Christian Olde Wolbers

Last updated

Christian Olde Wolbers
Christian Olde Wolbers Powerflo With Full Force 2018 (cropped).jpg
Olde Wolbers with Powerflo at With Full Force 2018
Background information
Born (1972-08-05) 5 August 1972 (age 52)
Antwerp, Belgium
Genres Heavy metal, nu metal, industrial metal, thrash metal
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, producer
Instrument(s)Bass, guitar
Years active1987–present
Member of Powerflo, Vio-lence
Formerly of Fear Factory, Beowülf

Christian Francis Olde Wolbers [1] (born 5 August 1972) is a Belgian musician, songwriter and producer. He is the bassist and backing vocalist of the rap metal/nu metal band Powerflo and the bass player of the thrash metal band Vio-lence. He is also a former bassist, guitarist and backing vocalist of the industrial metal band Fear Factory, and the hardcore punk/crossover thrash band Beowülf. [2]

Contents

Musical career

Olde Wolbers was born in Antwerp, Belgium, and moved to the United States in 1993. He was asked to join Fear Factory in December 1993 as a bass player. He recorded five albums with them. The group disbanded in 2002 and when it reformed in 2003, Olde Wolbers had switched to guitar, replacing Dino Cazares.

Olde Wolbers is the only bassist that played on a Fear Factory album, as the other bassists only played live (with Dino Cazares recording the bass in the studio).

In 2003, he was offered a position of bassist in Ozzy Osbourne's solo band after he jammed with Ozzy, guitarist Zakk Wylde and drummer Mike Bordin for a few weeks. [3] He eventually turned down this offer in order to fully concentrate on Fear Factory. [4]

In 2006, Olde Wolbers played three shows with Korn on their European tour. [5]

In 2008, he formed a new band, Burn It All, [6] [7] which also feature Raymond Herrera (drums) and former Damageplan singer\Halford guitarist Patrick Lachman. They have posted a demo sampler on its MySpace page. [8]

In 2009, Olde Wolbers and drummer Raymond Herrera parted ways with Fear Factory when vocalist Burton C. Bell chose to reform Fear Factory with Dino Cazares, bassist Byron Stroud, and drummer Gene Hoglan. [9]

Olde Wolbers has a project Arkaea with fellow ex-Fear Factory drummer Raymond Herrera [10] and Jon Howard and Pat Kavanagh of the band Threat Signal. On 14 July 2009, Arkaea's debut album, Years in the Darkness was released. He also played with Beowülf and co-produced their 2011 album Jesus Freak.

In early 2014, Olde Wolbers was in a serious motorcycle accident in which he sustained severe injuries, including broken arms, legs and ribs. He conducted guitar and bass lessons on Skype to help cover his medical bills. [11]

In July 2016, Olde Wolbers joined Threat Signal as their bass player on the Under Reprisal Anniversary tour. In 2020, Olde Wolbers joined Vio-lence as the replacement of original bassist Deen Dell, who had left the band for personal reasons. [12] [13]

In October 2022, Olde Wolbers was announced as the new bass player of Bloodclot, [14] a project formed by former Cro-Mags vocalist John Joseph.

In 2023, Olde Wolbers was the touring upright bassist for Cypress Hill's live performances with the London Symphony Orchestra. [15]

Powerflo

In 2017, Olde Wolbers formed a new band called Powerflo with Senen Reyes, Roy Lozano, Billy Graziadei and Fernando Schaefer. The band released their self-titled debut album the same year. Olde Wolbers is the band's bassist and backing vocalist. [16]

Contributions

He contributed upright bass to Devin Townsend's second album Infinity in 1998. In 2006, he helped produce and mix Mnemic's third album, Passenger , and also produced Bleed the Sky's Murder the Dance and Threat Signal's debut album, Under Reprisal . In 2008, he produced End of the Rope's new album, Till It Bleeds and in 2009, Wolbers produced Years in the Darkness for Arkaea and the album Fallen Empires for Our Last Enemy. He filled in as live guitarist for Korn for the first three shows of their European tour. He appears as a guest guitar player on the EP This World by breakbeat production group The Autobots. [17] He produced the vocals for God Forbid's Earthsblood , co-wrote and played bass on Snoop Dogg's album Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss . He helped Cypress Hill with their rock outfit and wrote songs for their Stoned Raiders and Skull & Bones albums. He also played on two songs on Soulfly's debut in 1998. In 2017 he played bass for Isolated Antagonist for their album Oblivion.[ citation needed ]

Sport

As a teenager, Olde Wolbers was a goalkeeper at the youth academy of Belgian professional football club Germinal Ekeren, and was the team's reserve goalkeeper for several games in the Belgian Second Division. At 17, he was suspended for having long hair and tattoos, and chose to concentrate on his music career. Olde Wolbers also played wide receiver and defensive back for the Antwerp Diamonds of the Belgian Football League. [18] Since moving to the United States, he has played regularly for the Los Angeles-based amateur team Hollywood United, and currently played for Angel City FC in the semi-professional Los Angeles Premier League. [19] Olde Wolbers is also the founder and owner of Aviata Sports, [20] a manufacturer of goalkeeper gloves.

Discography

With Powerflo

Albums
Singles

With Beowülf

With Arkaea

With Fear Factory

With Vio-lence

Guest appearances

Production credits

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fear Factory</span> American industrial metal band

Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1989. Throughout the band's career, they have released ten full-length albums and have evolved through a succession of sounds, all in their main style of industrial metal. Over the years, Fear Factory has seen frequent changes in its lineup, with lead vocalist Burton C. Bell being the only consistent member for 31 years until his departure in 2020. Guitarist Dino Cazares is the only original member still in the band. The band went on hiatus in March 2002 following some internal disputes, but resumed activity a year later without founding member Cazares. Previous bassist Christian Olde Wolbers replaced him on guitar, while Byron Stroud handled bass duties. After a second hiatus in 2006, Fear Factory reunited in April 2009 with a new lineup that featured a returning Cazares, Gene Hoglan as the replacement of original drummer Raymond Herrera, and Bell and Stroud reprising their respective roles; this lineup recorded the band's seventh studio album titled Mechanize (2010). Wolbers and Herrera — together comprising 50% of the band's legal ownership — disputed the legitimacy of the reunited band, and a legal battle from both parties had begun. Despite this, Fear Factory has since released three more albums: The Industrialist (2012), Genexus (2015) and Aggression Continuum (2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soulfly</span> Brazilian-American heavy metal band

Soulfly is an American heavy metal band formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1997. Soulfly is led by former Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera, who formed the band after he left the Brazilian group in 1996. To date the band has released twelve studio albums, one tour EP, twenty-three singles, one video album, and twelve music videos. Their debut album, Soulfly, was released on April 21, 1998, while their most recent album, Totem, was released on August 5, 2022.

<i>Archetype</i> (Fear Factory album) 2004 studio album by Fear Factory

Archetype is the fifth studio album by American industrial metal band Fear Factory. It was the first album by the band not to feature Dino Cazares, with Christian Olde Wolbers handling both bass and guitar duties. It was released on April 20, 2004, through Liquid 8. It debuted at No. 30 on the Billboard 200 chart and is their highest charting album to date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nailbomb</span> Multinational heavy metal band

Nailbomb is a heavy metal band formed in 1993 as a side project by Brazilian musician Max Cavalera of Sepultura, Cavalera Conspiracy and Soulfly, and British musician Alex Newport of Fudge Tunnel. They played a combination of primarily industrial metal and thrash metal. The band recorded one studio album, Point Blank, and played a warmup live performance and their only official gig for 29 years at the 1995 Dynamo Open Air Festival two days later, after which the band disbanded. The band will reunite for a one-off show in Tempe, Arizona in November 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vio-lence</span> American thrash metal band

Vio-lence is an American thrash metal band formed in 1985 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Throughout its career, they have released demo tapes, three EPs and three studio albums. Vio-lence is best-known for their association with the 1980s Bay Area thrash metal scene, and often credited as one of the leading lights of the second wave of the genre. They are also considered to be a member of the "Big Six of Bay Area Thrash Metal," alongside Exodus, Testament, Death Angel, Lȧȧz Rockit and Forbidden.

<i>Demanufacture</i> (album) 1995 studio album by Fear Factory

Demanufacture is the second studio album by American industrial metal band Fear Factory, released on March 3, 1995, by Roadrunner Records. It is the band's first album with their classic line-up, adding new bassist Christian Olde Wolbers, who performed on close to half of the album's tracks, with guitarist Dino Cazares handling the rest. Many regard it as the band's best album and a heavy metal classic. The album was certified Gold in Australia by ARIA and Silver in the UK by the BPI.

<i>Obsolete</i> (album) 1998 studio album by Fear Factory

Obsolete is the third studio album by American industrial metal band Fear Factory, released on July 28, 1998, through Roadrunner Records. It was produced by Fear Factory, Greg Reely and Rhys Fulber, the latter of whom wrote, arranged and performed all of the album's keyboard parts, and was the band's first full album to feature bassist Christian Olde Wolbers, who performed on around half of the tracks of the band's previous album Demanufacture (1995).

<i>Transgression</i> (album) 2005 studio album by Fear Factory

Transgression is the sixth studio album by American industrial metal band Fear Factory. It was released in the UK on August 22, 2005 through Calvin Records and released in the US and Canada the next day on August 23. Guest appearances include Billy Gould, the bassist of Faith No More, and Lamb of God guitarist Mark Morton, who co-wrote the song "New Promise". The album was released as an enhanced CD with access to the exclusive Fear Factory website. It was also released as an enhanced DualDisc with the DVD side featuring the whole album in (48,000 kHz), music videos and "The Making of Transgression" video. One could also retrieve another bonus track, entitled "My Grave", by putting the CD into the computer and clicking the 'Music' section at the special website.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dino Cazares</span> American guitarist

Dino Cazares is an American musician, best known as the guitarist and one of the co-founders of industrial metal band Fear Factory. He is also a co-founder of Divine Heresy, Asesino, and Brujeria. Cazares popularized the use of digital amp modelling processors, as well as the use of seven and eight-string guitars in metal music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Rivers (musician)</span> American bassist

Samuel Robert Rivers is an American musician. He is the bassist and backing vocalist of the rock band Limp Bizkit and one of its founding members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bleed the Sky (band)</span> American metalcore band

Bleed the Sky is an American heavy metal band formed in Orange County, California, in 2002.

Threat Signal is a Canadian heavy metal band from Hamilton, Ontario. The band has had numerous lineup changes, with only Jon Howard remaining from the original incarnation. Their music is often classified as metalcore, melodic death metal, or groove metal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Divine Heresy</span> American metal band

Divine Heresy is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California by founder of Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares and Devolved drummer John Sankey. Although the band's origins trace back to 2002, Divine Heresy was officially formed in 2006. The band currently consists of guitarist Cazares, former Vital Remains drummer and current World Under Blood drummer Tim Yeung, former Nile bassist Joe Payne and vocalist Travis Neal. Tommy "Vext" Cummings was fired from Divine Heresy following an onstage altercation on April 26, 2008. After holding auditions for a new frontman for the band, it was announced on August 14 that The Bereaved vocalist Travis Neal is to fill the position.

Arkaea was a metal band formed in 2008 featuring members from Fear Factory and Threat Signal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burton C. Bell</span> American heavy metal vocalist

Burton Christopher Bell is an American musician. He is best known as the co-founder and former frontman of the industrial metal band Fear Factory. Until 2021 he was the only member to perform on all of the band's albums. His singing style mixes clean and shouted vocals with death growls.

<i>Mechanize</i> 2010 studio album by Fear Factory

Mechanize is the seventh studio album by American industrial metal band Fear Factory, released on February 5, 2010 in Germany and February 9, 2010 in United States. It is the only album to feature Gene Hoglan on drums and the first since 2001's Digimortal to include original guitarist and founding member Dino Cazares, who rejoined the band after a reconciliation with lead vocalist Burton C. Bell, in April 2009. The album was produced by Rhys Fulber, who had not produced or been involved with a Fear Factory album since Archetype. The album has received mostly positive reviews from fans and music critics, being praised for its very aggressive and heavy sound. In its first week of release, the album sold 10,000 copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Graziadei</span> American musician

William Graziadei is an American musician who is the rhythm guitarist, one of the vocalists and the sole continuous founding member of the hardcore/metal band Biohazard. He is also the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist of the band Powerflo and frontman for BillyBio, his latest solo project. In addition, he is the former rhythm guitarist for Suicide City. Graziadei also performed as part of the Roadrunner United project in 2005 as well as Blood for Blood in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Powerflo</span> American metal band

Powerflo is an American rap metal/nu metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 2016. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Senen Reyes, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Rogelio "Roy" Lozano, rhythm guitarist and vocalist Billy Graziadei, and bassist and backing vocalist Christian Olde Wolbers.

<i>Let the World Burn</i> 2022 EP by Vio-lence

Let the World Burn is an EP by the American thrash metal band Vio-Lence, released on March 4, 2022, by Metal Blade Records. It is the band's first material of any kind since their initial disbandment in 1994, and their first EP since Torture Tactics (1991). The EP is also Vio-lence's first studio recording to feature a different lineup, with bassist Christian Olde Wolbers and rhythm guitarist Bobby Gustafson replacing Deen Dell and Robb Flynn respectively, and three-fifths of the Eternal Nightmare lineup – lead guitarist Phil Demmel, vocalist Sean Killian and drummer Perry Strickland – remaining. This is also the only recording to feature Gustafson, whom the band parted ways with in 2022, and their final recording to feature Strickland and Demmel before their departures from the band in January 2023 and February 2024, respectively.

References

  1. ↑ "ACRES OF SKIN". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "Beowulf – Home". Beowulfbwf.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  3. ↑ "Jason Newsted Leaves Ozzy Osbourne, Is Replaced By Rob Zombie Bassist". Blabbermouth.net. 4 December 2003. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  4. ↑ "Fear Factory's Christian Olde Wolbers Says He Turned Down Ozzy Osbourne Gig". Blabbermouth.net. 10 November 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "Guitarist Patterson Back With Korn After Stint By Fear Factory's Olde Wolbers". Blabbermouth.net. 30 May 2006. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  6. ↑ "Ex-Damageplan Frontman Promoting New Band Burn It All On XM Radio Next Monday". BraveWords.com. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  7. ↑ "Burn It All Featuring Fear Factory, Ex-Damageplan Members: Audio Samples Available". Blabbermouth.net. June 2008. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  8. ↑ "Burn It All Featuring Fear Factory, Ex Damageplan Members: Audio Samples Available". Blabbermouth.net. 1 June 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  9. ↑ "BLABBERMOUTH.NET – ARKAEA Featuring Ex-FEAR FACTORY Members: New Audio Samples Available". Archived from the original on 4 May 2009.
  10. ↑ "Blog Archive " Fear Factory Interview Part 2!". Metal Hammer. 27 April 2008. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  11. ↑ "Christian Olde Wolbers". Facebook.com. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  12. ↑ "VIO-LENCE Singer SEAN KILLIAN Says New EP Will Be 'Bridge' Between First Two Albums And 1993 Demo". Blabbermouth.net. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  13. ↑ "PHIL DEMMEL Says VIO-LENCE's Newly Recorded Cover Song Should Arrive 'Pretty Soon'". Blabbermouth.net. 28 July 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  14. ↑ BraveWords. "BLOODCLOT Feat. Former CRO-MAGS Vocalist Streaming New Song "War Castles"; Former FEAR FACTORY Bassist CHRISTIAN OLDE WOLBERS Joins Band For Next Record". bravewords.com. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  15. ↑ Rich Hobson (11 July 2024). ""We need to make this happen again." Cypress Hill make hip hop history with the London Symphony Orchestra (and a former member of Fear Factory) at the Royal Albert Hall". louder.
  16. ↑ "POWERFLO Feat. BIOHAZARD, CYPRESS HILL, Ex-FEAR FACTORY Members: 'Resistance' Lyric Video". blabbermouth.net. 2 May 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  17. ↑ "Autobots, The* – This World (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  18. ↑ "christian_oldewolbers Instagram". Christian Olde Wolbers. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021.
  19. ↑ "LA Premier League". LA Premier League. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  20. ↑ "Aviata Sports". Aviata Sports. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.