Klinik

Klinik is an industrial music band from Belgium, originally formed in 1981 or 1982 by EBM, electro-synthpop practitioner Marc Verhaeghen, who is the only constant member. In 1985, Klinik (with Verhaeghen as the only member) joined forces w

Klinik is an industrial music band from Belgium, originally formed in 1981 or 1982 by EBM, electro-synthpop practitioner Marc Verhaeghen, who is the only constant member. In 1985, Klinik (with Verhaeghen as the only member) joined forces with other bands Absolute Body Control (Dirk Ivens and Eric van Wonterghem) and The Maniacs (Sandy Nys) to form the "super group" Absolute Controlled Clinical Maniacs. This rather unwieldy name was soon dropped in favour of the shorter name of The Klinik. Nys soon left to form Hybryds, followed in 1987 by van Wonterghem, leaving The Klinik as the "classic" duo of Dirk Ivens and Marc Verhaeghen.

The Klinik soon made a name for themselves with their cold and harsh EBM sound and their live shows, where both Ivens and Verhaeghen performed with their heads wrapped in gauze, wearing long black leather coats. Ivens' hissing vocals and minimalist lyrics were complemented by Verhaeghen's synthesizer skills and distorted trumpet playing (the latter giving the music a slightly feverish sound). This, however, did not last forever; after Time, an album neither member was fully pleased with, musical differences became too great, and they decided to go their separate ways. Ivens concentrated on his own project Dive; Verhaeghen continued as Klinik, sometimes as a solo project, sometimes with various other members. Today (2004), Klinik is Verhaeghen's solo project, making mostly instrumental dark ambient techno.