). However, Black Light Burns' first tour was previously set to begin in fall of 2006 with From First to Last, who Borland also plays bass for on and off. This tour was to feature Borland doing double duty as the singer/guitarist for Black Light Burns and then bassist for From First to Last afterwards. However, Sonny Moore (singer of FFTL) developed a node on his right vocal chord and has to get surgery, thus ending Wes Borland's current touring stint with From First to Last.
On February 3rd, 2007,Wes announced through the official Black Light Burns myspace, that the band has now signed to Ross Robinson's new label I AM: WOLFPACK. Though no release date is available, Wes Borland mentioned that it is looking like the album will be released around June, and the band is hoping to begin touring around that time as well. Borland has schedule some guitar clinic dates in the middle east for spring of 2007 in the meantime.
On February 5, 2007, Borland announced that the official release date for the album is June 5, 2007.
Lie served as the first single from the album, going to radio on March 20. A music video was released soon after this. Borland announced may 2007 tour dates opening for Chevelle.While staying in Texas for a show chevelle was robbed of their equipment and cancelled tour dates for a week, BLB unsatisfied with not playing for this time, played a few shows to test the waters of their upcoming headlining tour.
