Voicecoil

Still from Voicecoil's Nostalgia Trap Video

Voicecoil is an act that predates the Necroverse. While officially considered a solo project of Mark Sousa, several musicians are typically involved in live performances. These musicians, when part of the regular live lineup, are are for all intents and purposes considered band members and official characters within the Necroverse. The project was started in 2014 by Mark Sousa and while officially listed as Alternative Electronic Music, is considered by most to fall into the Futurepop or Synthpop genre.

## History

Voicecoil was founded in 2014 by Mark Sousa. With the success of Sousa's earlier bands Synapse and Machinegun Symphony, combined with Voicecoil's extremely high production quality, the act was able to become well-known almost immediately. The band's first live performance was opening for international Synthpop group De/Vision at The Church, a prominent nightclub in Denver with a strong connection to the local Goth/Industrial scene. Voicecoil has had three full-length albums and has toured across the US, Canada, and the UK. They have also made several top 100 lists from various Industrial and Synthpop publications.

## Sound

Voicecoil has a well-polished Futurepop sound that would be most easily compared to Neuroticfish or VNV Nation. The band makes heavy use of multiple layers of synthesizer with very prominent pads providing background texture. Mark Sousa's vocals are extremely clean and always on-key, creating a highly polished sound.

During live performances, the band uses additional synthesizers, usually providing additional pads or vocoded vocals, and sometimes guitars which are always provided by longtime collaborator Patrick Hogan.

## Characters/Bandmembers

Voicecoil exists in the Necroverse as a spaceship, with bandmembers taking the role of permanent or temporary crewmembers on the ship.

Captain Mark Sousa is the ship's captain and sole permanent crewmember and is portrayed by Mark Sousa. He is also known throughout various systems as "The Traveler" or "Mr. Coil". Captain Sousa is believed to have been abducted by aliens before eventually inheriting their ship which would become the ASV Voicecoil. In addition to writing, performing, recording, and producing all of Voicecoil's recorded music, during live shows Mark Sousa performs vocals and occasionally synthesizers or drums.

Patrick Hogan is a frequently hired freelance worker who serves in various capacities on the ship, usually as a gunner. He is portrayed by Patrick Hogan who plays guitar and sometimes synthesizers during live shows.

### Former Bandmembers

The Synthetic Human Interactive Technical Interface (S.H.I.T.I.) was the ship's sentient computer A.I. which was later transferred into a synthetic human body. After gaining a body S.H.I.T.I. eventually left the ship to pursue its own interests. S.H.I.T.I. is also sometimes known as "Uncle Shitty" or sometimes just "Shitty" and was portrayed by Mark Passmore. Passmore served as the live band's sound engineer as well as lighting and stage manager.

Noel Johannes was a mercenary frequently hired to assist on various missions conducted on behalf of Captain Sousa, portrayed by Noel Johannes who played keyboards at live shows.

Rivet D. Rivet was pressed into indentured service aboard the ship after the Necro Construct crew stole a broken Voicecoil automaton and converted it into what would become the robotic Slenderman creature. Rivet primarily served in a communications capacity aboard the ship in addition to performing various janitorial tasks and assisting on ground missions. Rivet was portrayed by Chris Martinez who played keyboards and provided vocoded vocals at live shows.

## In the Necroverse

Within the Necroverse, the Alien Space Vessel Voicecoil is a salvaged alien ship captained by Mark Sousa and crewed primarily by various automatons and occasionally mercenaries and other hired temps. The mission of the ship is only known to Captain Sousa but the ship's actions and various missions appear to be deliberate even if their intent cannot be ascertained. Captain Sousa seems to have dealings with many entities across the galaxy including some Great Old Ones, earning him the nickname "The Traveler".