Finite Automata

Originally forged in the year 2006, Finite Automata grew from a local grown Pensacola garage industrial group to a regional, and soon to be national force to be reckoned with. Over the years they have shared the stage with notable acts such as The Ludovico Technique, Cyanide Regime, Spider Lilies, Retractor, and Slick Idiot.

Beginnings (2006-2008)

Finite Automata began as a solo project in the summer of 2006 by eccentric front-man Mod Eschar (a.k.a. Dom Price). In 2007 Eschar was joined by core member C. Grendel Sirch (a.k.a. Christopher Stanley); inspired by the groundbreaking works of Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly and more obscure electronic acts as Severed Heads and Mentallo and the Fixer, the duo began to churn out a sonic onslaught of haunting melodies and demented mentally vexing vocals. They were joined later that same year by guitarist, keyboardist, and gadgetrist Mat Pathetic (Mat Porter), a seasoned musician from Pensacola FL.

The trio began producing demos in Grendel’s converted garage using nothing more than an old Ensoniq keyboard, a virtual sequencer, a voice processor, and a mixer. Their early works were met with both acclaim and disdain from the local scene, as at the time only a handful of people in the Pensacola scene had any knowledge of industrial music aside from a few devoted underground fans of the genre. Nevertheless, the three pushed forward with session after session of experimentation and composition. It was during this time that demo versions of “Rot Inside” and “Filth In Eyes” were produced as well as an assortment of unreleased noise and EBM tracks.

Recurse Era (2008-2010)

In Mid 2008 Mat Pathetic temporarily left the group because of disagreements with c. Grendel.  He was replaced by Guitarist Vic Martinez for the Recurse Tour, which was less of a tour and more of a regional showcase. It was during this era that Finite Automata’s stage performances took a turn for the macabre, becoming more and more controversial with each performance. Wire, knives, props, dolls and copius amounts of stage blood combined with additional actors and light shows became staples of their performances, which became increasingly fatalistic.  Indeed, one performance left Eschar bleeding and another drenched in holy water by a local baptist preacher who happened to walk in on the band’s performance and then confronted the eccentric artists after their set.

Being based out of the religiously conservative city of Pensacola, the band was shunned by the town’s mainstream crowd, whilst being embraced by it’s deviants, its artists, and its underground culture who were looking for an alternative to what had become a lackluster music scene.  Indeed, the scene began to change with bands such as Finite Automata, [User Assumes Risk] and Transfer Case leading the fray. By the end of 2009, the band had a full album in the works and had already dealt a devastating artistic blow to the metro area and it’s surrounding regions. It was during this time that the album began to produce material for “Recurse”, an album whose central themes dealt with cyclical conflict and the psychological effects of human cruelty.

By the end of 2009, Mat Pathetic would once again join the group, ousting out Martinez, who left due to differences in the band. That following spring the band would be invited to play the Florida Underground Industrial Music Festival in Orlando, and began to make it’s mark regionally.

Hiatus and Rebirth (2010-Onward)

The summer of 2010 brought a series of crushing events in the personal lives of Finite Automata’s members resulting in a temporary Hiatus. During this period of time the members reflected on personal demons and ultimately the substance of their art. During this time Eschar worked closely with Jason Beatty of Transfer Case and founded one side project Vimana Cult, an ambient and noise project. That fall brought a rebirth of sorts and the end to their hiatus. The trio began to embrace elements of industrial rock and aggrotech and changed their approach artisticly and thematically. The end of the year saw the release of their first official Maxi-Single “Here Won No One”.

Currently the band is working extensively on completing their back catalog. Including the much anticipated album “Recurse” and their current creation entitled “The Grip”, both of which will be released in late 2011 / early 2012.