Industrial music reviews

I'd classify Automate as an ambient industrial or electronic album, and feel that anybody who likes this genre should certainly pick this album up. The album is not as dynamic as many other (and more recent) ambient industrial albums, such as those from artists like Monolith or This Morn Omina, but fans of today's Belgian ambient industrial artists will love this album. Automate has a very subdued, yet optimistic tone, that I could see fitting in with a Science Fiction film.

My first introduction to Forma Tadre was with Navigator, which I also enjoyed, but I honestly find myself liking to listen to Automate from start to finish, whereas in Navigator I was tempted to focus on a few individual tracks. The music is certainly suitable for playing in the background while working and is very relaxing.

My favorite tracks are "Sinus Park", "Lo Rez Skyline", "Node Rituals", "Dagon". They are fairly representative of the rest of the album. Lo Rez Skyline reminds me a bit of early work from the Spanish band Proyecto Mirage. I'm happy to see many other reviewers speaking highly of the album, though for some odd reason Forma Tadre is often overlooked by mainstream industrial music fans. I think this might be because this isn't dance music, but please don't let that prevent you from listening to giving it a listen to.

This cd, much more airy than Forma Tadre's first cd Navigator, sounds just how the cover art explains. It darkens the room, but not without keeping some good-feeling light blue in it. Forma Tadre is not interested in a phony facade of darkness, just his serious brilliance. Also, many ambient cd's can, even try to, go by without you even noticing, but this is music that without being distracting REALLY HAS PRESENCE. I repeat that it feels like a very intense experience that is enjoyable to listenn to or easy just to feel rearranging the background instead. One of the very few cd's that interested me a few years ago that still does now. Truly noteworthy, truly. Among the best that ever graced my ambient collection, or my whole collection at all. My favorite part I think is the title track.

WOW! This is a fantastic record! After hearing Andreas Meyer's debut record "Navigator", his side project NEWT, and some of his remix work with haujobb I bought this record on faith alone.

Make no mistake, though, this is NOT a replay of "Navigator", it's better. Presented here is eerie ambient music with subtle melody and some very moving progressions. This is one of the first records I have come across that is truly original and seems to have no counterpart, almost nothing else out there is like it. Eerie floating melody wash over very soft and sparse percussion for instant relaxation. Mixed in are some really fantastic "how-the-hell-did-he-do-that" production tricks and very interesting bleeps and noises to toy with the headphone listener. There is a deep and subtle complexity within the pillow-like layers of sound that will capture and hold your attention throughout. The atmostphere and ambience set here is so "alien-like" and so good that I would compare it favorably against Phillip Glass or Gyorgy Ligeti's creepy "monolith" music from 2001: Space Odessey. It would be a real shame if this music slips into obscurity.

This album captures many of the best elements of industrial and combines them in this very enjoyable album. Bio-Vital was my introduction to Decoded Feedback and almost 3 years later remains my favorite album from them and one of my favorite albums in my collection out of any.

The songs on Bio-Vital are very well put together and have a fun, driving beat and rythm. The vocalist's distorted vocals are somewhat cliche in the industrial genre and many groups use them to cover up the lack of singing ability on part of the vocalist. Not so with Decoded Feedback. Marco Biagiotti can indeed sing and his vocals are used to great effect on this album, helping augment the music and not just fill in. Yone Dudas has great skill in making the songs catchy and fun to listen to.

My favorite tracks on the album are Breathe, Bio-Vital, and God's Sin. There are no really weak tracks on here and I can play this album end to end without hitting the track skip button. If you enjoy the electro-industrial sound then Bio-Vital is a must have.

I think this is probably the best Decoded Feedback album, at least that I've heard. The album has a perfect blend of dark gothic vocals with intensely hard electronic beats. If you combined Wumpscut with Funker Vogt you'd probably have something like this. It's an improvement from their previous album Technophoby. The songs are more unique and distinguishable from one another on this album than on the previous.

So check them out. This is one of the better releases in the electronic music genre. Decoded Feedback is a rather strange name for a group though isn't it?

I love Decoded Feedback, always have. This is simply one of their best works ever. The music is awesome, the lyrics are also good and the vocals are distored just right so that it al blends in so well. It's an awesome album from start through finish. This is a definite must-own for anyone into EBM, etc.

In the past couple of years, Hanzel und Gretyl has quickly become one of my favorite bands in the industrial genre. Their brand of industrial music is very aggressive between the searing guitar riffs and the ferocious vocals by Vas Kallas. The band's first two albums are out of print because the band's previous record label went under. I was fortunate to have a friend burn me a copy of the classic "Transmission From Uranus" but I felt a bit incomplete without their first album "Augseflippt". It wasn't until this weekend when I found a used copy of the band's first album "Augseflippt" and I now have all four of HuG's albums.

While "Uber Alles" and "Scheissmessiah" has an industrial/metal sound going, the band's first two albums is more industrial/techno. I loved "Transmissions From Uranus". It may have sounded different from what I used to hear on "Uber Alles" and "Scheissmessiah" but that album definitely rocked in its own right. Like "Transmissions From Uranus", "Augseflippt" has more of a techno influence mixed in with the abrasive industrial beats. Unfortunately I felt that this album was not nearly as good as its predecessors. I was not big on "Dementia Solaris" which I found to be a slow, boring song. I also didn't like the intro to "Meisterfrau", thankfully it all changes when Vas Kallas begins singing in her typical death metal-like vocals. I much prefer it when HuG starts off a song with loud guitars and not with some dull ambient samples. The production on this album is pretty shoddy which didn't do a huge favor for the songs. The overall sound on "Augseflippt" didn't have that same in your face sound that "Transmissions From Uranus", "Uber Alles" and "Scheissmessiah" has. I did like most of the songs but unfortunately they didn't grab me like the other HuG albums did.

A cross between KMFDM's brand of industro-metal, Mr. Bungle's schizophrenic stylistic shifts, and Sow's random multilingualism. Vibe on this band is either that they are the greatest band of all time or that they are lame bandwagoning ripoff artists. I would be hard pressed to agree with either of these statements. A good album overall.

.. "X-Ray Delta 1, This is Mission Control." .. Take a trip through space and time with Gretyl, and the lead vocalist, Hanzel! Psychedelic rhythm changes, surreal lyrics, and mentally divergent sound effects adorn this masterful work. Intellectually, it is brilliant. Musically, it is astounding! Yeah, you can say I enjoyed this album. "Ausgeflippt" is by far the better of the two H&G albums, for I felt that altough "Transmissions from Uranus" was a more polished album, it's contents were lacking the fundamental aura of space-trance, and bordered on commercialism.

Buy it! Listen to it! Pass it on!

xxP! [APC]

Don't let the samples scare you off. They aren't the best tracks on the CD, but they do provide a good example of Skinny Puppy's earlier chaotic sound. If you like their more chaotic punishments, I'd suggest albums by them such as VIVIsect VI and Rabies. This diversely ranged compilation of B-Sides provides a nice overview of Puppy's talent and musical range. Though it is by far the best album from the group (Hands down, it would have to be "Too Dark Park" or "Last Rights"). If you are a Puppy fan, check out Brap (back and forth series 3 & 4. Has great multimedia), and for those of us that enjoy the chaos, there's always the Puppy side projects. Pigface and Download, to name a couple. Naturally, this CD is a must for any Puppy fan that doesn't have all of their singles (I do, and I bought this one anyway).

I have been a long time Skinny Puppy fan, going all the way back to the mid 80's and have followed them all the way to present day and all their side & solo projects (download, rx, tear garden, ohgr, etc) and this is a must have for any Skinny Puppy fan's collection. A lot of the songs on the B Sides are still classic hits on Industrial dance floors today, including songs like Addiction, Yes He Ran, Mirror Saw, Tin Omen I, Nature's Revenge and Shore Lined Poison. This is a must own CD for all Skinny Puppy fans and as a fan and DJ of industrial music I would highly recommend owning this CD.

Once upon a time, I was a huge fan of Skinny Puppy: I owned everything the group had recorded, up to and including the "Spasmolytic" 12-inch single on glorious blue vinyl. After "Spasmolytic," however, I began to lose interest, and eventually disposed of my entire collection. Today, when I saw the Singles Collect and B-Sides Collect CDs, I thought this would be a good opportunity to re-introduce myself to the dark genius of Cevin Key, Nivek Ogre, and D. Rudolph Goettel(RIP).

As I mentioned in my review, the Singles Collect was a bit disappointing. The B-Side Collect, however, is worth every penny I paid for it, and much more. This disc includes most of the B-Sides from Skinny Puppy's singles from 1987 to 1992, and if you've never heard these songs, then you've missed some of Skinny Puppy's best music. "Brak Talk," "Amputate," and "Bark" are especially good, and reminded me why I started listening to Skinny Puppy in the first place. It was also nice to hear "Cage," the little-known third track on the A-Side of the Chainsaw EP.

If you like Skinny Puppy, but were never able to justify paying for three or four songs on a CD single, then this is the disc for you. If you're a new Skinny Puppy fan, then this is the disc for you, too: you won't find most of these songs on any other album. And if you're like me, then this disc is a great way to get reacquainted with some old friends. Buy it.

Serious Black is currently a one-man band comprised of Steve Mecca. Steve is no stranger to music; As a kid he started out as a bass player in a garage band called "Spider Willie & The Merchants", and later, a progressive rock band called "Leviathan". The future held more bands for Steve, including "Clowns Ahoy", "Kathexis", "Malaysian Pale", and "Chemistry Pop" before venturing out on his own with Serious Black. The genres of these bands ran the gamut from punk to progressive rock, and now he has found a comfy home in the Goth/industrial scene.

Before you say "Oh puhlease! Not another Goth/industrial band" let me just explain first.

Yes, I agree that it seems that the Goth/Industrial genre of music is at an all time spike lately. With bands like Midnight Syndicate, Nox Arcana, and other similar bands hitting the scene, you can't help but feel suffocated with the electro synth sound - but trust me, Serious Black is unique. You have heard nothing like this I can assure you of this!

I was a little disappointed when I read some of the reviews of this newcomer on the scene. Well, ok, Serious Black is not "bright and shiny" new, Barbican has been out since 2003 - but I digress... Many people who have reviewed this little gem have noted the influences of Depeche Mode and Siouxsie - I on the other hand heard some subtle Joy Division or very early New Order influences. I did hear the DM and Siouxsie inflections, and I think with all of these influences that I personally heard, it made me really embrace this CD.

If you are old school Goth/Industrial/ "New Wave" like I am - you are really REALLY going to dig this CD. If you follow the new school of this genre, it's ok - you're going to like it too! Barbican is an eclectic mix of tracks that is sure to please everyone. With dance tracks, shocking lyrics, and dark looming sounds, you are going to at least like one of the 11 tracks on this CD if not all of them.

And speaking of the 11th track - Hey Gamers!!!!!! Waste 'Em With My Crossbow is a little ditty about RPGing. I thought it was hilarious since I am married to an avid gamer. I think others will appreciate it as much as I did.

I rate this a 4 stars as it is worth a serious look. Sample the tracks and decide for yourself. This is such an eclectic mix I personally feel that everyone should have a copy. I look forward to hearing new stuff from Serious Black. Serious Black is a refreshing change from the mainstream!

This debut release from Serious Black is indeed a powerful electronic collection that definitely portrays a dark, gothic atmosphere. But I believe it benefits most from the impeccable production that went into the making of this album. It is technically polished while still delivering a powerful electronic spirit.

Previous reviewers have compared it 80's electro rock and a cross between Rammstein and Depeche Mode, which may be accurate. But I believe it has a more original, developed sound. Although the songs are quite different from track to track the similarities they all share are dark electronic power.

While many groups produce records that start off big and then kind of run down towards the end (read Chemical Brothers) from start to finish Serious Black's album keeps turning in a new direction with every track. It's not like they saved the best for last, but they could have.

I'm not sure how Serious Black can produce another album that can maintain such a fervent, technical yet powerful effort. But when they do, I will snap that one up too!

And now for something completely different...

If you know Steve Mecca from his work with the New Age project "Malaysian Pale", or if you've heard the widely-acclaimed RPG spoof "Waste 'Em With My Crossbow" from this disc, you might think you KNOW Serious Black.

Think again.

Mecca's debut album (on the Dante's Landlord label--nice touch, that) is a virtual blender of musical styles and influences. There's a heavy 80's influence here to be sure, but there's also a smattering of dark don't-listen-to-this-with-the-lights-off pieces, dance tracks that are guaranteed to pack the floor, a gentle love ballad, and a hilarious spoof of role-playing gamers (the aforementioned "Waste 'Em...).

It's a credit to the genius of Serious Black (and Mecca's estimable songwriting skills) that the whole thing doesn't get bogged down in its own eclectic stew. Somehow, it just all works. And it works remarkably well. From the ominous opening chords of "The Gathering Storm" to the final shouts of "Hoody Hoo!" on the final track (trust me, it makes sense when you know the backstory), this is a stunning debut. Don't wait. Buy it now.

You'll be glad you did.

For any of you who are big on Nine Inch Nails, Machines of Loving Grace, or other groups of the Industrial persuasion, this CD is a must-have. This collection of songs by Controlled Bleeding covers the more than twenty year carreer of a group that managed to stay fresh and original despite changes in the times. While not as heavily into industrial loops as Nine Inch Nails, clearly Trent Reznor must have gleaned some of his style from Controlled Bleeding. Intense songs such as "Assembly" and "Fodder Song," as well as lower key songs such as "The Peacock (Music for four guitars)" paint a broad mosiac of Industrial in it's heyday. In fact, very few bands in the genre could recieve higher praise. The Best of Controlled Bleeding is a great introduction to an even greater band, and even contains a couple of rarities for the more seasoned fan.

Although this 'best of' is all I own from this group, it's more than enough for when I'm in one of those alternative music moods. This is a great introduction to a unique and unpredictable group. They've been around over 20 years and have been unjustly overlooked by most. If the 'Beatles' are the most overrated band in the history of the world, then 'Controlled Bleeding' would be the most underrated. This group can be heavy when it wants to be as demonstrated on disc one, or darker and more melodic as is evident on disc two on this two cd collection. This music can be for almost anybody, or for almost any type of mood. Some of their heavier songs have that sort of 80s punk metal feel, only with a good voice.They would appeal to those 'goth' kids and some other rivetheads. Some of their lighter songs would appeal to even some fans of classical music. Like I said, it's hard to describe them and I hate to categorize them. You just have to listen to this album and perhaps develope the same passion for it as I have.

The Best of Controlled Bleeding is an outstanding CD! The first disc is full of the harshest music - you feel like you've just been peeled, salted and spanked with a spiked board by the time it's over. I love it! Conversely, the second disc heals the wounds the first disc inflicted with it's slow, goth, often uplifting music. Excellent through and through!

Bulkhead collects together the 12" mixes of some of Severed Heads' better known singles. There's some great songs here, but without exception these mixes are inferior to the original/album versions.

Bulkhead is a comprehensive round up of Severed Heads' best known tracks. Anyone one curious to discover this Australian duo's work should start here. You can then dive into the more 'difficult' works such as "Clifford darling, please don't live in the past" and "Since the Accident" with confidence.

Play at maximum volume and enjoy

The massively extended version of the exceptional "Harold and Cindy Hospital" makes this CD a must-purchase. There is something strangely inhumane about the music of Severed Heads.

If you ever wondered what gothic, death rock, and industrial was all about this is a good sampler. But die hard fans of these genres won't be dissapointed either. Not only are there spine tingling favorites but also new songs and clever remixes. Shiny Housewife's mix of a Culture Club song is hilarious. This is also the first CD in these genres, to be mixed in continuous play, which gives it's listening experience something new. Great effort from that temple of darkness, Retail SLUT. Sans Soliel

If you can't come to L.A. to visit the world famous "Retail Slut", this CD is the next best thing. Doing it's best to squeeze fifteen years of Goth/Industrial/New Wave into one package, "Burning From The Outside" takes you from one club scene to another without pausing for a breath. A great record for those who want a crash course in Hollywood's darker side or for just catching some rare mixes from Alternative music's masters.

Spanning the realms of Girlie-Goth (Switchblade Symphony), Classic Goth (Christian Death), Infectious Dance Grooves (Birmingham 6) and even some surprisingly catchy covers (a la Shiny Housewife) this disc offers up so much more than the track listing promises! It blends together like a radio show spinning wildly into an insane oblivion so there is never any "down time". For those who want to experiment with the catchier sides of spookie-alternative, this CD is a great start. For long-time fans of the sound this CD will prove to you over and over again just why you love the sound!

This is only worth getting for the completist Hellfires fan, but it is reasonably priced. Dr. Luv is different, like KISS but electro'd, Mr. 44 is a signature song, and I like the Incubus remix. Hellfires is one of the best bands right now. I only got this to complete my collection.

This is one of the Electric Helfire Clubs better albums. If you like evil music, Satanism, or just into Glitter rock this band is for you. It mixes '60s acid rock with industrial music. Great stuff!

Very Evil and straight forward.

a nice beginning to this band. So many things are lacking. I recommend their second album instead.

there are few bands that can really combine industrial with metal effectively, like ministry. this band does it impeccably and adds atmosphere to the mix. some may say it's industrial black metal. some of the riffing styles on certain songs and drum patterns would lead you to believe that, but no. this band is all about bleak, post-apocalyptic futures not raping christ and worshipping odin. listen to songs like ad noctum and last call, and it will feel like you're walking through the remains of a wartorn city of a dead world.

there are a couple of detractors posting reviews on their latest 'Sick Transit Gloria Mundi.' don't listen to those guys. metal/extreme music isn't for everyone and especially not those guys who don't even listen to metal as a genre. they're opinions are grossly misinformed. yeah the drums are fast and there's lots of screaming... it's metal. to the casual listener, metal will always sound like a bunch of fast noise unless it's doom. then in that case it's slow noise. but rest assured, it's music.

This band can't be described in words. Has to be heard for to be believed. I had a friend tell me about this cd. I at first wasn't too interested in buying this. I did pick a copy of it up from relapse's mailorder and was amazed with it. It is nothing like anything I have ever heard in my lifetime. It is really a blend of everything. Almost to some extent has a bit of a techno/industrial sound to it . Think for the most part almost everyone would like it.