My Industrial Project

#033 - Collide

2010-12-13T14:29:00.000+02:00

Gothic female vocals are something that are not that compelling to me at least (of course there's always exceptions). And that's the reason why Collide is not waking up any true feelings in me. A male/female duo consisting of Statik and kaRIN (even the names are little stupid as so often with gothic stuff). Their sound is quite nice, but still this ambient incluenced synthpop is not hot enough.

Born early 90s, they have released already eight albums (couple of those are remixes though), so they do know what to do in the studio. You can clearly hear that also while listening at least their newer stuff. Older material is actually little bit harder, and sounds even better compared to their more ambient sound. BTW, they have been tagged also as darkwave at least with their older albums.

They definately must have some real following. Unfortunately I won't join that movement (at least not yet). Here's a bit more mellow track from their 2003 released Some Kind of Strange album.

Some links:
http://www.collide.net
http://www.myspace.com/collide
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collide_%28band%29
http://www.last.fm/music/collide
http://open.spotify.com/artist/2ybEnEKYd8hw5Mag7uieQa

#032 - Cobalt 60

2010-12-13T13:47:00.000+02:00

Front 242 is one of the better known names in industrial genre. They could even given a "legend" tag. Cobalt 60 has close linkage to this group. Formed by Front 242 vocalist Jean-Luc De Meyer and machines handled by Dominique Lallement, they released two albums at the end of the 90s.

Named after a radioactive isotope of cobalt, Cobalt 60 was a little bit different group compared to other contemporary acts, since they used quitars - even though that is really common nowadays in industrial music also. Overall their sound is quite bombastic. De Meyer sounds really "german" with his commanding vocals and Lallement's "machines" produce really classical industrial sounds to back him up. Also lots of symphonic elements are combined into their sound.

Cobalt 60 is really surprising and interesting act. Check them out. Here's the opening track of their debut album Elemental released 1996.

Some links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt_60_%28band%29
http://www.last.fm/music/cobalt+60
http://open.spotify.com/artist/766rOEGuh3SJNXQyjjQkSv

#031 - Clan of Xymox

2010-12-13T12:15:00.001+02:00

Darkwave is again one of the genres names, that I haven't "used" before. OK, it's quite obvious what that should be and I'd say that this is again "just another genre among the millions of others". Clan of Xymox has been linked to this darkwave movement, which started already late 70s. If it sounds like post-punk, looks like post-punk, feels like post-punk, why it must be called darkwave? Who knows!

Clan of Xymox combines quite nicely some industrial elements to their sound. But nothing totally new can be found here. But anyway they've been in front of the movement, since starting already early 80s. Long history already behind them, but they are still alive and kicking (and actually quite hard even, if you listen their latest In Love We Trust album from 2009).

I've heard their name before, but wasn't familiar with their sound at all. Little bit too much 80s here for my taste, but nice and easy sound anyway. Here's a nice sample from their latest effort.

Some links:
http://www.clanofxymox.com
http://www.myspace.com/clanofxymox
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_of_Xymox
http://www.last.fm/music/Clan+of+Xymox
http://open.spotify.com/artist/1wHmR7I0UlF58WFQexCPha

#030 - Chemlab

2010-07-13T14:15:00.000+03:00

Even though being one of the early bands (formed already 1989, as a reference NIN and Godflesh are formed 1988) in this industrial metal genre, I've never even heard of Chemlab. Maybe it's due the fact that band split up already 1997 only to made a comeback 2004. That might be the reason they "never made it" really.

Run by two main members, Dylan Thomas More and Jared Louche, and having additional members with backgrounds from many interesting industrial band, Chemlab have toured with bunch of "well-known names" in the industrial metal genre including White Zombie, KMFDM and Nine Inch Nails. But I assume they more or less stayed in US side of the Atlantic.

The old albums sounds really relevant still today (it's not that common with 15 years old industrial albums). There's something catchy in their sound, a bit similar as Pitchshifter in their prime. Here's a sample from their debut album Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar released 1993.

Some links:
http://www.hydrogenbar.com
http://www.myspace.com/chemlab
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemlab
http://www.last.fm/music/Chemlab
http://open.spotify.com/artist/6fJTyAeSgv4A1LR9LamLnY

#029 - Celldweller

2010-07-13T13:49:00.001+03:00

First time now when I crash into an artist that I've wrote already earlier. Celldweller is electronic rock project created by multi-instrumentalist Klayton (aka Scott Albert) who has been earlier working with for example Argyle Park (or AP2 which I wrote earlier). Celldweller is anyway by far the best known act Klayton has been involved.

Musically I have to say I kinda like this poppier sound of Celldweller. Even though normally I'm not so into this kind of approach, Celldweller must do something right - maybe this reminds about those numetal-era industrial influenced bands (I have to admit that I liked that crap) like Apartment 26 or The Union Underground.

Anyway I give thumbs up for this one, even though it's nothing really special. Here's Switchback from eponymous debut album.

Some links:
http://www.celldweller.com
http://www.myspace.com/celldweller
http://www.youtube.com/user/celldweller
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celldweller
http://www.last.fm/music/Celldweller
http://open.spotify.com/artist/4BKyei61gtyDFxlKhcvBJJ

#028 - Cdatakill

2010-06-30T13:41:00.000+03:00

Now we are jumping more noisier side of industrial. Even though combining lots of different sound Zak Roberts from Denver, Colorado concentrates anyway more on the extreme side of electronic music. Even going all the way to pure noise and ambient. But there is nice melodies also attached at least partly and also mixing some world music type of elements to the sound makes it more interesting. In some songs I can even hear similarities to Serj Tankian's Serart project. These songs start to get really hypnotic after few minutes. That can't be bad, it's how this kind of music should work. So I have to admit that Cdatakill delivers what it has promised.

Roberts has made made music since mid-90s, but if I've understood correctly Cdatakill was born around Millenium. At least first Black & Red EP is said to be released in 2001. After that Cdatakill has released quite a lot of stuff. Of course many of those are 7"s and 12"s, but he has also released some CD albums lately via Ad Noiseam.

Here's one sample from 2006 released Valentine album.

Some links:
http://cdatakill.c8.com
http://www.myspace.com/cdatakill
http://www.last.fm/music/Cdatakill
http://open.spotify.com/artist/34idl8qZIibH1ndfsqaSQ8

#027 - Cat Rapes Dog

2010-06-30T13:24:00.000+03:00

First time I started to listen this electropunk band from Sweden I thougt this was total crap. But after couple of rounds this realll started to stick to back of my head. Actually this is quite OK stuff. Nothing brilliant though, but anyway it was better to have another tasting on this one. Combining electro sounds with punk and metal guitars with EBM creates quite nice overall sound.

Formed already 1984, they've released their latest album in 1999, called People as Prey (first track is named Eating People Is Fun [niiiice!!!]). But at least according couple in Internet source they haven't actually called it quits. Some demos have surfed the net after that also, but it has been really silent. Their homepage latest update is already over one year old. So lets see if they actually come back someday.

Here's strangly named Moosehair Underwear.

Some links:
http://www.crd.se
http://www.myspace.com/1cat1dog
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Rapes_Dog
http://www.last.fm/music/Cat%2520Rapes%2520Dog
http://open.spotify.com/artist/1VohfJ3VBeTNblM4udW4DH

#026 - Cabaret Voltaire

2010-06-30T13:10:00.000+03:00

Cabaret Voltaire has some sort of "legend" sticker attached to them. Band was signed to indie labels more or less all their career that ended in mid-90s. Even though reunion rumors were out there end of the 90s it never happened. They had quite nice chart success even in the UK. In 15 years they released 15 albums, nice amount of compilation (including several after their split-up).

To my taste Cabaret Voltaire is way too "sound of the 80s". I was too young then to actually understand anything about this kind stuff. Their sound describes quite nicely what was going on then. Their career included many different eras though - from postpunk to synthpop and eventually even techno. But still this 80s sound is something that combines everything under one flag.

Here's one sample of that sound. Yashar was released orignally as a single in 1982 via legendary Factory Records.

Some links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabaret_Voltaire_%28band%29
http://www.last.fm/music/Cabaret%2520Voltaire
http://open.spotify.com/artist/2kS4yz85MaZlxp2VaS3BEe

#025 - Bong-ra

2010-06-11T13:32:00.000+03:00

Now I have to say that I hit the first jackpot - this is why I started this project. Bong-ra, haling from Netherlands, is a breakcore group (have to say I've no idea what breakcore means, but I seem to like it) founded 1996 and they've released lots of 7"'s, 12"'s and EPs, but I have to say I've no idea how they discography should be read - at least some albums seem to be collections of those "smaller" records.

Well, who cares about the actual releases. At least from Spotify you can find quite many tracks and when I first tested the first track of their Spotify list I was sold. Their combination of techno, industrial, rap, alternative, metal, jazz, younamethenexttengenres is so catchy that you can't resist. You just have to dive in there and feel the noise.

Their style is described also as raggacore and some tracks sounds just like Skindred (which is one of the better bands I know). But overall this band is just taking too many right pills when they start "jamming". And they're definately having real sense of irony. Here's that "first track" I tested also - 666mph.

Some links:
http://www.bong-ra.com
http://www.myspace.com/teambongra
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bong-Ra
http://www.last.fm/music/Bong-Ra
http://open.spotify.com/artist/6dD5LzTwdYS3gRvRSCOIVP

#024 - Blood

2010-05-28T14:20:00.001+03:00

First time in Japan during this project. From there we find a group called Blood, who actually ended their career last year. Wikipedia tells the following: "Blood's aim was to create music that expresses the meaning of human emotion that breaks the musical frame. They were closely associated with visual kei, but the band referred to themselves as a gothic band". Well... They sound a bit like gothic from time to time, but to me this reminds too often those horrid Eurovision song contest "artists".

There's some songs that are more "industrial" like material and those sound much better. But overall I have to say that this sucks, I've never really got this visual-kei stuff and this proves again, that it might not be something that I should waste my time on.

Some links:
http://www.darkestlabyrinth.jp
http://www.myspace.com/bloodofficial
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_%28band%29
http://www.last.fm/music/%EF%BC%A2%EF%BC%AC%EF%BC%AF%EF%BC%AF%EF%BC%A4
http://open.spotify.com/artist/0g5EF7OrwJkdzrahvQKyZ1

#023 - Bile

2010-05-26T16:00:00.001+03:00

A lets jump back to USA. From there we find a band called Bile. The group is lead by thrash metal band Napalm's former vocalist Krztoff (he's also active member in legendary Pigface). Band was founded 1992 and they've become known for performances including up to eleven people on-stage — including a dominatrix and fire-breather. They've released something like ten albums (some of those must be compilations though). Latest, Hate Radio, coming out last year.

When I start listening first track from Hate Radio album, I keep on wondering who the hell they sound like. Like the Plague sounds so familiar, can someone tell which song that track sounds like? Anyway, their combination of Ministry-like industrial meets even more metallic side of industrial (they have been tagged even with grindcore in Last.fm, which is little bit too much though) sounds really good and songs are catchy. Nightmare Before Krztoff sounds actually really spooky even, which is of course the point also. Overall Bile is really nice surprise.

Here's a track from their Sex Reflex album called In League. Song is featured also in movie Strangeland written by Dee Snyder of Twisted Sister.

Some links:
http://www.teknowhore.com
http://www.myspace.com/bile
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bile_%28band%29
http://www.last.fm/music/Bile
http://open.spotify.com/artist/7rBp0ChNSds53ArYsOJNSj

#022 - Bigod 20

2010-05-26T15:27:00.004+03:00

Suprisingly again from Germany comes now already defunct Bigod 20. The band, categorized as EBM or electro-industrial, was formed already in 1988 by producers Andreas Tomalla and Markus Nikolai. So we have a duo here again. They release two albums in early 90s, which both are available in Spotify. Of course lots of singles are also released during their under 10 years career. Band was actually eventually signed to legendary Sire Records.

Bands sound is actually still very relevant and interesting. Although they don't reach any mindblowing levels, overall these albums are really nice to listen. Using a lot of speach sections in their songs and varying the vocals a lot between the songs, they keep the interest level up all the time.

Here's a clip from Carpe Diem single which is actually not included to any album.

Some links:
http://www.myspace.com/bigod20official
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigod_20
http://www.last.fm/music/Bigod+20
http://open.spotify.com/artist/6ShRDU9xWQPPKJQobL61Xd

#021 - Bella Morte

2010-04-19T15:21:00.000+03:00

From America, more precisely from Charlottesville, Virginia, comes a gothic industrial combo called Bella Morte (I think this translates to Beutiful Death which is actually their latest album also). I've always had little problems with this whole gothic thing. Most of the time these bands just sounds so fake. Everything is so "bloody" dark and gloomy. And at the same time you're so transparently populist.

Founded already 1996 has a lot more industrial elements in their sound on their earlier releases. Latest offerings unfortunately contains much less samplings and they sound more and more just another gothic rock band. And I have to say that I'm not surprised why HIM is so big in America. This is just again just another gothic nail to that coffin that that one day will be buried and maybe then they won't rise anymore.

The earlier records sounds little bit better, but still that gothic twist ruins everything..

Some links:
http://www.bellamorte.com
http://www.myspace.com/bellamorte
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bella_Morte
http://www.last.fm/music/Bella%2520Morte
http://open.spotify.com/artist/2SyimynlSU0Oii7p3NYtSV

#020 - Bahntier

2010-04-19T15:01:00.001+03:00

Bahntier is an Italian trio originally founded 1999. The founder of the group is Stefano Rossello, who was the sole member also in the beginning. After a year Filippo Corradin and Justin Bennett (live drummer for Skinny Puppy) joined the group. They are signed to Rustblade which is an Italian independent label run by Stefano Rossello.

I don't quite get what Bahntier tries to achieve. Backgrounds are way too simple to create any real atmosphere, vocals are really bland and arrangements really unsurprising. Maybe they try to catch some noise atmosphere, but I've to say this is quite boring. At least based on 2005 released Revulsive.

Some links:
http://www.bahntier.com
http://www.myspace.com/bahtier
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahntier
http://www.last.fm/music/Bahntier
http://open.spotify.com/artist/0OMQ0wxQhRGHacUNW7BWz3

#019 - Ayria

2010-04-09T09:58:00.001+03:00

Last artist starting with letter A on my list at the moment that can be found from Spotify (doesn't mean that I'm done with these, I just come back to these later).

Again interesting sounds from Canada. This country seem to have some real issues with this kind of music, since so many good artist in industrial scene comes from Canada. Ayria (pronounced area) is a futurepop project formed by it's vocalist Jennifer Parkin.Signed to Belgian label Alfa Matrix they've released three albums and two EPs since formation 2003.

Ayrias sound is quite minimal but i have to say I like the combination of real simple backgrounds and Parkins melodic vocals. I can't say that this is something that would rock my world in any way, but I definately check these later if I somewhere crash to them. Here's a video trackMy Device from their Flicker album released 2005.

Have to mention also that they've made also Deftones cover Change. I've liked Deftones many many year and I have to say that cover version was a total waste of time. No new ideas inserted there and it was just boring interpretation, there was no sound of Ayria in that. Don't do those kind of version anymore.

Some links:
http://www.ayria.com
http://www.myspace.com/ayria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayria
http://www.last.fm/music/Ayria
http://open.spotify.com/artist/4BTJnYa0TMqVLjAJ0yFoOE

#018 - Atrocity

2010-04-09T09:29:00.001+03:00

German Atrocity has not that much to do with industrial. Their history is more like travelling from death metal to gothic and power metal kinda world while adding some small industrial elements to this mix. The portion of these elements is anyway quite small. This industrial "sticker" most propably comes from their 1995 released Die Liebe album which they did in collaboration with fellow countrymen Das Ich who are much much more electro oriented.

That album is actually much more interesting also compared to Atrocitys normal sound. Combining the metallic side of Atrocity with dark or even black sound of Das Ich, the combination sounds really haunting at it's best. Check out this title track for example (the sound could be little bit better in that YouTube though, but you get the idea).

One thing have to be mentioned still. Atrocity has done two cover albums also where they give their view on some 80s disco hits like Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, People are People by Depeche Mode and Don't you Forget About Me by Simple Minds just to mention few from that "second coming" album Werk 80 II.

WARNING! Don't touch those, those are dangerous.

Some links:
http://www.atrocity.de
http://www.myspace.com/atrocitypage
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrocity_%28band%29
http://www.last.fm/music/Atrocity
http://open.spotify.com/artist/050NpEYZ5xFUS1BOAZjVmX

#017 - Astrovamps

2010-03-26T14:29:00.001+02:00

Not so much an industrial band anymore, but since it's somewhere linked to industrial also lets check this also. Coming from Los Angeles Astrovamps is described as death rock band. I'd say this is more like b-movie kinda horror punk, which I usually like quite a lot. Founded early 90s and they released four albums before disbanding late 2007.

As mentioned I'm quite into this kind of dark, ironic and sinister punk that can be described as musical version of b-movies. But unfortunately I have to admit that, I don't like Astrovamps version so much. It just not go far enough and everything seems just too sloppy. This has been done so much better also that I just don't like to waste my time too much on this one. You either got IT or not and my verdict on this case is: you don't have IT.

Here's one sample from their Amerikan Gothick (2004) album song called Alice in Gothland (SIC!).

Some links:
http://www.astrovamps.com
http://www.myspace.com/astrovamps
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrovamps
http://www.last.fm/music/Astrovamps
http://open.spotify.com/artist/3WPARgSLhpj9JFHCwcfelz

#016 - Assemblage 23

2010-03-26T14:12:00.001+02:00

Founded already 1988 in Seattle, USA Assemblage 23 represents a little bit different seattle sound compared to grunge. This "band" is a brain child of it's sole member Tom Shear. It started when he was experimenting with electronic music when he was the opening act for Depeche Mode late 80s. Depeche Mode must be also one of the key influence for Assemblage 23.

I like his soudn quite a lot. Really poppy sound and reminds quite a lot about Depeche Mode as mentioned. Since starting his label career (surprise surprise he's on Metropolis also nowadays) the sound hasn't changed that much. If you compare the 2001 released Failure to Compass released last year, of course there's some changes since especially this kind of music has had quite a big jumps soundwise. But the overall feeling is quite similar. Have to get more familiar with this guys also in the future. I definately recommend to check this one.

Here's a sample from 2007 released Meta album, a song called Damaged.

Some links:
http://www.assemblage23.com
http://www.myspace.com/officialassemblage23
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assemblage_23
http://www.last.fm/music/Assemblage%252023
http://open.spotify.com/artist/7pwThElmrxl0pjTwXMojCx

#015 - Asmodeus X

2010-03-17T15:31:00.000+02:00

This electro-indu-goth due from USA sounds surprisingly lot like those German counterparts. Lead vocalist Paul Fredric has some really strange accent, he must have some German roots. The band has said to be influenced by the music of Laibach, Kraftwerk, Death in June and Front 242 so that might explaind that vocal works orientation. Band was founded by Fredric with Brad Marshal when their old goth band Morphine Angel disbanded.

I have to admit that I don't like the vocals at all, it just sounds stoopid. Maybe I should have been born little bit earlier so I would have got into this 80s kinda industrial/synth/electro sound. Asmodeus X is a strange group in that sence also that even thought their sound is straight from the Eighties its roots go only back to 1999. Well they must like that sound then, well I don't.

But you judge yourself. Here's a track called MuZ. Don't know from which album this is taken, but you get the idea.

Some links:
http://www.asmodeusx.com
http://www.myspace.com/asmodeusx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asmodeus_X
http://www.last.fm/music/Asmodeus%2520X
http://open.spotify.com/artist/40aXgEzU7Hyhuvb7tOLb8d

#014 - Ascension of the Watchers

2010-03-17T14:01:00.001+02:00

And then another Fear Factory related artist just after Arkaea. Ascension of the Watchers is a band formed by Fear Factory vocalist Burton C. Bell together with keyboardist John Bechdel whose back catalogue is really impressing at least in industrial metal environment. He's been in Ministry, Fear Factory, Killing Joke, Prong, Murder, Inc. among others. They also added guitarist Edu Messi to the lineup later.

After self released early career EP Iconoclast they've released one album Numinosum throught former Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen's label 13th Planet Records. Numinosum is really ambient influenced album, some might say also gothish. I fell in love with their sound immediately. There's something really catchy in their works. Bell's vocals are also much more cleaner compared to Fear Factory and that just works perfectly with the backgrounds.

Here's one example from that debut album. An animated video for the song Residual Presence.

Some links:
http://www.thewatchers.org
http://www.myspace.com/aotw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascension_of_the_Watchers
http://www.last.fm/music/Ascension%20of%20the%20Watchers
http://open.spotify.com/artist/0O8vxTRA2m8oHMPquL6tlz

#013 - Arkaea

2010-03-11T09:21:00.002+02:00

When I first heard about this band my expectations went up quite fast. Anyway in this band you have two former Fear Factory men Christian Olde Wolbers and
Raymond Herrera who actually founded the band. And i have to admit that I like Fear Factory quite a lot. I had also heard about band called Threat Signal whose vocalist Jon Howard and bassist Pat Kavanagh are the two other guys in this band.

Overall I was anyway little bit dissapointed their overall performance with their debut album Years in the Darkness which was releases in summer 2009. Surely this has the elements of Fear Factory, no surprise since Wolbers and Herrera have admitted that half of the songs are originally intented to be in the Fear Factory album. But I think since the situation has changed quite dramatically in that band lately they just decided to use those songs with their new band.

All the components are here and nicely positioned also, but "THE THING" is missing. Anyway here's their video track Locust from that so far only album.

Some links:
http://arkaea.ning.com
http://www.myspace.com/arkaea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkaea
http://www.last.fm/music/Arkaea
http://open.spotify.com/artist/2BHzqg2toz6AFz5JWJD6Zr

#012 - Apples of Idun

2010-03-03T14:02:00.002+02:00

Another Finnish band to this list also. I'm familiar with the Apples of Iduns work already earlier. Never really got the good touch to this though. There's not that many industrial bands in Finland, but overall the quality is quite high. Apples of Idun just released their second album last year and it has received quite nice feedback and I anyway have to admit also that this is not bad at all. That final "hook" ís just missing still, maybe every once and awhile they are a bit too 80s for my taste.

Apples of Iduns combination of dark landscapes, occasional distorted guitars, "symphonic" backgrounds and unfortunately maybe little too cliche samples creates quite nice sound. And they do know how to vary their sound to keep everything interesting.

Here's the video track, The Bang, of their latest Disaster Art release.

Some links:
http://www.applesofidun.com
http://www.myspace.com/applesofidun
http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apples_of_Idun (NOTE! Finnish Wiki page only)
http://www.last.fm/music/Apples+Of+Idun
http://open.spotify.com/artist/4Lr4ZFaB5IdiAn2SDrQ8Km

#011 - AP2

2010-03-03T13:27:00.000+02:00

Already defunct AP2 was formerly known as Argyle Park. Argyle Park was active mid-90s and after reactivation for couple of years in the end of the 90s "they" used that other name. They is in quotation marks in there, since it seems that there seem to be only one guy, Scott Albert, in this band. He's just using different aliases. One alias is not officially identified, but there's some rumors that it could be MTV producer Chris Martello. But anyway this project seem to be more or less the brainchild of Albert, who is lately been more known under moniker Celldweller.

Even though AP2 is categorized as Christian music you really have to know this beforehand. At least I didn't get any Christianity from this. The mix of techno, guitars, samples, distorted vocals and lots of other stuff creates quite interesting sound. Sometimes this reminds me of Prodigy, but this is definately not a Prodigy ripoff. Every listening shows some new side of this group. Interesting group after all.

Here's a nice sample from the Suspension of Disbelief album released 2000.

Some links:
http://www.kevspace.net/argylepark
http://www.myspace.com/ap2
http://www.myspace.com/argylepark
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argyle_Park
http://www.last.fm/music/AP2?ac=ap2
http://open.spotify.com/artist/2ndBxzOVDVTpq0VVabD7CC

#010 - Angels and Agony

2010-02-23T14:17:00.000+02:00

A Dutch futurepop quartet Angels and Agony was formed 1995 and they've have now released three albums and four EPs. Surprise surprise, they are also signed to German industrial label Out of Line and Metropolis Records in US side. Of course situation in this industrial genre is not that centralized that it looks based on these first bands I've checked. It's just seem so that Out of Line and Metropolis have their catalogue available in Spotify.

Angels and Agony sound overall OK, but nothing that interesting can be found from their sound. I'd say based on quite small sample that this is more or less the sound that futurepop means. Little too bland for my taste though. Some edges would be really nice addition in here.

Not that much material available in Youtube, but Spotify has almost all of their releases. Here's a sample from their 2001 released album Eternity that was re-released in 2007. This is Van Helsing Video RMX of song Revelation.

Some links:
http://www.angelsandagony.com
http://www.myspace.com/angelsandagony
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_and_agony
http://www.last.fm/music/+noredirect/Angels+and+Agony
http://open.spotify.com/artist/18cJjI3i4uyRVhql17jNHy

#009 - And One

2010-02-16T15:49:00.001+02:00

Wow, this rocks (or should I say pops). German synthpop group And One has a long history behind then starting already 1989. The band formed after Steve Naghavi and Chris Ruiz met in 1989 at a Berlin club and since that they've released nine albums. For some reason I hear some traces of former The Smiths vocalist Morrissey in these songs (and I have to say I like Morrissey quite a lot). I don't know why i get that image constantly since the music has more or less nothing to do with the gloomy world of Morrissey. But works for me.

Using both English and German in their lyrics creates nice variations in their songs. Especially I've been listening their latest original album Bodypop (what a nice name and maybe even genre of their own). Released in 2006 this album just sound really really good. They have released a cover album (Bodypop 1 1/2) in 2009 covering for example Depeche Mode and The Cure and it includes also live versions of various synthpop hits like New Order's Blue Monday and Pet Shop Boys' It's a Sin.

Here's one sample from that Bodypop album, Military Fashion Show.

Some links:
http://www.andone.de
http://www.myspace.com/andoneofficial
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_one
http://www.last.fm/music/And+One
http://open.spotify.com/artist/6OAueBADydAjR5lP5NqTvv

#008 - American Head Charge

2010-02-10T14:06:00.002+02:00

This is something that I would have listened ten years ago and then I'd have said that sounds quite good. But nowadays...This is just too "mainstream american alternative metal to the masses" to me. Some harsher parts of that sounds still quite nice, but overall I just get bored.

I've actually seen these guys, who actually called it quits just end of last year, once in Finland when they were supporting Slipknot about 8 years ago. Wasn't too impressed then either though, just wondered then why the hell they need to have two keyboard players on stage, when you actually can't hear either of them. All they did there was headbanging with their keyboards.

I was kind of surprised when I now noticed that they actually released that one major label album they made via American Recordings owned by legendary producer Rick Rubin. Seems that even Rick can make bad calls when signing bands.

This is one of the better tracks from that The War of Art album released 2001. No idea what this video is, but seem to feature Christian Bale killing many "troopers".

Some links:
http://www.headcharge.com
http://www.myspace.com/americanheadcharge
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Head_Charge
http://www.last.fm/music/American%2520Head%2520Charge
http://open.spotify.com/artist/6Ig4qybKXgMN2FLSM7GKau

#007 - Amduscia

2010-02-05T16:58:00.002+02:00

I have to admit I don't know that many Mexican bands. Lot of pop stuff is from Mexico, but these other genres are more or less unknown here at least. But there seem to be at least one aggrotech artist, Amduscia is from Mexico City. They are signed on the same labels than the other aggrotech bands so far - German Out of Line and American Metropolis Records.

Amduscia is again duo, run by Polo Amduscia (vocals, lyrics, sampling) and Edgar Amduscia (synth programming, sampling, mixing). Or are they actually trio, hmmm... In many place there are listed only these two guys, but in their picture there's a third guy. Metropolis Records pages mention one extra name, Raul. So I assume they are then trio anyway.

What about music. To put it out shortly: too trance for me. This reminds me too much about discos. I understand the concept though, but this is not for me. I don't hate this, but it's just one notch too far right (or left, who knows). Check out for example this Impulso Biomecanico taken from taken from their 2006 released From Abuse to Apostasy.

Some links:
http://www.amduscia.de
http://www.myspace.com/amduscia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amduscia
http://www.last.fm/music/Amduscia
http://open.spotify.com/artist/3nasc5I5Nmzq7KgKENcetM

#006 - Agonoize

2010-02-05T10:08:00.004+02:00

This alphabetical list seem to be interesting since now when first six is checked I've had two industrial black metal bands, two Belgian EBM due and now I got second aggrotech artist in row. German Agonoize is somewhat familiar to me earlier. I have that Evil Gets an Upgrade v2.0 EP from 2005, but to be honest I haven't even looked that CD in years.

Duo format seem to be quite common in here. Agonoize was also originally duo, but they recruited vocalist quite soon. Agonoize has already quite long back catalogue even though they are not even 10 years old. Of course those "smaller releases" increase the catalogue easily, but still they have done quite a lot of stuff in last couple of years.

The newer stuff sounds really interesting. Some of the songs have german lyrics, which of course mean nothing to me, but I've never had that much interest on the lyrics (of course some exceptions exist). The sound of the vocalist is much more important to me. And Chris L, the vocalist of Agonoize, handles that area really nicely. Aggressive and commanding interpretation is pleasure to listen.

Here's a quite nice fan video of A Hellgate: London video game featuring Agonoizes song Glaubenskrieger taken from their 2006 released EP Ultraviolent Six.

Some links:
http://www.agonoize.de
http://www.myspace.com/agonoize
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agonoize
http://www.last.fm/music/Agonoize
http://open.spotify.com/artist/76gauxdapMkInaQG5fl2Xv

#005 - Aesthetic Perfection

2010-02-03T14:17:00.002+02:00

Aggrotech, now here's a genre that I've never even heard. But in practise I've actually listened some of these bands, for example Agonoize, Combichrist, Funker Vogt and Suicide Commando are familiar names. Wikipedia says the following about this genre: "Aggrotech (also known as hellektro or Terror EBM) is an evolution of electro-industrial and dark electro with a strong influence of techno that first surfaced in the mid-1990s. Its sound is typified by harsh song structures, aggressive beats and lyrics of a militant, pessimistic or explicit nature. Typically, the vocals are distorted and pitch-shifted to sound hoarse, harsh and synthetic."

Sound pretty good to me. This is more or less the kinda stuff I mostly like. And I have to say that this Aesthetic Perfection sound really good. Aesthetic Perfection is quite new name in this scene. Brainchild of American Daniel Graves has released two albums, both of those are available in Spotify. There's so many things in right place in his music, at least to my ears. I seem to have some sort of "dance perversion" at lesat. But since I've no interest on the poppier side of the dance scene, this seem to be just the right kind of combination of harsness and electro. Also that pessimistic view to the world must have something to do with this enthusiasm. Anyway I'm from Finland, where sun is not that common visitor at least winter time.

Here's the official video of The Great Depression taken from the second album A Violent Emotion.

Some links:
http://www.aesthetic-perfection.net
http://www.myspace.com/closetohuman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesthetic_Perfection
http://www.last.fm/music/Aesthetic%2520Perfection
http://open.spotify.com/artist/1Jgp0YCPHCJx5XD7nlfGVN

#004 - Aborym

2010-02-01T12:26:00.002+02:00

Industrial black metal from Italy strengthened with some Norwegians. Previously they used drum machine, but nowadays their drummer is Faust who is best known for his work on early Emperor albums. They've had also Attila Chisar (known his work on De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas by Mayhem) on their line-up previously, so Aborym's "black metal credibility" is quite OK.

I've actually always thought that Aborym is just pure black (or death) metal. In practise their sound is really mostly black metal, but they seem to use also lot of industrial sounds. But this is anyway "too black" for me. There's not enough variations in the somgs either for my taste. There's some nice things definately. For example Chernobyl Generation from With No Human Intervention album is really nice little industrial piece.

Here's one sample from their latest album Generator released in 2006.

Their fifth album is also coming this year. Their Myspace pages tells that "they will enter the studio again the 19th of February. This new opus will be a concept consisting of only one track, a harsh monolith of sickness, violence and depravity."

Some links:
http://www.aborym.net
http://www.myspace.com/aborym666
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aborym
http://www.last.fm/music/Aborym
http://open.spotify.com/artist/2PCSfHYHZ87Wcf5GfYi3qF

#003 - à;GRUMH...

2010-01-29T15:12:00.008+02:00

Hmmmm... Again a Belgian EBM artist. Again "never-heard" about this artist either, the name is interesting though - à;GRUMH... (pronounced: "ah-groom"). Also this band was run by duo and they were active between 1981-91, so resemblance to the previous artist A Split-Second is huge. Music is though little bit different at least. à;GRUMH... is more like electro version of British post punk band of the Eighties. Especially 1989 released A Hard Day's Knight album fits into that definition.

I'm not that fond of this post punk genre, but I have to admit that every once in a while this sounds also really good. This kind of music has suffered quite a bit soundwise lately (80s sound is just 80s sound and at least I've gotten used to little "newer sound") , but at least those later à;GRUMH... releases sounds still surprisingly good. Check out for example this Danger Zone track from A Hard Day's Knight album.

Some links:
http://www.agrumh.com
http://www.myspace.com/agrumhebm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%80;GRUMH...
http://www.last.fm/music/%25C3%25A0%253BGRUMH...
http://open.spotify.com/artist/66Z87JFJTR7XoLbJtdi5Pf

#002 - A Split-Second

2010-01-27T11:06:00.005+02:00

I've had some plans to get to know to EBM (aka electronic body music) also quite some time. I've never had real understanding what the hell is this genre about. That electronic body music is not giving any hints to me at least. But another term used to describe this same thing opens many doors. Industrial dance, now I get it. So in practice I've listened a lot of EBM without knowing it.

Next band found from Spotify is Belgian A Split-Second, a duo by Marc Ickx and Peter Bonne. They split up 1991 and Ickx continued on it's own with A Split-Second..But anyway since 2000 this group is more or less featured only in compilations. One remix album, called Transmix, found from Spotify has been released in 2001 containing duos songs between 1986-1991 remixed Nicolas Mansy and Chrismar Chayel. I have to say I like this quite a lot. Even though I like more harsh sound, this is anyway really catchy stuff. Those originals versions are actually even better than these little more blnd remixes.

Original version of their second single Rigor Mortis which is available also in Youtube is actually really good.

Some links:
http://www.myspace.com/asplitsecondofficial
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Split-Second
http://www.last.fm/music/A+Split+Second
http://open.spotify.com/artist/6WbuR30ggh1SSVgLx4JygQ

#001 - ...and Oceans

2010-01-26T12:23:00.009+02:00

Lets start from the beginning of that list. Order is alphabetical, so we will start with Finnish band called ...and Oceans. This band is somewhat familiar to me already earlier, but since bands the roots are in black metal, which I'm not that keen on, haven't actually checked their stuff earlier. I knew they have some industrial elements in their music in the latter part of their career.

The band was active between 1995-2006 and released five albums during that time. On industrial-wise I'd say they reached their peak on A.M.G.O.D. and Cypher albums. Unfortunately Spotify is not having those albums in their lists (at least at the moment, it seems that Century Media hasn't put their catalogue available in there). But Spotify has their last Season of Mist album The Symmetry of I - The Circle of O , which already shows some real industrial interest on the second part of the album. Dark and depressive sounds are getting closer the ambient genre, but it really is powerful stuff.

But the overall sound of ...and Oceans is not that ambient stuff that can be found on that album. from this video you can more like "the sound of ..and Oceans" in the latter part of their career.You can actually find quite a lot of music from those last two albums from Youtube.

Aphid: Devil Flower: Fruits of Lunacy from their last album Cipher (2002)

...and Oceans later became band called Havoc Unit which we will check later also. They have actually released a split EP with ...and Oceans, that's strange.

Some links:
http://www.myspace.com/andoceans1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...and_oceans
http://www.last.fm/music/...and%20Oceans
http://open.spotify.com/artist/0rWmH68lIyVOGYhhvayFzu

Here I go!

2010-01-20T15:36:00.001+02:00

So how to begin this kind of journey? Thank god for Wikipedia. People are normally wondering what did we do before Internet, but I'm actually wondering how did we find any information before Wikipedia. It's just so nicely packed in one simple portal. Now I just searched Wikipedia and found a "Portal:Industrial music". Quite nice place to start this voyage. So just did some browsing and now I have a list of bands (actually 470 different band names) that I'll start checking. And the existence of Spotify enables me to explore this world quite nice way.

Many familiar names already on that list of course, but loooooooooots of never heard names also, who the fuck are Aetherfx, Bahntier, Colab, Genkaku Allergy, Mariae Nascenti, Novy Svet, Radio Kuolema (must be Finnish, but still never heard), Sol Invictus, The Cassandra Complex or Vampire State Building. Well anyway that's suppose to be the whole point in here, to find out new bands, styles, sounds and just something interesting.

I'll try many different styles of industrial related bands. Goth, metal, electro, pop, ebm, ambient, rock and even hip hop (I think hip hop is not that far from this industrial anyway, listen to Dälek if you disagree). So anything will go if it's even remotely attached to industrial, no matter what the subgenre is.

Here I go!