Orange 9mm
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founder | Chaka Malik, Chris Traynor |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Music albums, EPs |
Orange 9mm is a post-hardcore group originating from New York City, established in 1994 by Chaka Malik and Chris Traynor after the disbandment of Malik's previous band, Burn.
History
The collaboration between Malik and Traynor started in 1992, culminating in the release of an EP in 1994 under Revelation Records, featuring Larry Gorman on drums and Eric Rice on bass. When Rice departed to join H2O, Davide Gentile took over bass duties, followed by Matthew Cross on drums. This ensemble recorded their first major label album, Driver Not Included, in 1995 for East West Records, a branch of Elektra Records. The recording sessions were led by producer Dave Jerden in Los Angeles, with additional tracks laid down later in New York City.
Mainstream success
Following the album’s release, Orange 9mm embarked on U.S. tours alongside bands such as Helmet, Quicksand, Korn, and Deftones, and participated in the inaugural Airwalk Sno-Core Tour. Their European tour included performances with Biohazard and sharing stages with the Offspring.
After Warner Music Group's label restructuring, they transitioned to Atlantic Records. During the recording of their sophomore album, Davide Gentile exited to focus on audio engineering. The record Tragic was produced by Dave Sardy in New York City. Initially, Chris Traynor covered bass responsibilities before Taylor McLam joined and contributed to the minor hit "Failure." Shortly before touring, Traynor left to become Helmet’s second guitarist. He was replaced by former Supertouch bassist Chris Vitali, while McLam switched to guitar.
To promote Tragic, Orange 9mm toured across the United States with acts including the Misfits, Deftones, Sick of it All, Ned's Atomic Dustbin, Local H, and Clutch. They also headlined shows alongside the Sisters of Mercy and Type O Negative.
Post-Tragic era
Following the conclusion of the Tragic tour cycle in 1997, Orange 9mm parted ways with Atlantic Records. In the years that followed, they engaged in extensive writing and recording influenced by diverse styles, performing sporadically and releasing a split EP exclusively in Japan.
During this timeframe, they released a five-track EP titled Ultraman vs. Godzilla through NG Records, an independent label distributed by BMG. This collaboration provided artistic liberty, resulting in over fifteen new compositions recorded during 1998 at Taylor McLam’s residence on Long Island. The sessions featured a raw and experimental approach incorporating progressive rhythms, additional percussion layers, and vintage synthesizers. Despite this creative output, only the song "Alien" was completed for inclusion on their third album, 1999’s Pretend I'm Human. Shortly thereafter, bassist Chris Vitali left to explore other ventures, leaving Malik, McLam, and Cross as a trio continuing their songwriting efforts.
After relocating to Los Angeles, the group worked with producer Neil Perry to develop a more experimental sound. Released in 1999, Pretend I'm Human showcased a shift toward electronica and rap influences while reducing guitar prominence. Following this release, Greg Eckelman joined as bassist and Alex Bongiorno as second guitarist—who was later replaced by Dan Spellman. Despite these lineup changes, the album experienced poor sales and internal conflicts ultimately resulted in the band’s breakup by mid-2000.
Reunion
An Instagram profile called orange9mmnyc appeared in mid-2018, igniting rumors among fans about a possible comeback. In March 2024, Orange 9mm formally declared their reunion, featuring Malik on vocals, McLam handling guitars, Cory Bonfiglio on bass, and Chris Enríquez on drums.
Members
- Current lineup
- Chaka Malik – vocals, percussion (1994–2000, 2024–present)
- Taylor McLam – guitars (1996–2000, 2024–present); bass (1996)
- Cory Bonfiglio – bass (2024–present)
- Chris Enríquez – drums (2024–present)
- Past members
- Chris Traynor – guitars (1994–1996)
- Eric Rice – bass (1994)
- Larry Gorman – drums (1994)
- Davide Gentile – bass (1994–1996)
- Matthew Cross – drums (1994–2000)
- Chris Vitali – bass (1996–1998)
- Greg Eckelman – bass (1999–2000)
- Alex Bongiorno – guitars (1999)
- Dan Spellman – guitars (1999–2000)
Timeline
Color indicates primary live role.
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Colors =
id:Vocals value:red legend:Vocals,_percussion id:Guitars value:green legend:Guitars id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums id:album value:black legend:Album id:ep value:gray(0.50) legend:EP id:bars value:gray(0.95)
BackgroundColors = bars:bars
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3
ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:01/01/1995 ScaleMinor = increment:2 start:01/01/1996
LineData =
layer:back color:album width:2 at:02/15/1995 at:07/26/1996 at:06/15/1999 color:ep width:2 at:07/14/1994 at:03/03/1998
BarData =
bar:Chaka text:"Chaka Malik" bar:ChrisT text:"Chris Traynor" bar:Taylor text:"Taylor McLam" bar:Alex text:"Alex Bongiorno" bar:Dan text:"Dan Spellman" bar:Eric text:"Eric Rice" bar:Davide text:"Davide Gentile" bar:ChrisV text:"Chris Vitali" bar:Greg text:"Greg Eckelman" bar:Cory text:"Cory Bonfiglio" bar:Larry text:"Larry Gorman" bar:Matthew text:"Matthew Cross" bar:ChrisE text:"Chris Enríquez"
PlotData=
width:11 textcolor:green align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Chaka from:02/01/1994 till:02/01/2000 color:Vocals bar:Chaka from:03/02/2024 till:end color:Vocals bar:ChrisT from:02/01/1994 till:08/20/1996 color:Guitars bar:Taylor from:05/01/1996 till:08/20/1996 color:Bass bar:Taylor from:08/20/1996 till:02/01/2000 color:Guitars bar:Taylor from:03/02/2024 till:end color:Guitars bar:Alex from:06/20/1999 till:07/20/1999 color:Guitars bar:Dan from:07/20/1999 till:02/01/2000 color:Guitars bar:Larry from:02/01/1994 till:11/01/1994 color:Drums bar:Matthew from:11/01/1994 till:02/01/2000 color:Drums bar:ChrisE from:03/02/2024 till:end color:Drums bar:Eric from:02/01/1994 till:07/20/1994 color:Bass bar:Davide from:07/20/1994 till:05/01/1996 color:Bass bar:ChrisV from:08/20/1996 till:07/01/1998 color:Bass bar:Greg from:06/20/1999 till:02/01/2000 color:Bass bar:Cory from:03/02/2024 till:end color:Bass
</timeline>
Albums
| Year | Album information | US | Sales figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Driver Not Included
|
17 | |
| 1996 | Tragic
|
44 | US sales: 47,756+ |
| 1999 | Pretend I'm Human
|
— |
EPs
| Year | Record details |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Orange 9mm
|
| 1998 | Ultraman vs. Godzilla
|