List of industrial music subgenres and related fusion genres
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Industrial music is a loosely defined term for a number of different styles of electronic and experimental music. The term was first used in the mid-1970s to describe the then-unique sound of the Industrial Records label artists, a wide variety of labels and artists have since come to be called "Industrial".
There is much disagreement between members of the industrial music scene as to how to categorize the different artists and bands into different subgenres. There is also much disagreement regarding the current state of industrial. Some artists and band members argue that there is no "current state of industrial", and hold that industrial music ended with the demise of Throbbing Gristle and Industrial Records. The subgenre outlines that follow are by no means definitive, and indeed are often debated by fans of the music.
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[edit] First wave (70s to 80s)
Industrial began as an intellectual movement to challenge the idea of what music can be. The first wave of industrial musicians began performing in the mid-seventies. There are still a number of artists who create music in a fashion very similar to the original philosophies of Industrial Records. These genres all stem directly from industrial.
[edit] Avant-garde / experimental
Popularized by Industrial Records, this sound first defined the term "industrial", but bears little resemblance to what is often called industrial music today. By modern standards, most of this would better be described as experimental music with a noisy bent. Featuring tape loops, cut-ups, vocal and instrumental experimentation, this first incarnation of industrial music would be considered very difficult listening for many of those familiar with modern industrial, but was widely considered to be the defining sound of industrial in the 70s. In contrast to the modern crop of EBM/synthpop styled music now passing under the banner, it tended to be abrasive and confrontational, its philosophy frequently involving a willingness to shock its audience into questioning their definitions of music, among other things.
- Artists: Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire, Einstürzende Neubauten, Factrix, Organisation/Kraftwerk, Laibach, Coil, Nocturnal Emissions, NON, Nurse With Wound, SPK, Severed Heads, Autopsia, Test Department, Legendary Pink Dots
- Labels: Industrial Records, Mute Records, Sterile Records.
[edit] Power electronics
Power electronics was originally related to the early industrial records scene but later became more identified with the noise music scene. It largely consists of screeching waves of feedback, analogue synthesizers making sub-bass pulses or high frequency squealing sounds, and screamed, distorted, often hateful and offensive lyrics. Deeply atonal, there are no "notes" or conventional rhythms in power electronics.
- Artists: Whitehouse, Consumer Electronics, Sutcliffe Jugend, Ramleh
- Labels: Come Organisation (UK), Broken Flag (UK)
[edit] Electronic / dance
A form of Industrial that was more accessible, and easier to dance to, that came about in the early 1980s. It evolved alongside EBM. Many of the artists involved were originally practitioners of the classic industrial sound.
- Artists: Cabaret Voltaire, Severed Heads, SPK, Chris and Cosey, Psychic TV, Coil, Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft
[edit] Second wave (80s to 90s)
[edit] Electronic body music / industrial dance
EBM (short for electronic body music; also known as industrial dance): The term "EBM" was coined by Belgian act Front 242 in the eighties; it denotes a certain type of danceable electronic music. EBM beats are typically 4/4, often with some minor syncopation to suggest a "rock" rhythm. Heavy synths are usually prominent, and the vocals are often militaristic. This style was widely considered to be the defining sound of industrial in the 80s. In recent years, however, there has been somewhat of a schism within the EBM scene, and it is now not uncommon to hear electro-industrial and futurepop artists referred to as EBM. For this reason, many EBM fans have begun to refer to this earlier style as "old-school EBM".
- Artists: Front 242, Bigod 20, Nitzer Ebb, A Split-Second, The Neon Judgement, The Weathermen
- Labels: Play It Again Sam (Belgium), Antler Records (Belgium), Wax Trax (USA), Zoth Ommog (Belgium)
[edit] Electro-industrial / elektro
Electro-industrial (Now sometimes called elektro, and not to be confused with the hip-hop subgenre electro) is largely a catch-all category that fills the space between power noise, EBM, old-style industrial, and gothic music. Whereas EBM was generally straightforward in structure and production, elektro became known for its deep, layered sound. Typically this is a darker form of EBM, however this can often refer to acts that combine EBM with another subgenre (for example Feindflug, who combine EBM with power noise). Within North America, this style was widely considered to be the defining sound of industrial in the mid to late 1990s.
- Artists: Skinny Puppy, Numb, Wumpscut, Front Line Assembly, Haujobb, Aghast View, Klinik
- Labels: Off Beat (Germany), Zoth Ommog Records (Germany), 21st Circuitry (USA), Pendragon (USA), Metropolis Records (USA).
[edit] Industrial-Rock
- Main article: Industrial rock. See also: Industrial metal.
With its roots in American rock music, Industrial-Rock fused punk-rock sensibilities with techno-industrial brutality. Known for their live performances, studio releases by these acts often employed rotating and shared lineups due to the frequency of improv and jam sessions. Much of this style's musical output was very aggressive, with confrontational lyrics and samples. This aesthetic was furthered by the larger-than-life stage presence of many acts, which often involved costumes, pyrotechnics, elaborate sets, and horror-inspired makeup. This style was widely considered to be the defining sound of industrial in the early 1990s.
- Artists: Ministry, Rammstein, Pigface, Cubanate, KMFDM, The Genitorturers, Nine Inch Nails, Revolter, Bullets in a Burning Box
- Labels: Wax Trax! (USA), Invisible Records (USA).
[edit] Coldwave
Coldwave has its roots in industrial metal acts like the Young Gods and Ministry, and exploded on the American scene in the mid-1990s. Albums like Chemlab's Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar exemplified the typical coldwave sound: rock-like guitars with prominent synthesizer accompaniment, and live or sampled drums. Lyrical content varies, but is typically cyberpunk-oriented in some fashion, often with pop sensibilities. Coldwave record labels had a notoriously short lifespan. Coldwave is also known as synthcore and includes groups who do not use guitars such as Babyland.
- Artists: Chemlab, 16 Volt, Hate Dept., Out Out, Sweat Engine,
- Labels: Re-Constriction Records (USA), Fifth Colvmn Records (USA). If It Moves (USA).
[edit] Neofolk
Neofolk originates from esoteric music circles who started using the term in the late 20th Century to describe music influenced by musicians such as Douglas Pearce of Death In June, Tony Wakeford of Sol Invictus and David Tibet of Current 93 who had collaborated heavily for a period of time. These musicians were part of a post-industrial music circle who later on incorporated folk music based upon traditional and European elements into their sound.
- Artists: Death In June, Sol Invictus, Current 93, :Of The Wand & The Moon:, Changes
- Labels: World Serpent Distribution, Tesco Organisation
[edit] Martial Music
Martial music, also known as military pop and martial industrial, is a music genre originating in late 20th century Europe. It often borrows musically from classical music, neofolk, neoclassical, traditional European marches and from elements of industrial and dark ambient.
- Artists: Allerseelen, A Challenge of Honour, Blood Axis, Death In June, Der Blutharsch, Von Thronstahl
[edit] Death industrial
Death industrial can be described as having much of the same source sounds as power electronics, but used to create a deep atmospheric sound. It often featured a more flowing rhythm and deeper, less abrasive sound than power electronics. The Grey Wolves are often credited for pioneering the style, but the term was first used to describe artists such as Brighter Death Now.
- Artists: The Grey Wolves, Brighter Death Now, Atrax Morgue
- Labels: Cold Meat Industry (Sweden), Slaughter Productions (Italy)Cold Spring Records(U.K.)
[edit] Dark industrial
Dark industrial is the marriage of dark ambient and industrial. Much like dark ambient, the style is a minimalist soundscape. What separates dark ambient from dark industrial is the harshness. The droning and distorted samples of dark ambient are replaced by waves of static and eerie melodies.
- Artists: Gruntsplatter, Innana, Autopsia
- Labels: Malignant Records (USA), Cold Meat Industry (Sweden), Cold Spring (UK)
[edit] Third wave (90s to 00s)
Perhaps as a reaction to the band and rock-oriented feel of the mid-nineties, industrial music made a radical shift towards computer-generated, one-person acts. Eschewing the explosive stage shows that were commonplace, many performances now consist of a single artist on stage, surrounded by computers and electronic music equipment. The structure itself is opening itself up to even further experimentation, with modern equipment making a number of previously unattainable effects and techniques fair game for anyone with enough computer savvy and patience.
[edit] Aggrotech
Aggrotech is an evolution of electro-industrial that first surfaced in the mid-1990s but has been revitalised in recent years. More recently referred to as Terror EBM or "Hellektro", its sound is typified by somewhat harsh song structures, aggressive beats and lyrics of a militant, pessimistic or explicit nature. Typically, the vocals are distorted to sound hoarse, harsh and without tone. Artists also frequently use atonal melodic structures.
- Artists: Aghast View, :wumpscut:, Psyclon Nine, CeDigest, Hocico, Virtual Embrace, Tactical Sekt, Grendel, Tamtrum, Feindflug
- Labels: NoiTekk (Germany), Mao Music
[edit] Industrial techno
Industrial techno is a cross between power noise, traditional EBM, and techno. It often resembles house music in structure, while keeping the harsh sounds, noises, and fast pacing of industrial music. Although sampled and processed guitars are not uncommon, lyrics and a verse-chorus-verse structure are very rare.
- Artists: Pow[d]er Pussy, Punch Inc., Mimetic, Tarmvred, Ultraviolence
- Labels: Ant-Zen (Germany), M-Tronic (France), Ad Noiseam
[edit] Power noise
Power noise (also known as rhythmic noise) takes its inspiration from some of the more structured and distorted early industrial acts, such as Esplendor Geométrico. There are also certain techno and technoid influences. The term "power noise" was originally coined by Raoul Roucka, who records as Noisex. Typically, power noise is based upon a distorted kick drum from a drum machine such as a Roland TR-909, uses militaristic 4/4 beats, and is usually instrumental. Sometimes a melodic component is added, but this is almost always secondary to the rhythm. Power noise tracks are typically structured and danceable, but are known to be occasionally abstract. This genre is showcased at the annual Maschinenfest festival in Aachen, Germany, as well as at Infest in Bradford, UK.
- Artists: Winterkälte, Imminent Starvation, Axiome, Converter, 5f 55. Haus Arafna
- Labels: Ant-Zen (Germany), Hands Productions (Germany)
[edit] Technoid
Technoid acts take inspiration from IDM, experimental techno and noise music. The end result is usually diverse IDM-influenced rhythms with varying levels of noise and industrial influence. Artists will often use non-conventional sounds within their music, such as field recordings of natural phenomena, dated 8-bit electronic equipment, or samples from artists of a wildly different genre. It is not uncommon for two albums by the same artist to have drastically different sounds and structures, resulting in a number of acts that have evolved a great distance from where they were only years ago. German label Hymen Records is largely responsible for the term and the style.
- Artists: Gridlock, Black Lung, Somatic Responses, Xingu Hill
- Labels: Hymen (Germany), Mirex (Germany), <UNIT> (USA)
[edit] Drum 'n' noise
Drum 'n' noise Combines elements of breakcore, IDM, Industrial, hardcore techno and power noise, often with a fairly free structure similar to more chaotic IDM and breakcore artists. The term was coined by the act Winterkälte when it was used as the name for one of their albums.
- Artists: Enduser, Hecate, Tuareg Geeks, Aphex Twin
- Labels: Mirex, Illuminating Technologies
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Heathen Harvest - Illuminating The Post-Industrial & Noise Underground
- alphamanbeast's noise directory An information base with literally hundreds of links to artists and labels of the broader noise music genre, as well as miscellaneous related resources.
- Insurgent Inc
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