Ego Likeness was created in 1999 by artist Steven Archer, a DC native, and writer Donna Lynch in Baltimore, Maryland. Taking their name from Frank Herbert’s classic science fiction novel 'Dune', the band began as an experimental/ dark trip hop project. A demo called ‘Songs From a Dead City’, recorded on a four track, was released in 1999.

By 2000, Archer and Lynch were moving the project in a darker electronic/ dance direction, resulting in a self-released full length album entitled ‘Dragonfly’.

After a short hiatus from recording and a lengthy period of trial, error, and revision, and many regional live performances, Ego Likeness signed with Dancing Ferret Discs for the release of 2004’s ‘Water to the Dead’. This album featured the band’s electronic roots while exploring a bit of a heavier rock
sound.

2005 saw the band tour Germany, Luxembourg, and the continental US with label mates The Cruxshadows, as well as performing at several festivals on the east and west coast, including Convergence 11 (San Diego CA), Dracula’s Ball (Philadelphia PA), Black Sun Festival I (New Haven CT), Freaks United (DC), Eccentrik Festival I (Raleigh NC), and others.

Their first album ‘Dragonfly’ was re-released on Dancing Ferret Discs in 2005.

In 2006, EL toured Germany once again with The Cruxshadows, preformed at Dragon Con in Atlanta GA, and released their third full length CD 'The Order of the Reptile' (DFD), an album that brings together several of EL's past styles, including darkwave, trip-hop, and rock.

The winter of 2006-2007 saw another US tour with The Cruxshadows and Ayria.

In late autumn of 2007, EL was back in Germany, as well as Poland, and the UK with alfa matrix act Ayria (Canada) and Australia's Angelspit (DFD). The band also released the first of four limited edition EP's entitled 'South'.

In early 2008 they headlined a warm-up tour of the US and performed at Black Sun IV before setting off with Voltaire in the spring for his month-long Maiden Voyage Tour. 2008-2009 will see the release of a single, 'The Lowest Place on Earth', the 'North', 'West', and 'East' EPs, and their fourth full length album. EL has also been invited back to perform at Dragon Con 2008 in Atlanta.

In addition to The Cruxshadows, they have had the honour to share the stage with Voltaire, The Damned, Chris Connelly, Collide, Razed in Black, Bella Morte, Das Ich, Rasputina, The Start, Iris, Decoded Feedback, The Azoic, More Machine Than Man, In Strict Confidence, Combichrist, Stromkern, Hypofixx, New Model Army, Angelspit, Ayria, Zombie Girl, And One, Seabound, Attrition, Assemblage 23, and many others.

They have appeared on numerous compilation CDs, including several Asleep by Dawn and Hot Topic releases and 'Where's Neil When You Need Him?' (a tribute to the work of author Neil Gaiman, DFD 2006); released remixes for The Cruxshadows (Cassandra-Fortress in Flames), The Last Dance (Terribly When- Reflections of Rage), Thou Shalt Not (Inside of You, In Spite of You- The Projectionist), Black Tape for a Blue Girl (Tarnished- Scarecrow), and Angelspit (Vena Cava- Krankhaus), and more;and appeared on Voltaire's album 'Then and Again'. EL has been featured in publications such as Gothic Beauty, Outburn, ABD, Sideline, Pollstar, and Sonic Seducer, to name a few.

 

Archer and Lynch have been married since October of 1999 and currently live in Baltimore MD with two hairless cats.

Steven is the creator of the atmospheric electronica project Hopeful Machines, and performs with the DC industrial/ power noise act Blind Till Now.

He is also a resident DJ at Spellbound in DC and Ascension in Baltimore.

Archer and Lynch make up the experimental/ spoken word outfit The Trinity Project and have released two albums under that name-' The Trinity Project I' (2001) and 'The Subtle Movements of the Entropy Engine' (2003), which are available for download on the MUSIC page of this site.

Steven, a graduate of The Corcoran School of Art, continues to exhibit paintings and mixed media pieces in various galleries, stores, conventions and venues throughout the US, and online through the band's Live Journal. He is also a regular contributor to Weird Tales Magazine and Steampunk Magazine. He is the author of a children's book, 'Luna Maris' (Imaginary Books, 2008).

In addition to numerous poems and short stories, Donna has released two collections of poetry: 'In My Mouth' (2000) and 'Ladies & Other Vicious Creatures' (2007 Raw Dog Screaming Press). Her first novel 'Isabel Burning' debuts on August 15th, 2008 through Raw Dog Screaming Press.

She has also collaborated with Steven on several art projects, including a handmade, limited edition illustrated book called 'Twenty-Six (An Uncommon Book of ABCs)' and a series of Key and Lock paintings, which will be released as a complete collection in book form in the future.

 

Current line up:
Steven Archer- Guitar/ Programming/ Music & Words/ Vocals
Donna Lynch- Vocals/ Piano/ Synths/Words & Music