Tony Campos is one of just two members of the 15-year-old band Static-X that has the whole perspective on their journey.

Campos, bass player, and frontman Wayne Static are the only two original members who have played together the whole way through. They’ve seen band members come and go. They’ve gone from platinum success with their first album, “Wisconsin Death Trip,” in 2001 to never quite matching that success. They’ve seen a cult-like following stay true throughout the years. And they’ve managed to stay in what Campos calls a happy medium between obscurity and mainstream.

“We’re not like all over the radio, but we get some airplay,” said Campos, whose band is performing on the Pedal to the Metal Tour, which stops at the Alltel Wednesday. “Having said that, I don’t think we’re anywhere near the mainstream either, like Linkin Park kind of airplay. I think we found a happy medium.”

The many who do know Static-X’s music have described it as industrial metal, hardcore music with unique electronic aspects — distortion, synthesizers and electronic keyboards, in addition to aggressive and fast vocals by Static. Songs are also known to include sounds from movies, such as the spaceship drone and alien chatter from the movie “Laserblast” on the song “A Dios Alma Perdida.”

“Evil disco” is a term some have thrown out to describe the sound. Campos admits that’s his fault.

“I’m kind of responsible for that label,” he said. “It started out as a joke. One of the first interviews we did for a local rag in Los Angeles, when I described us, I jokingly called it evil disco.”

Industrial metal isn’t what Campos and Static set out to do. Originally, they were more of a grunge band, trying different sounds and experimenting with punk akin to Black Flag and the Circle Jerks.

Ministry was a big influence on the two, a mainstream band known for its industrial metal sound. Static started playing around with a drum machine and incorporating other sounds, and they both liked what they heard.

“We figured we hit on something pretty cool,” Campos said.

The band formed in 1994 in L.A. with Static, Campos and Koichi Fukuda on keyboards. They signed with Warner Bros. Records in 1998 and released “Wisconsin Death Trip” in 1999, which garnered the singles “Push It,” “I’m With Stupid” and “Bled for Days.”

The album’s success helped land the band a spot on the Ozzfest tour twice. Various tracks also were used in video game soundtracks and other promotions.

Their follow-up album, “Machine,” came out in 2001. Fukuda left the band during the recording of it, but returned several years later.

The band’s third album was called “Shadow Zone,” and in 2004, they released “Beneath ... Between ... Beyond,” a collection of rarely heard songs and demos. “Start of War” came out shortly after in 2005, “Cannibal” was released in 2007, and the band’s latest album, “Cult of Static,” came out in 2008. The band released its first live CD/DVD, “Cannibal Killers Live,” in October of 2008.

Throughout the past 10 years, the line-up

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to change, finally arriving at Static (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards, programming), Fukuda (lead guitars), Campos (bass, backing vocals) and Nick Oshiro (percussion).

In addition to playing with Static-X, Campos said he was honored when he was asked to temporarily tour with Ministry as the bassist for Ministry’s “C U LaTour” in 2007 after their bandmate Paul Raven died and the band was preparing to break up.

“As a fan, I was really sad to see Ministry go,” Campos said. “To get to be a part of that final touring group, that was amazing. ... I got home, and I woke up the next day, and I thought, ‘Did that really just happen?’”

Most recently Static-X has been touring “Cult of Static,” which Static describes as having longer buildups and break downs in the songs, reminiscent of “Wisconsin Death Trip.”

“(The album) is more stripped down, more raw sounding,” Campos said. “It’s got more of the slower-tempo, darker-sounding songs on there as well. This album kind of takes you on a little trip.”

On the Pedal to the Metal Tour — also featuring Mudvayne, Black Label Society, Bury Your Dead, Suicide Silence and Hellzapoppin — the band has been playing career-spanning material, songs that fans will recognize and get into it.

“They’re going to have a good time,” Campos said.

If You Go
What
Pedal to the Metal Tour, featuring Mudvayne, Black Label Society, Static-X, Bury Your Dead, Suicide Silence and Hellzapoppin
When
6 p.m. Wednesday at the Alltel Center
Tickets
$35, available at the Alltel Center Ticket Office and all Ticket master locations. Charge by phone at 800-745-3000, or online at Ticketmaster