Pendulum are an Australian-British drum and bass/electronic rock production group and live band originally from Perth, Australia formed between producers Rob Swire, Gareth McGrillen and Paul Harding. In 2003, they relocated to the United Kingdom. They have gained major popularity in the UK, and have started making a name for themselves overseas. After a shift in musical style incorporating a rock-oriented sound, Pendulum are now better known for their energetic live shows, with live band setup and advanced visual displays.

History

Pendulum formed in Perth, Australia and released their first single, "Vault", in 2003. After several other singles they released their debut album, Hold Your Colour, in 2005. Second album, In Silico, was released in May 2008. The second single from the album, "Propane Nightmares", was their biggest hit to date, peaking at #9 in the UK Singles Chart.

In 2008, Pendulum played at numerous European music festivals and undertook their first tour of North America. At the end of the year the band filmed a live DVD on the 4th and 5th of December 2008, at the Brixton Academy, which was released in June 2009. They toured Europe again in 2009, and announced their forthcoming third album.
 

 Musical style

The Pendulum sound is typically heavy beats accompanied by low, buzzing basslines, overlaid with synthesized leads. When Pendulum started out as producers in Australia, their sound was considerably more drum and bass-influenced than the work they are known for today. Over time, this lead to a change of audience and listeners from underground to mainstream. See: Controversy and Rivalry.

Pendulum's current musical style consists of a fusion between Drum & Bass and rock, with the inclusion of acoustic instruments. Gareth McGrillen stated in an interview on Channel 4 that they use 13 computers during the live performances, all of which are mixing up the sounds produced by the instruments in real time. This has pulled in a new set of fans, and as seen in their live shows, can contain a mixture of 'Ravers' and 'Metal Heads'.

Signature tunes such as "Vault", "Back to You", "Voyager" and "Toxic Shock", which were released on labels such as Uprising Records, Renegade Hardware and Low Profile Records, have a darker, more melodic air to them which is substantially absent from their later productions, which are generally leaning towards a mainstream, dance-driven sound. Early work such as "Another Planet" however, seems to indicate an early affinity with a more global sound, similar to other Breakbeat Kaos artists such as DJ Fresh and Adam F.

The group has produced various remixes of other artists also; the most well-known being their remix of "Voodoo People", originally by The Prodigy. Pendulum have also been remixed themselves. In 2006, their collaboration with the Freestylers - "Painkiller" - was remixed by NOISIA and released on Against the Grain Records. In 2009, they remixed Metallica's "Master of Puppets" and Calvin Harris' "I'm Not Alone".
Bassist Gareth McGrillen at Hertfordshire in 2007
 

Members

* Rob Swire – lead vocals, synthesizer
* Paul Kodish – drums
* Ben "The Verse" Mount – MC
* Peredur ap Gwynedd – guitar
* Gareth McGrillen – bass
* Paul "El Hornet" Harding – turntables