Slave Unit
{{short description|American industrial rock group}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Slave Unit
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| landscape = yes
| origin = Oakland, California, United States
| genre = Industrial rock
| years_active = 1992–present
| label = COP International
| associated_acts =
| website = {{URL|slaveunit.com}}
| current_members =
| past_members = Torsten Hartwell
Reyka Osburn
Mike Paikos
Alan Sartirana
Aki Sasaki
Mike Welch
}}
Slave Unit is an American industrial rock group based in Oakland, California, United States. The original incarnation consisted of Torsten Hartwell, Mike Paikos, Alan Sartirana and Mike Welch before becoming Welch's solo endeavor in 1995. Their sound is influenced by hardcore punk, industrial and hip hop music with lyrics pertaining to observations and reflections of human behavior and error. The band released their debut Slave Unit on COP International in 1996.{{cite journal|first1=Katarzyna NINa |last1=Górnisiewicz |last2=dugoutTX |url=http://fabryka.darknation.eu/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=49 |title=Slave Unit - interview (2006) |journal=Fabryka Industrial Rock & Metal Encyclopedia |publisher=Fabryka Music Magazine |date=February 2, 2006 |accessdate=August 1, 2020}}
History
Slave Unit was formed in Oakland, California by Torsten Hartwell, Mike Paikos, Alan Sartirana and Mike Welch. COP International signed the band with the intention of expanding the label's musical diversity and released their eponymously-titled debut album in 1996.{{cite journal |first=Larry |last=Miles |url=http://lundinoir.com/mag/BMv1_4.pdf |title=Slave Unit: Slave Unit |journal=Black Monday |date=1996 |issue=4 |pages=5 |accessdate=August 1, 2020}}{{cite journal|first=Chris |last=Christian |url=https://sonic-boom.com/review/slave.unit-1.html |title=Slave Unit: Slave Unit |journal=Sonic Boom |date=September 1996 |volume=4 |issue=8 |accessdate=August 1, 2020}}{{cite journal|first1=Katarzyna NINa |last1=Górnisiewicz |last2=dugoutTX |url=http://fabryka.darknation.eu/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=97&rowstart=1 |title=Slave Unit - COP International, 1996 |journal=Fabryka Industrial Rock & Metal Encyclopedia| publisher=Fabryka Music Magazine |date=August 11, 2007 |accessdate=August 1, 2020}} The album featured the participation of Battery vocalist Maria Azevedo and Reyka Osburn of Tinfed, who performed on live drums for the tour and recording of the album.{{cite journal|first=Chris |last=Christian |url=https://sonic-boom.com/interview/slave.unit.interview.html |title=Interview: Slave Unit |journal=Sonic Boom |date=July 12, 1997 |volume=5 |issue=7 |accessdate=August 1, 2020}} After a twelve-year hiatus, the band self-released the album The Battle for Last Place in 2007 and followed it up with the 2009 remix album Certificate of Participation.{{cite journal|first1=Katarzyna NINa |last1=Górnisiewicz |last2=dugoutTX |url=http://fabryka.darknation.eu/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=97&rowstart=0 |title=The Battle For Last Place - Slave Unit, 2007 |journal=Fabryka Industrial Rock & Metal Encyclopedia |publisher=Fabryka Music Magazine |date=August 11, 2007 |accessdate=August 1, 2020}}{{cite web |first= |last= |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0001112676|pure_url=yes}}|title=Slave Unit: The Battle for Last Place > Overview |publisher=Allmusic |date= |accessdate=August 1, 2020}} In 2014 Slave Unit released their fourth album Through With You for WTII Records on April 8 and participated in Stiff Valentine's "Goodbye" tour shortly after.{{cite journal|first=Ilker |last=Yücel |url=https://regenmag.com/blog/spotlight-wtii-records/ |title=Spotlight: WTII Records |journal=ReGen |date=May 24, 2014 |accessdate=August 1, 2020}}{{cite journal|first=Ilker |last=Yücel |url=https://regenmag.com/news/stiff-valentine-calls-quits/ |title=Stiff Valentine Calls It Quits |journal=ReGen |date=May 27, 2014 |accessdate=August 1, 2020}}
Discography
;Studio albums
- Slave Unit (1996, COP International)
- The Battle for Last Place (2007)
- Certificate of Participation (2009)
- Through With You (2014, WTII)
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.slaveunit.com/}}
- {{AllMusic |class=artist |id=mn0000026353}}
- [https://slaveunit.bandcamp.com/ Slave Unit] at Bandcamp
- {{YouTube|channel=UCsMV-7bU7At16ooHORjWL6A|title=Slave Unit}}
- {{Facebook|slaveunit|Slave Unit}}
- {{Discogs artist}}
- {{MusicBrainz artist|id=8af2ff92-1c4a-4bb4-b0d9-b0407153e26d}}
{{Slave Unit}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Slave Unit}}
Category:Musical groups established in 1992
Category:1992 establishments in California