Coilguns are a Swiss experimental noise rock and mathcore group from La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. The band forms in 2011 and is active to the present day. Its current members are Kevin Galland, Luc Hess and Louis Jucker.

Background

Coilguns take their name from a coil gun, a projectile accelerator that uses electromagnetic coils to fire projectiles at very high speed. The band develops in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a town better known for watchmaking, and the project begins while Jona is in exile in the United States. After three tracks are written, Jona recruits Luc and Louis, the rhythm section from The Ocean, to complete the line-up.

The early recordings take place at Artefact Studio in Le Locle, Switzerland, beginning on 12 January. Steve Notari assists with the sessions, and the band works in live takes to preserve the raw character of the material. The first recording emerges from a mix of heavy influence and DIY method, with mixing and mastering by Franck Hueso, known for work with Hacride and Deathspell Omega.

Releases

The band’s first EP appears as a split with KUNZ, the noise-rock and performance duo project of Luc and Louis. A handmade edition is issued in four colours, limited to 150 copies of each. Coilguns then signs to Berlin label Pelagic Records, which releases a digipack version of the split in September 2011.

After that recording, Louis leaves bass duties and focuses on vocals, meaning the group continues without a bass player. Jona responds by using a large setup of guitar and bass amplifiers, cabinets and a custom pedalboard so that the band can sound like two guitarists and a bassist. Coilguns then records and releases a second EP, Stadia Rods, which contains around 30 minutes of music. It is recorded in one day, mixed and mastered by Julien Fehlmann in a few hours, and manufactured by the band itself in less than a week. The release also appears in a 10-inch vinyl edition and in a limited UK CD version through Scottish DIY label Dead Dead Dead Music.

Style and live work

Coilguns describe themselves through a set of influences that includes Converge, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Cursed, Breach and Botch. Their music is associated with mathcore, post-hardcore and sludge metal, and their live shows are presented as fast, forceful and highly technical.

Early activity

Within a year of forming, the band has released two EPs, played support slots for acts including The Dillinger Escape Plan, and completed a first headlining tour in Europe in September 2011. A second European run is then booked for the following spring.