#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

#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

#012 - Apples of Idun

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

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