IC 434 began its story in 1991 as TALES OF DOOM, when Geert de Wilde (Antwerp, Belgium) started making electronic music after several years of experimenting with pianos, tapes and old radios. While appearing with the industrial act GENOCIDE and performing as keyboarder with the death metal band HARADWAITH, things changed drastically in August 1994 when a more professional synth made its entry: the legendary Korg M1.          

IC 434 was born as the very first Belgian so-called 'dark electro' band and was named after the Horsehead Nebula, a remarkable galactic cloud in the constellation of Orion. Impressed by one of the concerts in 1996, Dirk Ivens (ABC, THE KLINIK, DIVE and SONAR) decided to offer IC 434 a contract on his label DAFT (BODY) RECORDS. IC 434 released three albums on this label between 1996 and 2002.

A while after collaborating with Johan Van Roy of SUICIDE COMMANDO on a few songs in the Stored Images period (Johan also played live keys in IC 434 in the late 90's), Geert started with a side project, called PANGEA, around the millenium change. Some people describe it as a mix of EBM and Goa/Psy Trance. Geert also joined VOMITO NEGRO when Guy Van Mieghem remixed the PANGEA song Permafrost a while after he broke up the collaboration with Gin Devo in 2002.

Six years later, IC 434 finally released its new album BACTERIATE on the  German record label INFACTED RECORDINGS, resulting in a n° 42 position in the Deutsche Alternative Charts for whole 2008 - only FRONT 242 did a little bit better as Belgian band.

As you can expect from the name of the project, the lyrics mainly contain astronomical descriptions, linked with very personal experiences Geert had with death and mental pain - all lyrics are autobiographic and may be taken literally. The mysteries on our planet and in the universe also have an important place in the lyrics, just as animal rights, nature in general and the sickness of our society. 

The IC 434 sound is still completely based on the 80's Korg M1, with only a couple of additional samples. This doesn't mean that the band tends to create a typical old school sound, but just a kind of timeless dark electronic and 'danceable' music, combining elements from now and earlier days. Well known for the strong live act, IC 434 is currently supported on stage by Nicolas Van Meirhaeghe aka. Sal-Ocin from EMPUSAE, THIS MORN' OMINA and TZOLK'IN.

Just a little remark left. Geert de Wilde changed the name of IC 434 temporarily into OBEDIENCE the summer of 2003. Nicolas Van Meirhaeghe joined Geert de Wilde at that moment, and together they would work out the new OBEDIENCE songs. Nevertheless, a year after the name change, the interest in the oldIC 434 was still big and seemed to grow, even. This, and a lot of practical problems, led to the decision to restart IC 434 and to consider OBEDIENCE as an other, independent, project. The only OBEDIENCE song that was released so far is the remix of Ladykiller Geert made for HOCICO that was released on their album Hate Never Dies.