Background and Early Life
Travis Sedgwick Bacon was born on June 23, 1989, in Los Angeles, California. As the eldest child in a household split between Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), and rural Connecticut (CT), he accumulated diverse cultural and musical influences before age 18. By 2007, he had begun formal guitar training under the tutelage of three professional instructors in Los Angeles and New York.
Between 2008 and 2012, he attended music theory workshops in Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), and San Francisco (CA), focusing on composition for film and industrial genres. During the same period, he completed five independent short horror films as director and composer, each under 10 minutes in length, screened at three regional film festivals.
Formation of Contracult Collective
Travis created the industrial metal band Contracult Collective in Brooklyn, New York, at age 23 in January 2013. The original lineup had four:
| Member Name | Role | Joined Date |
|---|---|---|
| Travis Sedgwick Bacon | Vocals & Lead Guitar | 2013-01-15 |
| Member A | Bass Guitar | 2013-01-15 |
| Member B | Drums | 2013-03-02 |
| Member C | Keyboards | 2013-03-02 |
By December 2014, the band had expanded to six touring musicians, adding two backing vocalists and one percussionist. Their first rehearsals took place in a 2,000 sq ft warehouse in Bushwick, Brooklyn, with sessions scheduled three times per week for two-hour blocks.
Musical Style and Influences
Contracult Collective’s sound fuses industrial metal, goth, and electronic elements. Key characteristics include:
- Rhythmic Complexity: 4/4 time signatures with alternating 7/8 and 5/4 breakdowns in 60% of tracks.
- Electronic Textures: Analog synthesizers running on 12-bit modular setups, used in 85% of live shows.
- Vocal Range: Travis employs both baritone growls (in 40% of verses) and clean vocals (in 60% of choruses).
- Horror Aesthetics: Soundscapes often include field recordings from abandoned buildings in Connecticut and California, recorded between 2012 and 2016.
Primary musical influences span:
- Early industrial acts from Birmingham, UK (late 1970s–early 1980s)
- Scandinavian black metal bands active from 1990 to 2000
- Avant-garde composers from New York’s downtown scene (1995–2010)
Albums and Singles
As of June 2025, the band has released two studio albums and five singles. See below for release schedule:
| Title | Type | Release Date | Length (min) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Echoes of Contempt | Album | 2016-09-08 | 47.3 |
| OPD | Single | 2018-03-21 | 4.2 |
| Void Transmission | Single | 2019-10-31 | 5.1 |
| Slashed Horizons | Album | 2022-07-15 | 52.6 |
| Take Off This Tattoo | Single | 2024-05-04 | 3.8 |
| Carry the Darkness | Single | 2025-02-14 | 4.5 |
| Dread Circuit | Single (upcoming) | 2025-11-01 | 5.0 |
- Echoes of Contempt (2016) debuted at number 12 on the independent metal charts and sold over 7,500 physical copies in the first month.
- Slashed Horizons (2022) peaked at number 3 on the goth-industrial digital charts, with 150,000 streams in first week.
Tours and Live Performances
Contracult Collective has headlined four tours and supported eight international bands. Key tour info:
| Tour Name | Regions Covered | Year | Shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Ritual Tour | USA (20 cities) | 2017 | 20 |
| Industrial Apocalypse | Europe (15 countries) | 2019 | 45 |
| Slashed Horizons Live | North America & Mexico (30 cities) | 2022 | 30 |
| Dark Force Fest Series | USA, UK, Germany, Sweden (10 festivals) | 2024 | 10 |
- Dark Force Fest 2024: Performed on 4 stages across 3 countries in 5 days.
- Average attendance per show: 1,200–2,500 fans, with total live audience exceeding 125,000 across all tours.
Family Collaborations
Travis has maintained a creative partnership with his immediate family since 2005. Notable collaborations include:
| Project Title | Role of Travis | Collaborating Family Members | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loverboy (short) | Actor & Composer | Father (Director), Mother (Actor), Sister (Actor) | 2005 |
| Space Oddity (feature) | Composer & Producer | Mother (Director), Father (Actor) | 2022 |
| Take Off This Tattoo | Producer | Father & Uncle (Musicians) | 2024 |
| Carry the Darkness | Composer | Mother (Executive Producer) | 2025 |
- The 2005 short “Loverboy” marked Travis’s first on-screen appearance at age 16.
- In 2022, “Space Oddity” feature premiered at three regional festivals, with Travis’s score praised for its 11-minute central suite.
Discography
| Year | Release Type | Title | Format | Chart Peak (Position) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Album | Echoes of Contempt | CD, Vinyl, Digital | 12 (Indie Metal) |
| 2018 | Single | OPD | Digital | 5 (Goth-Industrial) |
| 2019 | Single | Void Transmission | Digital | — |
| 2022 | Album | Slashed Horizons | Vinyl, Digital | 3 (Goth-Industrial) |
| 2024 | Single | Take Off This Tattoo | Digital | 8 (Digital Singles) |
| 2025 | Single | Carry the Darkness | Digital | — |
| 2025 | Single | Dread Circuit | Digital (upcoming) | — |
Two albums, five singles, and one upcoming single by mid-2025.
Timeline of Key Events
| Date | Event Description |
|---|---|
| 2005-08-12 | First acting role in “Loverboy” short film. |
| 2013-01-15 | Formation of Contracult Collective in Brooklyn, NY. |
| 2016-09-08 | Release of debut album Echoes of Contempt. |
| 2017-06-10 | Launch of Shadow Ritual Tour across 20 US cities. |
| 2018-03-21 | Single “OPD” released; enters goth-industrial charts at No. 5. |
| 2019-10-31 | Release of “Void Transmission” single on October 31 (Halloween). |
| 2022-07-15 | Slashed Horizons album release and North America tour. |
| 2024-05-04 | Produced “Take Off This Tattoo” single for family folk-rock band. |
| 2025-02-14 | “Carry the Darkness” single released coinciding with Valentine’s Day. |
| 2025-06-10 | Headline at Dark Force Fest in Berlin, Germany. |
FAQ
What genre does Travis Bacon Band play?
Industrial metal band Contracult Collective blends goth and electronic elements with intricate rhythms and horror-inspired textures.
When was the band founded?
The band was founded on January 15, 2013, in Brooklyn, New York.
Who comprises the current lineup?
The current lineup includes Travis Sedgwick Bacon (vocals, lead guitar), plus five additional members handling bass, drums, keyboards, percussion, and backing vocals.
Where is the band based?
Contracult Collective is based in Brooklyn, New York, with headquarters in a 2,000 sq ft rehearsal warehouse.
How many albums have they released?
As of June 2025, they have released two studio albums: Echoes of Contempt (2016) and Slashed Horizons (2022).
What notable tours has the band undertaken?
They headlined four major tours, including the 2017 Shadow Ritual Tour (20 US cities) and the 2019 Industrial Apocalypse Tour (15 European nations).
Where can I stream their music?
Their complete catalog is available on major streaming platforms in digital formats.
Are there any upcoming releases?
Yes, the single “Dread Circuit” is scheduled for release on November 1, 2025.
