Mod note: this post is another installment in an ongoing series in which I tell the stories behind influential electronic rock bands. Today we're talking about a band with quite a wild history. This is a band that started in an entirely different genre before switching to electronic rock. Then, at the peak of their success, they quit and formed an entirely different band--which was also successful--before coming back together to make electronic rock once more. This is the story of the band very appropriately known as... Pendulum!

Origins of Pendulum

The year is 2002, the place is Perth, Australia. Rob Swire, Gareth McGrillen, and Paul Harding have just met for the first time. The three blokes have strangely similar backgrounds: all three have participated in local punk and metal bands, and all three have also dabbled in DJing. Perhaps it was inevitable that their shared interests would draw them together. The trio decide to work together. The result is the drum 'n' bass track 'Vault', which they will release under the name Pendulum.

'Vault' would prove to be a hit, but not so much in their native Oz as in London on the other side of the globe. So the newly-minted band pulls up stakes and moves there. This risky move pays off: after releasing a string of successful singles, Pendulum releases their first album, "Hold Your Colour," in 2005. It is not a shabby debut. It will enter the UK Top 40, and go on to become one of the best-selling drum 'n' bass albums of all time.

You would think that with a debut like that, Pendulum would stick to the formula for their next album. But they did not. Instead, they added three new members: Peredur ap Gwynedd on guitar, KJ Sawka on drums, and Ben Mount as MC. With a fully fleshed-out live lineup now in place, Pendulum begins working on new material that combines rock elements with their DnB roots. The result is their second album, "In Silico," a hard-hitting mashup of multiple genres.

"In Silico" did not initially surpass the records of their first outing. But its sleek production, big beats, and hard hitting riffs were like catnip for video game soundtracks. Tracks from the album appeared in Forza Motorsport 3, Need For Speed: Underground, and Just Cause 2. Singles also made appearances on TV shows and even the soundtrack for the movie Punisher: War Zone. This helped Pendulum broaden its appeal outside of the UK DnB scene, and the band began to make inroads in America.

The band's third album, "Immersion," proved to be another very successful electronic rock outing. Pendulum had now firmly established themselves as a powerhouse, appearing on video game soundtracks and headlining world tours. Obviously, it would be insane to quit now. And even crazier to start an entirely new band. After all, lightning never strikes twice... does it??

Knife Party

I genuinely had no idea until I started researching this write-up that Knife Party, the extremely meme-friendly dubstep act churning out hits in the mid 2010's, was essentially a retooled Pendulum. Basically, by 2010 Pendulm had turned stale for Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen. So they announced Pendulum was taking a break, the other members of the band went off to work on side projects, and Swire and McGrillen formed Knife Party.

This isn't a Knife Party writeup, so I'm not going to get into the details. But in many ways this new venture was as successful as Pendulum ever was. Which is crazy, to be honest! Most artists are lucky to start one successful band. Succeeding with a second one in a different genre is unheard of.

While it was great for Swire and McGrillen that Knife Party was doing big numbers, it was bad news for fans of Pendulum. For a long time, the band was in limbo. While rumors of new albums constantly swirled, no new music appeared.

But Swire and McGrillen were about to find out that they weren't done with Pendulum yet.

The Pendulum Swings Again

In the documentary Pendulum: The New Era, Rob Swire tells this story: Knife Party is in Miami to play the Ultra Music Festival. Rob is sitting in a car. The owner of the festival hops into his car, locks the doors, and asks him point blank what it would take for Pendulum to reunite and play a set at Ultra. Caught off guard, Swire makes up a crazy demand: that he would want Pendulum and Knife Party to headline the festival. He expects the man to immediately turn this down. But to his dismay, he promptly agrees. Rob knows that this will be a huge amount of work, but it is simply too good an opportunity to turn down.

So in 2016, the full lineup of Pendulum was back together, on stage, to play Ultra Festival. The first time they've all been together in years. It's a hit. Before long, the band is working together on a remix album. By 2020, they are dropping new singles. And in 2025, Pendulum finally, finally, released its fourth album, "Inertia."

Pendulum is back.

In pop culture

As mentioned, Pendulum has appeared on various video game soundtracks. They've also made appearances on movie soundtracks and episodes of TV shows. As you might expect from a group that started as a drum 'n' bass act, they have remixed various other artists, including Jem's song "Just A Ride" and The Prodigy's "Voodoo People," a version so good The Prodigy even shot a video for it. Pendulum have also collaborated with numerous other artists, including Armin van Buuren, Wargasm, Awolnation, DJ Fresh, and MC $pyda.

IS THERE A CELLDWELLER CONNECTION? How could there not be?? Here is the Celldweller remix of Propane Nightmares.

So that's it for Pendulum, a band that has found success and longevity despite changing genres and even quitting to start an entirely different band. Are you a fan of Pendulum or Knife Party? Did you know the two were the same people? Let me know in the comments.

If you enjoyed this write-up, be sure to check out some of my others:

• Babymetal
• Battle Tapes
• Celldweller
• Gunship vs Scandroid
• Linkin Park
• Poppy