Metropolis Records issues first new 16volt studio album in 8 years

16VOLT is an American industrial rock project founded by Eric Powell in the early 1990s. After early releases like Wisdom (1993), Skin (1994), and LetDownCrush (1996), the band signed to Mercury Records and later Metropolis Records, issuing albums such as SuperCoolNothing (1998), FullBlackHabit (2007), and Beating Dead Horses (2012).

Title: More Of Less
Artist: 16Volt
Release Date: 2025-07-25
Genres: Electronica, Industrial Music
Label: Metropolis Records
Description: Interview with 16volt on new album More Of Less, released 25 July 2025 via Metropolis Records, and the years leading up to its return.

Following a seven-year hiatus, Powell reactivated 16VOLT in 2024 with Negative On Arrivals, a retrospective release. The new album More Of Less—out 25 July 2025 via Metropolis Records—marks the project’s return to full-length format, preceded by the single White Noise. The album is the first new studio release since Dead On Arrivals (2017).

Beyond music, were there books, films, or personal experiences that helped influence the early concept of 16VOLT?

I think a lot of artists are highly influenced by their life experiences without even knowing it or understanding how and why. I am in that category. I’m an anxiety-ridden introvert with imposter syndrome among other things. So that constant feeling of uneasiness, lack of value, and awkward disbelonging fueled what I was creating.

What motivated you to pursue music so seriously at such a young age?

It was like I didn’t have a choice. I haven’t really put much thought into it, but I suppose it was a safety net from the aforementioned life experiences. It was the only place I felt comfortable and calm.

Why did you gravitate toward industrial rock instead of other genres available to you in the late ’80s and early ’90s?

I just loved the sound of it, the synths and beats, the emphasis on drums and interesting layers of samples. And of course the aggression and energy of it. I think a lot of Al’s (Jourgensen) stuff really resonated with me because of the inclusion of guitars. That has always stuck with me. It’s this sonic landscape that provides an aural world that just envelops you!

How did the idea for 16VOLT first come together, and what was the initial vision for the project?

There wasn’t a lot of pre-planning for it or thought about it being a concept. It wasn’t really a moment where I sat down and said “what is this thing I am creating. What should it look like, what is its image and presentation. What theme does it contain.” It really was just raw output and continues to be so today. I think that’s why you hear so much variance in the songs we create. We aren’t a metal band. It’s not an electronic band. Maybe it’s an alternative band, I don’t know. To me it’s all of those things and none of those things. I never really aligned too much with anything. The most important thing to me accidentally was the songs.

How did you land your first record deal in 1991?

I had just graduated from Recording and Production school and was living in Los Angeles doing an internship at a big studio. In my off hours, I was using any available time there to record things for songs. It eventually became a 3-song demo. I had someone tell me it was really good and I should send it around to some college radio stations. One of those stations was in San Diego where a guy named “Chase” was spinning. The timing was perfect because he was putting together a compilation called The Cyberflesh Conspiracy. The song was called Motoskill. He was looking to start a label and armed with that and a couple of other bands he ended up getting his label ReConstriction Records to become an industrial imprint under Cargo Records. I think we were the second signing, with the legendary and highly missed band Diatribe being the first.

What were the hardest obstacles to overcome during those early years of recording and touring?

Understanding what to do! We had no guidance on how to do a band professionally—how much to charge for shows, how to promote, etc. It was very DIY and a lot of mistakes were made. In music, there are constant obstacles. You either have to naively push through and hope that you land on the other side, or you have to have a team of people around you. We’ve had a ton of rough landings.

What led to the reactivation of 16VOLT after the 7-year break, and when did the writing for More Of Less actually begin?

Mostly it was just about taking a breather during and after Covid and after our last Coldwaves Festival show. I knew we needed something new to get out, but I really just wanted to take our time and be creative when we wanted to and not force anything. I had a bunch of little bits I was working on and sent some stuff to Abel, and we just kind of passed ideas back and forth for a couple of years. Once things started really taking shape and the songs evolved, it naturally sped up the end process. Overall, I think it was about three years of time.

What was the first track you wrote for More Of Less, and did it set the direction for the rest of the album?

I can’t even remember. It was probably something that was in my scraps folder. I have a lot of things that I keep that never got finished from previous albums, etc. It’s always fun to open those up and see what’s there. Sometimes it will inspire something entirely new.

What’s the background of the song White Noise, and why did you choose it as the first single from the new album?

White Noise was a track that I really wanted to be high energy. A lot of drum stuff, beats, and synth. As it went on, the choruses just seemed to ask to be heavier. I think White Noise is kind of an example of the summation of 16VOLT and especially where it’s grown to musically. Everyone just felt if you had to hear one new track, that would be the one that fans would get excited about.

What themes or concepts connect the songs on More Of Less?

I think mostly it’s probably thematic in its production and sonic content. We like to have self-deprecating humor in a lot of our work. The title was really a nod to the fact that “it’s been awhile” and here’s more new 16Volt—and the self-deprecation part is it’s less. Of course we don’t really think it is, but the title just stuck.

How did you approach the production side of this record compared to earlier albums?

Earlier albums have been a mix—there are times where I have steered the ship and times where I have worked with more outside producers, etc. This one just organically worked out that the production is me. Because of our patience in making it, it was necessary to have tools at my disposal to do that often and sometimes for short periods of time. I invested a lot into upgrading my studio and honing a lot of my skills so I felt comfortable releasing something that was as good as we could currently make it.

After the release of More Of Less, are you planning additional material, more shows, or something else entirely?

There have been times in the past where I fought myself, was loaded with self-doubt, and had high expectations for myself. I had a tendency to strangle my mental health around 16Volt and be my own worst enemy, and that would end up in frustration and having to walk away. I’ve come to a place where I know that this band is just part of me, and as long as I am around to do it, it will continue. We definitely want to get out and play soon, so look for news on that coming soon!

Photos courtesy of 16VOLT

Matteo Damiani

Matteo Damiani is an Italian photographer and author. Curator of the sites Retrofuturista.com; weirditaly.com; china-underground.com and others