A Split Second - Rigor Mortis (Transient Straight Mix)

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A Split-Second is a Belgian new beat electronic body music band established in 1985. The band is seen as one of the pioneers of Electronic Body Music and their music influenced the creation of the New Beat genre.
The project was born in 1985 as a solo project of Marc Heyndrickx (under the name Marc Ickx), who self-released the demo-tape "Stained Impressions" with Peter Bonne (later re-named Chrismar Chayell) producing. Bonne at that time was releasing music as Twilight Ritual together with vocalist Geert Coppens.

After signing to Antler Records, A Split-Second made their debut in 1986 with the single "Flesh". It was followed the next year by the album Ballistic Statues. At that time the band was composed by Ickx and electronic musician Philip Vargod (better known for his new-beat/acid-house project Lips Kiss. Bonne of course was present as producer and co-author of 4 songs (including hit single "Flesh").

After a brief tour Philip V. left the band, replaced by Bonne who became an official member and a driving force behind A Split Second. With this new line-up the band released another single, "Rigor Mortis", in 1987.

In late 1988, they were signed to the American label, Wax Trax! Records, and released the albums A Split-Second and From The Inside in the US, the latter featuring the track "Colosseum Crash" with guest vocals by Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra. The single "Mambo Witch" peaked at #29 in 1989 on the Billboard US dance club charts in 1989. That year the band embarked on their first US tour with 24 dates and live support by Fedjean Venvelt (guitars) and Peter Bonne (keyboards).

Their 1990 album, Kiss of Fury, featured the track "The Parallax View", which peaked at #19 on the Billboard US dance club charts in 1991. Kiss of Fury saw the band moving towards more of a guitar-based sound, something that Ickx attributed to some of the material originally having been intended for his own solo album. For this release, the band continued with Antler-Subway in Europe, but left Wax Trax! for Caroline Records in the US. The band embarked on a second, 24 date US tour in 1990, joined by Nico Mansy on keyboards). Meanwhile, "Flesh" peaked in the UK Singles Chart at #68 in December 1991.

In 1991, Bonne became involved in a side project, Wasteland, which soon became more important for him than A Split-Second. Notwistanding this, he released, under the name A-Split Second, the remix album "Flesh & Fire - 1991 Remixes" without the presence of Icks (the real founding member of the band).

In late 1993 the Icks & Chayell released one more album Vengeance C.O.D. and, after a Swedish Tour in early 1994 the duo split. Ickx decided to continue alone under the name A-Split Second and joined Gitane Demone in her electronic project Demonix.

In March 1995 A Split Second/Marc Icks released the album "Megabite" and the tour saw Icks performing live with guitarist Fedzjean Venvelt and old keyboard-player Philip Vargod. After this tour and new Demonix remixes (released only in 2000), Icks announces his retirement from the music scenes in 1997.

The band returned to the live scene in 2001. Since 2009, they have been playing live regularly, besides virtually since March 2020.