HMLTD
HMLTD
About
Formed in 2016 by several outsiders of London and its night life culture, the members met throughout various parties south of the London river.
The members are: Achilleas (22), Duke (21), Henry (22), James (22), Nico (22), Zack (20).
The band has built a reputation in the music scene in London for the way they visually reference iconic stars and figures who have themselves challenged misconceptions.
HMLTD makes an attempt to challenge stereotypes of sex and sexuality outside of their music and performances with sometimes giving enough soundbites on gender and sexual fluidity.
Often such soundbites can be inconsistent with their execution and beliefs.
Origins
Duke moved to London in hopes infiltrating the music scene and finding something interesting to do as according to him, France doesn't have a bourgeoning music scene.
Achilleas made his way to London via Greece and moved there at the age of 18.
He was studying art but he did not intentions were not to join a band until he was introduced to the band.
He decided that it was the thing that would allow him to do what he wanted to do, and that they all share the vision.
Henry moved around different places before staying in London.
Ultimately, he wanted to start a musical project of some kind.
Henry says: "I certainly knew that I wanted to be in a band and London was the only place I knew where it was guaranteed that I'd be able to do it...
Everywhere else there's obviously a chance, but in London I knew.
It just gives you so much room to blossom"[13]
James, Nico, and Zac are also from outside of London.
Music Videos
Music
Practice
Style
Kathryn Bromwich has written about the style of the band in the following way:
"concocting an electrifying sound that combines punk and glam rock, industrial noise and electronic drops: a bastard child of Bauhaus, Skrillex and Fat White Family."
The band has an art-driven approach to their music.
Their sound along with their presence during live performances splash colors on stage with their transcending 1970s glam-rock aesthetics.
Henry has a blonde mullet hairstyle with his eyebrows dyed blue.
He carries a cut-glass accent and wears a military cap and sunglasses.
Duke, the Parisian has silver nail polish, leopard-pattern buzzcut, and anifty moustache. [2]
Their drummer, the Athenian, Achilleas, has flowing dark curls, a piercing stare intensified with eyeshadow. [2]
James, Nico and Zac, who try not to be as center front as the other three members, are also wear their own respective blend of outfits to go along with the band's aesthetics.
Live Performances
The band has put on dozens of memorable performances around the city of London.
As a live band, they offer an aggressive energy.
Each show has a theme and custom-made set designs: past ones include B-movie horror and paradise, with cotton-wool clouds and angels handing out lipsticks.
Sony Music
In early 2017, the band was signed by Sony.
Jake Hall writes about the band being a dream for record labels on Noisey:
"Heavy riffs and screamed vocals punctuate most of their tracks, but they also rope in surf rock, ska, trap (yes, really) and EDM.
They're experimental but poppy enough to be a major label's wet dream."
Songs
So far, the band has released the following songs: "Satan, Luella, and I", "To The Door", "Is This What You Wanted?", "Music!", and "Stained".
"Stained"
The songs starts as playful camp rock, morphs into a dramatic postpunk anthem, and culminates in an all-out feast of noise and distortion, courtesy of a sample from experimental hip-hop group Death Grips. [2]