SongVault Artist Profile

Over the course of 2009, Otto Kinzel, veteran of a variety of rock and industrial bands, decided to strike out on his own to record his very first solo album, The Pain and the Progress. As Otto was enjoying the freedom and liberation of his new solo project, a funny thing happened: His new solo project turned into a band called Chemical Distance.

It wasn't supposed to happen. Otto had recorded a set of industrial tracks, handling much of the playing himself, but also working with a variety of contributors serving as studio musicians. When it came time to play the songs live, Otto began to assemble his "live band," which was intended to be an amorphus collection of musicians who would assist Otto in various configurations at shows. An inaugural show was booked at City Hall Plaza in Manchester, NH where Otto played guitar and sang, flanked by vocalist Michael Hauptly-Pierce (who also appears on the album), and bassist Matt Connarton (who had not recorded with Otto, but was invited to perform live). The live chemistry between the three was so strong that Otto felt compelled to shift gears and make it a band. And thus, Chemical Distance was born.