Left Spine Down – Alberta Stars

Hailing out of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, Sangsaga was an alternative music band playing a mix of electronica with specific focus on industrial rock.

The name of the band – Sangsara (sometimes spelled Samsara) – derives from the Sanskrit word for the opposite of Nirvana. Whereas the latter signifies the state of being free from suffering and the cycle of reincarnation, the former describes the world of suffering and dissatisfaction connected to the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

I took pictures of Sangsara at New City Suburbs in Edmonton, Alberta when then opened for Left Spine Down:

Green Light on Face of Bass Guitar Player

Sangsara Lineup on Stage at New City Liquid Lounge in Edmonton

Shane After Dropping Guitar and Picking Up Mic

Left Spine Down (also known by the acronym LSD), is a band based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. LSD plays a style of music called cyberpunk that fuses the sounds of industrial, metal, punk and electronica.

The band featured Jeremy Inkel of industrial music legends Front Line Assembly and Noise Unit, and also Denyss McKnight, the former bassist of Vancouver punk band the Black Halos.

Left Spine Down released their first album titled “Smartbomb EP” in June 2007, and it was met with a positive reception from fans and critics around the world. The EP was produced by Chris Peterson of Front Line Assembly/Noise Unit/Unit 187.

Their full-length release “Fighting for Voltage” saw the band combine efforts with mastering by Shaun Thingvold of Skinny Puppy/Strapping Young Lad/Lamb of God/K-os, as well as again with earlier mentioned Chris Peterson

The album was released in Canada on April 22, 2008 by the Canadian label Synthetic Sounds and distributed in Canada by Indie Pool. In the USA, the album was released on September 23, 2008 by Bit Riot Records/WTII Records.

On March 3, 2009, LSD released “Voltage 2.3 Remixed and Revisited” with one original song, covers of Nirvana’s “Territorial Pissing” and Joy Divisions’ “She’s Lost Control.“, and remixes of music by Tim Skold, KMFDM, Revco, Combichrist, XP8, Download, 16 Volt, The Birthday Massacre, Angelspit, Led Manville, and DJ? Acucrack.

The group toured intensely in North America with Revolting Cocks, SNFU, 16 Volt, Rabbit Junk and Chemlab, and opened in concert for groups like The Birthday Massacre, Combichrist, DOA, Genitorturers and Front Line Assembly.

In May 2011, Left Spine Down signed with Metropolis Records. They released a second album “Caution” on August 23, 2011. The album was produced by Dave “Rave” Ogilvie and features the group as a quartet, compared to previous albums which featured them as a sextet. At the end of 2011, Nivek Ogre of ohGr – side project of Skinny Puppy, announced a North American tour comprising nine dates with Left Spine Down.

In 2012, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult announced a special 25 years tour with 30 American dates alongside Left Spine Down.

I took pictures of Left Spine Down in October 2008 at New City Suburbs in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: