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William Breeze was born in Paris, France on 12 August 1955. As part of his musical training he is believed to have studied one term at Harvard University in the 1970s. He is a musician who plays electric viola, mandolin, guitar, bass and electronics. Breeze is also the current international leader of Ordo Templi Orientis under the name Hymenaeus Beta, under which name he is an editor of occult works.

Breeze was a member of Coil from 1997 through 2004, playing electric viola. Breeze is currently a member of the band Current 93.

Breeze has also played with Psychic TV and appears on Thee Fractured Garden (1995), Cold Blue Torch (1995), Trip Reset (1996) and Spatial Memory (1996) and is mostly credited as playing viola and viola synthesizer.

Breeze has been involved in the occult since at least August of 1978, when he was initiated into the Minerval degree of the "Caliphate" branch of Ordo Templi Orientis. During the next few years, he advanced through the Man of Earth degrees of O.T.O., taking his IV° & P.I. at Tahuti Lodge in New York City in January of 1985.

Following the death of Caliph Hymenaeus Alpha (Grady McMurtry), Breeze was elected as the new Caliph of the Ordo Templi Orientis in a special election by all the active IX° members of O.T.O. He assumed the name Hymenaeus Beta.

Breeze is well-known in the occult community (under his pseudonym Hymenaeus Beta) as the editor of many of the works of Aleister Crowley.

The works he has edited include:

• The Equinox, Volume III, Number 10, Weiser Books.
• The Equinox of the Gods, New Falcon Publications.
• The Heart of the Master & Other Papers, Thelema Media.
• The Law is for All, Thelema Media.
• Magick: Liber ABA: Book 4. Weiser Books.
• The General Principles of Astrology. Weiser Books. ISBN 0-87728-908-5
• Diary of a Drug Fiend. Red Wheel/Weiser.

• Koenig, Peter. All we want is a 'Caliph', The Ordo Templi Orientis Phenomenon. Retrieved May 25, 2005.
• Koenig, Peter. Minutes of the Special Ninth Degree Caliphate Election, The Ordo Templi Orientis Phenomenon. Retrieved May 25, 2005.

• William Breeze at the All Music Guide
• Bill Breeze at the All Music Guide
• William Breeze at Discogs
• Coil News 1997
• Coil News 1998-2004
• Photo of Breeze (right)