#033 - Collide

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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