KRUSAFIX

Darrel W. Hughes first discovered alternative electronic music at the age of nine in 1981, when friends introduced him to the music of FAD GADGET,

THOMAS DOLBY, VISAGE, ULTRAVOX, KRAFTWERK, THE HUMAN LEAGUE, 

JOHN FOXX, BILL NELSON, amongst many others at that time.

Darrel soon wanted to learn more about this type of alternative dark electronic

pop music style. So over the next couple of years found himself searching

further into international music scenes in the hunt to discover the many new artists and bands that were working in this music genre.

At the same time Darrel got into the electronic instrument revolution, and

became very interested in synthesizers, drum machines, early sampling

technology, etc.

By 1985, Darrel had discovered a huge number of artists and bands from a

very wide international circle; LUCIFER'S FRIEND, FIAT LUX, BORGESHIA,

HARD CORPS, DEPECHE  MODE, SISTERS OF MERCY, SPK, KILLING JOKE,

NEW ORDER, CABARET VOLTAIRE, HEAVEN 17, FASHION, PAUL HAIG, MATT

JOHNSON, PETE SHELLEY, 23 SKIDOO, PROPAGANDA, TEST DEPT, to name

just a few.

In 1985, Darrel had also started composing his own tracks on a modest midi

studio set-up. This was a time when Darrel got into programming analogue

and digital synthesizers at quite a depth, as he was exceptional at distinctive

sound design.

By 1987, Darrel had begun composing simple instrumental tracks; the set

up he had was quite limited due to it only being a hobby at the time. Due to

the huge cost of equipment and Darrel only just starting his working life,

funds did play a big part in being able to acquire new equipment.

Then in December 1990, after going to see DEPECHE MODE at Birmingham

N.E.C. on their World Violation Tour, Darrel decided it was time to get into the

music scene at a much deeper level.

On a visit to his local hi-tech equipment store Darrel met a guy called Matt,

he later gave a demo of the Roland R8 drum machine and Yamaha SY77,

a short Industrial HardBeat instrumental was composed in minutes, Darrel

found that technology had come of age, at a price that didn’t require you to

sell your soul.

Darrel also went to see several other live shows of progressive bands at

that time; NITZER EBB, FRONT 242, CABARET VOLTAIRE, ORBITAL.

After the CABARET VOLTAIRE show Darrel met up with Stephen Mallinder

for a chat with the living legend.

At this point Darrel became a friend of Matt Culpin, who was also looking

to secure a record deal for his own Dark-HardBeat-Pop duo STRUKCHA

based in Leicester, England.

1990-1991 Darrel studied all he could about music technology and the music

industry in general, reading everything he could get his hands on regarding

studio recording, the music business, the legal side of the industry, and the

artistic.

From this time Darrel continued to learn every aspect of the music business

on an international level.

In 1991 several instrumental tracks composed by Darrel under the

guise of VOLTOID were released by Magazine’s on their cover tapes

or by label’s such as MIND SCAN, IMPULSE.

As VOLTOID, Darrel was composing Industrial Rave tracks.

By early 1992 Darrel decided it was time to make a project with vocals

and a song structure.

RED SEKTA had its debut track Torture released on IMPULSE Music

Magazine cover tape. In general, it was reviewed as the best track to

feature on the compilation tape.

At this point Darrel also began to work as an engineer at Reflex Studio

based in Nottingham.

RED SEKTA was to become Darrel's main project, with a sound that

was a fusion hybrid of Industrial-Dark-Hard-Pop-Futurist-Techno-EBM.

July 1992 - April 1993, Darrel spent his time developing his own sound

and recording songs-tracks for a debut RED SEKTA CD EP on his own

label NEUROGENIK TRANSMISSIONS.

In July 1993 RED SEKTA Light From Darkness CD EP was released

on the NT label.

The debut RED SEKTA CD EP had radio airplay in over 40 countries,

over 300 radio stations broadcasted the tracks from Light From Darkness

CD EP.

Over 400 international music magazines in over 50 countries wrote news

headlines, features, reviews and interviews regarding RED SEKTA.

Other labels from all over the world sent requests for RED SEKTA tracks

for their upcoming CD compilation albums.

Rather than send compilation tracks out, Darrel decided to start recording

songs-tracks for the debut RED SEKTA CD album.

With such a huge response Darrel decided it would be too much to make

the music and co-ordinate the label, distribution, promotion as well as

maintain a full time job at the same time.

Therefore, on the success of the RED SEKTA Light From Darkness CD EP, 

in December 1993, Darrel approached several European record labels with

a view to secure a deal.

Many made offers, however Celtic Circle Productions had suggested the

best offer and requested tracks for impending CCP label DCD compilations.

June 1994 was the first time Darrel jetted out to Germany to meet and sign

with Celtic Circle Productions.

Alfred Kaenders, was a great host and made Darrel feel very much at home

in Germany.

CCP in October 1994 released the debut 16 track RED SEKTA CD album

Anodize CD. Anodize featured a Dark-HardBeat remix of DEPECHE MODE’s

Fly On The Windscreen, and a Techno-Pop remix of FAD GADGET’s

Love Parasite.

The artwork for Anodize was a collaboration between Dominik Van Reich

of the cult German Satanic-Neo-Classical-Dark-EBM band YELWORC.

However, at the time Dominik was just starting his solo project AMGOD.

The Celtic Circle Sampler Vol.02 was released in August 1994, it featured

the RED SEKTA track Dream Demon. The CCP Vol.2 DCD compilation

also featured 29 other international artists & bands.

Also for this release Darrel, working under the guise of SURGEON, did a remix of ID.1D6 for AIBOFORCEN, a Dark-Techno-EBM duo from Belgium.

The vocalist Seba Dolimont of AIBOFORCEN is also the editor of SIDE-LINE

music magazine based in Belgium, the bible of the alternative electronic

scenes worldwide.

The remix was recorded in Germany at CCP’s TIME SOUND STUDIO.

Later that day Darrel, Seba and Benoit travelled together by car to attend

the CCP 4th Nights Of Darkness Festival, bands that performed included;

YELWORC, PROVOKING NOISE, DER PRAGER HANDGRIFF, PARACONT,

AMGOD, PAGE 12, DIVE, PIERREPOINT, PLASTIC NOISE EXPERIENCE.

Before and during the concert Darrel met up with most of the bands for

drinks and interesting discussions, furthermore he also got introduced

to SUICIDE COMMANDO, RED BADGE OF COURAGE,

FUZE BOX MACHINE amongst many others.

At this point CCP asked Darrel if he would co-ordinate the UK division

of CCP, due to his experience in marketing & promotion. Darrel had

promotion pool contacts of over 600 international music magazines 

and 400 international radio stations. CCP wanted to utilise this huge

promotional database Darrel had built up since 1991.

As Darrel was now also running the A&R office for CCP in the UK, he

was directly in talks with the bands and artists; KABUKI, CUT 2023,

NEW MIND, BIO-TEK, GUNHEAD, PSKOTROPIK, METRA-TRON,

PRO PATRIA, NEX2US, PH-1, LOST.IT.COM, ENEMY ALLIANCE,

ZOS=KIA, CYBER-TEC PROJECT, INERTIA, SECOND VOICE,

NEUROACTIVE, ELECTRO ASSASIN, to name just a few.

Joakim Montelius and Eskil Simonsson of COVENANT were also in

contact with Darrel when they almost signed to CCP.

A second artwork edition of the RED SEKTA Anodize CD album was 

also created by MADESIGN, the new artwork division of CCP, the 2nd 

edition was released in May 1995.

Ronan Harris from VNV NATION looking for a new publishing deal

possibly with CCP gave Darrel a call just prior to VNV NATION signing

to the German label DISCORDIA.

Richard Silverthorn of MESH was also in direct contact with Darrel.

June 1995, Darrel endured a 4.5 hour train journey to Edinburgh, to spend

the day with Scotland's premier electronic masterminds FINITRIBE.

Dave, Phil and John were great hosts, Dave and Darrel went to a local pub

for a few beers and a good long chat about the FINITRIBE career, releases.

Then back to the FINIFLEX Studios to watch some exclusive new

FINITRIBE video promos at that time, LOVE ABOVE, BRAND NEW.

After spending all day with the guys Darrel caught the train home with

almost every release ever made by FINITRIBE as a thank you gift from

the band, including video promos and releases by other artists FINITRIBE

were working with on their own FINIFLEX RECORDS label.

Invited to a SHINING gig in Nottingham at the Rock City venue Darrel got to

catch up with ex-vocalist of STRUKCHA, John Bagguley now teamed up with

Julian Beeston (NITZER EBB) and Steve White (PIG) to form SHINING.

Darrel had been in contact with John for a few years and had visited John

and Joolz (Julian) at their recording studio and synthesizer company DIN

in south London on many occasions.

Also at Din Studios, Darrel met and had a few beers with Marc Almond

(SOFT CELL), Tony James (THE SISTERS OF MERCY), Neil X

(SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK).

July 1995, Darrel met up with Julian Beeston Ex-NITZER EBB member,

as Joolz had just started a new band SHINING.

Under the guise of SURGEON, Darrel did several remixes for SHINING,

the tracks were from their Debut album Din.

In August 1995 the Celtic Circle Sampler Vol.03 was released it featured

the RED SEKTA track Demolition Man (Judge Dredd Hammer Fist Remix).

This track was a remix from the Anodize album. Both mixes actually got

a lot of airplay in Planet Hollywood in London.

The CCP Vol.3 DCD compilation also featured 27 other international

artists & bands.

July 1995, Darrel begin's working on a new side project: PANZER.

With a concept of fusing EBM with TECHNO to create a hybrid that

would create TECHNO-BODY-MUSIC (TBM).

Darrel working under the guise of PANZER was also featured on the CCP

Vol.3 DCD compilation with the track Malevolent Force (Intensify Mix). 

This track was the debut PANZER track from the planned debut PANZER

CD album Dark Sentinel.

Autumn 1995 as SURGEON, Darrel also remixed PAGE 12’s Shizo World

taken from their debut CD album The Violence Of Truth. The SURGEON

remix was titled Shizo World (Our-Time-Remix), and was released on

the PAGE 12 Decline CD-EP, and was released by CCP.

In August 1996 and RED SEKTA attended PopKomm the International

Music Convention in Germany.

Here Darrel met up with many other bands, ABSENT MINDED, PARACONT,

SLEEPWALK, PAGE 12, IONIC VISION, AXONAL WARFARE, CYCLOON, AIBOFORCEN, YELWORC, EVIL SERMON, PUTREFY FACTOR 7, THE AMP,

PANIC ON THE TITANIC, THE DUST OF THE BASEMENT, PIERREPOINT,

CRADLE OF SPOIL, DIVE, THE HOUSE OF USHER, amongst many others.

Also in August 1996, CCP released their Celtic Circle Sampler Vol. 4 and presented it at PopKomm 1996.

The CCP Vol.4 D-CD compilation featured the CCP anthem RED SEKTA

track Circle Of Fire (Halloween Remix). And also featured 27 other

international artists & bands.

Darrel was working 16 hours a day in the studio recording and running

the CCP UK office, his recording time was being replaced with global

promotion of RED SEKTA, PANZER & SURGEON.

And the UK & USA promotion of all the other artist at CCP and their

side-label KHAZAD DUM.

Darrel had also started his own promotion company CYBERNET EXPOSURE,

working with other labels in the global Industrial, EBM, Dark-Techno-Pop

scenes.

Darrel was promoting a total of 60 artists & bands.

Recording new material was getting harder to fit in to the schedule, due to

so many other commitments.

So many things were possible, Darrel tried to do it all, but things started to

suffer in the end.

At this point Darrel decided to leave CCP, and just concentrate on his own

music and promotion, having studied a lot since 1991, he decided to go it

alone again.

The 8 track RED SEKTA mini-album SEIZURE was released in

December 1996 by Neurogenik Transmissions.

June 1997, RED SEKTA Light From Darkness Remix CD EP is released

via Neurogenik Transmissions.

October 1997, RED SEKTA Zealous Adrenalux Fusions CD album was

released on Neurogenik Transmissions, and promoted worldwide via

Cybernet Exposure.

The new album was a logical evolution in RED SEKTA’s own style of

sound formula.

14th February 1998, due to Darrel having been introduced to certain

young woman, all things musical slowly came to a halt.

Neurogenik Transmissions released RED SEKTA Strike To The Body

CD Single in March 1998.

Followed in August 1998 by the release of RED SEKTA Plasma Surge

CD Album.

Darrel, still pushing the dark RS sound development further into blackness.

As the next few months passed, Darrel found he could no longer give

anything near the time needed to progress with RED SEKTA and maintain

the close relationship he now found himself in!.

By November 1998, Darrel decided to settle down and recoil from the music

world, due to being engaged to a woman that wanted a regular life and his

100% attention.

Here musically, there was a nothing more than the darkness of a black void.

Until 15th November 1999, when Darrel had found himself again, only after

losing himself in a downward spiral of falling for the wrong woman.

After six months of getting back into the worldwide activity of various

music genre’s, Darrel was ready for a new beginning.

June 2000, Darrel began a new project, KRUSAFIX. 

His aim was to create a band with a sound that assimilated the best

elements of Progressive-Industrial, EBM, Dark-Techno, Cyber-Gothic,

Hard-Beat, Epic-Trance, Electro, Cyber-Metal, Industrial Drum & Bass,

Rave, Dark-Wave, Neo-Classical, Avant Garde music genres and create

a unique complex fusion, the KRUSAFIX system of sonic genesis.

For further information on KRUSAFIX, please read the Biography section.