Butterfly Messiah began officially in the summer of 1998 as the product of two frustrated people who had been in bands together since 1995. Robert was making dark electronic music on the side and Shannon was creating ethereal masterpieces. With the dissipation of their first full time band, these side projects combined and have evolved into music that, in the words of The Plague's Dan Hinds, is "unfailingly unique", seeming to range between and seamlessly combine elements of Synthpop, Ethereal, and Industrial Dance/EBM. Shannon's lush, otherworldly voice bewilders and captivates as it soars over pounding beats and powerful synths. Shannon writes most of the rhythm and bass as well as a fair amount of poetry. Robert writes intricate, ritualistic chants, poetry and percussion with interwoven bass and synth sounds. Josh Harrington, the newest member, contributes keyboards and synths to enhance and embolden the overall sound. Unlike so many artists today, Butterfly Messiah's lyrics are very intelligent, combining social commentary with mystical insights, symbolism and deeply powerful personal references. Every song is laden with double, triple and quadruple meanings. The lyrics are worthy of reading along with the music and deep contemplation afterward. Shannon's occasional lyricless singing comes from a purely intuitive place where words sometimes fail to express spirit. Various aspects of Butterfly Messiah's sound have been compared to Front 242, Dead Can Dance, New Order, Miranda Sex Garden and Loreena McKennitt.