Cinema Strange is a gothic/death rock band from Southern California, founded as a high school four piece in 1994. Their origins were rooted in the traditional death rock sounds of the 1980’s, inspired by acts such as the Sex Gang Children, Southern Death Cult, Bauhaus, and Christian Death. 1994 saw the release of their demo cassette featuring vocalist Lucas Lanthier, guitarist Colin O’Donnell, bassist Daniel Ribiat, and drummer Alex Restrepo.
They would go on to simplify their lineup to two members, Lucas on vocals and Daniel on bass, with accompanied synths and drum machine to fill out their change in sound. This can be heard on their second cassette ‘Acrobat Amaranth Automaton’, released in 1996.
Michael Ribiat, youngest sibling of Daniel, was playing keyboards in his own high school formed death rock band Vox ab Nihil along with vocalist James Powell, bass player Joshua Moreau, and drummer Danny Walker, while learning to play and add guitar to his repertoire. He would occasionally play guitar during Cinema Strange practices which would lead towards his addition in the band for three out of their four newer songs recorded for two separate 7” vinyl releases, as well as contributing keyboards for their cover of David Bowie’s ‘Time’ on the Cleopatra Records tribute compilation ‘Goth Oddity’ released in 1999.
Cinema Strange, now a touring three-piece, would go on to sign with German record label Trisol, which saw the rerelease of their second cassette and two 7” vinyl records onto a singular self titled cd by the year 2000. This would be followed up by their album ‘The Astonished Eyes Of Evening’ released in 2002.
In 2004 they would release a limited edition boxed set titled ‘A Cinema Strange 10th Anniversary Novelty Product’, which included their original 1994 demo, finally on cd, accompanied by a reworking of the same material with Michael now on guitar, and the addition of former Vox ab Nihil drummer Danny Walker to the group.
A dvd home video release titled ‘Pressed Flowers / Squashed Blossoms’ followed in 2005. Including both a live show from 11/15/03 in Strasbourg, as well as a documentary directed by both Lucas Lanthier and former Cinema Strange drummer Alex Restrepo.
Lucas would go on to start another music project known as The Deadfly Ensemble with former Vox ab Nihil vocalist James Powell on various instruments. In 2006 they would release their first album ‘An Entire Wardrobe Of Doubt And Uncertainty’ on Trisol.
Also in 2006 Cinema Strange, now back to being a quartet, would release their album ‘Quatorze Exemples Authentiques Du Triomphe De La Musique Décorative’ on cd. This included a second disc of two short stories, both written and read by Lucas.
Since their 2006 album release they have played live shows sporadically throughout the years. Lucas has continued to tour with his project The Deadfly Ensemble, also at times solo under just Lucas Lanthier. He has even performed entire shows of Cinema Strange material under variations of the name Lucas Lanthier and His Esteemed Colleagues.
