Carpenter Brut facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Carpenter Brut
Carpenter Brut performing with his touring band in Germany in 2023
Background information
Birth name	Franck Hueso
Born	Poitiers, France
Genres	Darksynth, Synthwave, French electro, Italo disco revival, Progressive metal
Years active	2012–present
Labels	No Quarter Prod
Associated acts	Deathspell Omega, Hacride, Ghost

Franck Hueso, known by his stage name Carpenter Brut, is a French electronic music artist. He comes from Poitiers, France. He started making music in 2012.

Carpenter Brut has released several music collections. These include three EPs (shorter albums) called EP I (2012), EP II (2013), and EP III (2015). These EPs were later put together into one album called Trilogy (2015). He has also released full studio albums like Leather Teeth (2018), Blood Machines OST (2020), and Leather Terror (2022). He even has a live album, CarpenterBrutLive (2017).

Carpenter Brut also creates music for movies and video games. He likes to keep his real identity a secret. This is so people focus more on his music than on who he is. He mixes sounds from horror films, metal, rock, and electronic music. When he performs live, he is joined by guitarist Adrien Grousset and drummer Florent Marcadet. They are both from the French metal band Hacride.

History of Carpenter Brut

How Carpenter Brut Started

Franck Hueso says that Carpenter Brut began as "a joke." The name "Carpenter Brut" is a play on words. It combines the name of filmmaker John Carpenter and a type of champagne called Charpentier Brut. He wanted to make electronic music because he could do it alone. He didn't want to be in a band. He explained that electronic music is perfect for him because he doesn't play instruments very well.

Early EPs and Trilogy (2012–2015)

Carpenter Brut's first two EPs came out in 2012 and 2013. His third EP in 2015 was released on his own record label, No Quarter Prod. He created this label to stay independent. This way, he could control his music and art.

Some of his songs from Trilogy were used in the video game Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. These songs included "Le Perv" and "Roller Mobster." Another song, "Escape from Midwich Valley," was used in a trailer for the game.

The Leather Teeth Album (2018)

Carpenter Brut's second full album, Leather Teeth, came out in 2018. It was released without any early announcements. This album is like the soundtrack to a movie that Carpenter Brut imagined. The story is about a shy teenager named Bret Halford. He wants to win over a girl. So, he becomes the singer of a glam-metal band called Leather Patrol.

Carpenter Brut said the album was inspired by bands like Judas Priest. It also took ideas from the glam rock music of the 1980s.

The Blood Machines OST Album (2020)

Blood Machines OST was released in 2020. This album is the soundtrack for a 50-minute film. The film was directed by Seth Ickerman. Seth Ickerman also directed Carpenter Brut's "Turbo Killer" music video. Fans really liked "Turbo Killer" and asked for a sequel. So, the film was created, and Carpenter Brut made the music for it.

The Leather Terror Album (2022)

Carpenter Brut announced a new album called Leather Terror. It was released on April 1, 2022. He said this album would be a "reinvention" of his music. It would take his sound "on a darker path." The album has 12 tracks. A tour in North America and Europe followed its release. One song on the album is very long and "violent." It has a strong black metal feel.

Other Music Projects

Franck Hueso has also created music for other projects.

Video Game Music

In 2016, Hueso wrote music for the video game Furi. He said this was "a lot less free" than making his own music. He had to work with scenes sent by the game designers. He also had to create music loops that could play for a long time. Even though it was challenging, he called it "a good experience." He prefers making music for films over video games.

Remixes and Documentaries

In 2018, Carpenter Brut worked with the band Ghost. He created a remix of their song "Dance Macabre."

In 2019, Hueso appeared in a documentary film called The Rise of the Synths. This film explored how the synthwave music style began and grew. Hueso was featured alongside other synthwave artists. Even John Carpenter himself, who influenced Carpenter Brut's name, was in the film.

Music Videos

Music Videos for Albums

Directors Raphaël Hernandez and Savitri Joly-Gonfard, known as Seth Ickerman, asked to use Carpenter Brut's song "Hang'em All" for a trailer. Hueso liked their "DIY and smart" style. So, he let them use the song. Seth Ickerman then directed all of Carpenter Brut's music videos for his first three EPs.

For the "Turbo Killer" music video, Hueso gave the directors complete freedom. He only asked them to create certain characters he had in mind. The music videos for the album Leather Teeth were directed by Silver Strain. Silver Strain also created the visuals for Carpenter Brut's live shows.

Blood Machines (2020) Film

Blood Machines is a film project with Seth Ickerman as the director and Carpenter Brut as the music composer. A trailer for the film was released in May 2020. It was later available on Shudder.

Cast of Blood Machines

The film features these actors:

Elisa Lasowski as Corey (a priestess)
Anders Heinrichsen as Vascan (spaceship captain)
Christian Erickson as Lago (spaceship mechanic)
Joëlle Berckmans as Mima (a ghost)
Noémie Stevens as Tracy
Natasha Cashman as Bald
Walter Dickerson as Galdor
Joëlle Berckmans as Mima
Marion Levavasseur as Bulk

Film History and Story

Seth Ickerman wanted to make a full-length film with Carpenter Brut's music even before the "Turbo Killer" music video. Because "Turbo Killer" was so popular, and fans wanted more, Blood Machines was developed. A successful Kickstarter campaign helped the film grow from 30 minutes to 50 minutes long. It is a sequel to the "Turbo Killer" music video.

Like their past projects, Ickerman had "free rein" over the visuals. Carpenter Brut focused on the soundtrack. In 2016, David Sandberg, who directed Kung Fury, joined Blood Machines as a producer. The film's story is about two space hunters. They are chasing the ghost of a machine through the galaxy.

Musical Influences

Carpenter Brut's early music was influenced by the band Justice. Later, he found inspiration from prog rock artists. These included bands like Toto and Supertramp. He also liked Iron Maiden, Meshuggah, Ulver, Nine Inch Nails, Type O Negative, Pink Floyd, and The Beatles.

In a 2019 interview, Hueso mentioned that his early music influences also included Metallica, Megadeth, Cannibal Corpse, and Napalm Death. He said he doesn't listen to many horror movie soundtracks. But he enjoys the music from films like Creepshow, Maniac Cop, and Friday the 13th. He also likes composers like John Williams, John Carpenter, Alan Silvestri, and James Horner.

Hueso says that music was a very important part of movies for him. He wants his music to be "violent, cinematic and fun!" He bases his live shows on those of Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails. He said, "If I’m going to play live, it needs to be huge."

Discography

Albums

Trilogy (2015) – This is a collection of his first three EPs.
Leather Teeth (2018)
Leather Terror (2022)

EPs

EP I (2012)
EP II (2013)
EP III (2015)

Live albums

CarpenterBrutLive (2017)

Remixes

Scanners – Control (Carpenter Brut Remix) (2013)
Le Couleur – Vacances de 87 (Carpenter Brut Remix) (2013)
Scattle – Remorse (Carpenter Brut Remix) (2014)
Gunship – Tech Noir (Carpenter Brut Remix) (2015)
M|O|O|N – Dust (Carpenter Brut Remix) (2015)
Ghost – Dance Macabre (Carpenter Brut Remix) (2018)
League of Legends – Phoenix (Carpenter Brut Remix) (2019)
Ulver – Machine Guns and Peacock Feathers (Carpenter Brut Remix) (2021)

Single Track Releases

"New York Duke" (2012)
"Chew Bubblegum..." (2014) – Only for Bandcamp subscribers
"The Good Old Call" (2014) – Only for Bandcamp subscribers
"Mandarin Claws" (2014) – Only for Bandcamp subscribers
"Hush Sally, Hush!" (2019) – Only for Bandcamp subscribers
"Maniac" featuring Yann Ligner (2020)
"Fab Tool" featuring David Eugene Edwards (2020)
"Imaginary Fire" featuring Greg Puciato (2022)
"The Widow Maker" featuring Gunship (2022)

Other Appearances

Perturbator – Dangerous Days (2014) (track, "Complete Domination (Feat. Carpenter Brut)")

Soundtracks

Rage (2013) (contributor; "Warzone")
Hacknet (2015) (contributor; "Roller Mobster")
Night Fare (2015) (contributor; "Le Perv", "Wake up the President")
Furi (2016) (contributor; "Time to Wake Up", "Enraged", "What We Fight for", "You're Mine")
The Rise of the Synths (2017) (contributor; "Night Stalker")
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number (2015) (contributor; "Le Perv", "Escape From Midwich Valley", "Roller Mobster")
- Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number - Digital Special Edition (contributor; "M|O|O|N - Dust (Carpenter Brut Remix)", "Scattle - Remorse (Carpenter Brut Remix)")
Blood Machines OST (2020)