Arguably my favourite area of black metal (along with psychedelic, an area certainly not exclusive to industrial, though much harder to define), the Industrial variety is something that has never made much headway, even in black metal circles. It tends to remain in disparate pools, rather than collating into any semblance of "scene" or "movement" or what have you. Personally I'd hate it if it became en vogue and started to (arguably) stagnate like the post-rock, blackgaze, atmo-black bands that are currently trending. Each entity is often unique and forced to define themselves by creative means. In terms of the fangled "atmosphere" that every blackened outfit purports to exude, industrial is by far the most appealing for me, doing away with trite evil and archaic visual themes in favour of an oppressive, mechanised terror, images of decay and post-apocalyptic dischord and themes of politics and philosophy.

And of course, gas masks.

Some favourites of the genre to follow in the first post....

BaN are probably the only band I like who incorporate industrial music into black metal. And some Samael.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.12.2011 at 20:25

BaN are probably the only band I like who incorporate industrial music into black metal. And some Samael.

Indeed, industrial black to you is like depressive black is to me xD

Written by [user id=4365] on 15.12.2011 at 20:27
Indeed, industrial black to you is like depressive black is to me xD

That's actually a really good comparison.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.12.2011 at 20:29

That's actually a really good comparison.

I think you should listen to that Surachai track though.

Written by [user id=4365] on 15.12.2011 at 20:31
I think you should listen to that Surachai track though.

That was actually really tight. Maybe I don't fully understand industrial black metal, because I didn't really get what was industrial about that song. :/

Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.12.2011 at 20:38

That was actually really tight. Maybe I don't fully understand industrial black metal, because I didn't really get what was industrial about that song. :/

It's hard to place exactly but it has a definite feel of industrial black metal. Certainly not as much as TAoP of course but I'd wager it's there (electronic effects throughout for starters)

Written by [user id=4365] on 15.12.2011 at 20:48
It's hard to place exactly but it has a definite feel of industrial black metal. Certainly not as much as TAoP of course but I'd wager it's there (electronic effects throughout for starters)

It sucks because usually I know what to look for or what to expect from a certain genre. Like with blackened death metal, I'm obviously going to get elements from both genres, but I know what both sound like over a wide range of examples. With industrial (and glitch and electronica and all that) I don't think I'm experienced enough to know just what the "staples" are.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.12.2011 at 20:52

It sucks because usually I know what to look for or what to expect from a certain genre. Like with blackened death metal, I'm obviously going to get elements from both genres, but I know what both sound like over a wide range of examples. With industrial (and glitch and electronica and all that) I don't think I'm experienced enough to know just what the "staples" are.

I guess the thing is the staples of the genre tend to be bands like Thorns, Aborym, Mysticum etc. who exhibit very little "industrial" elements, often just having a drum machine makes a band "industrial"

Written by [user id=4365] on 15.12.2011 at 20:54
I guess the thing is the staples of the genre tend to be bands like Thorns, Aborym, Mysticum etc. who exhibit very little "industrial" elements, often just having a drum machine makes a band "industrial"

Fair enough. I love Thorns' s/t... didn't even know it was industrial black.

Not much of black metal left in there, but I like them:

Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.12.2011 at 21:00


Fair enough. I love Thorns' s/t... didn't even know it was industrial black.

Yep

I guess the stuff to look out for is a cold tone (not like frosty, grim tone but a mechanical, sterile tone), artificial sounding drums, samples and various electronic elements, thick and intense production and quite often the name is a dead give away: V:28, ID:VISION, (V.E.G.A.), Divizion S-187, Skiltron N.V.101, etc. The imagery is usually pretty easy to spot too.

Written by [user id=4365] on 15.12.2011 at 21:04
I guess the stuff to look out for is a cold tone (not like frosty, grim tone but a mechanical, sterile tone), artificial sounding drums, samples and various electronic elements, thick and intense production and quite often the name is a dead give away: V:28, ID:VISION, (V.E.G.A.), Divizion S-187, Skiltron N.V.101, etc. The imagery is usually pretty easy to spot too.

Hm. I get the industrial stuff in that Kovenant song Ernil posted, kind of like ...and Oceans and Deathstars. It's way more obvious to me when it's not mixed with pure black metal I suppose.

Written by [user id=105293] on 15.12.2011 at 21:00

Not much of black metal left in there, but I like them:

Probably a good example of metal fusing with the more ebm/aggrotech-oriented industrial. Obviously the result is quite different.

Okay so what about this:



I love this album and I can clearly hear the industrial elements.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.12.2011 at 21:06

Hm. I get the industrial stuff in that Kovenant song Ernil posted, kind of like ...and Oceans and Deathstars. It's way more obvious to me when it's not mixed with pure black metal I suppose.

I think I've said a few times before that the "industrial" of industrial black metal is its own definition really. Doesn't have much to do with early industrial of Throbbing Gristle and such, more to do with sample metal/rock of Ministry, Nine Inch Nails. The Kovenant song is more in line with aggrotech "industrial" which isn't really industrial either.

Written by [user id=4365] on 15.12.2011 at 21:09

I think I've said a few times before that the "industrial" of industrial black metal is its own definition really. Doesn't have much to do with early industrial of Throbbing Gristle and such, more to do with sample metal/rock of Ministry, Nine Inch Nails. The Kovenant song is more in line with aggrotech "industrial" which isn't really industrial either.

That's getting complicated...

Anyway, I don't really care for black or industrial, save for a few bands, but that first Blut Aus Nord song is... yeah, I can understand what they're going for. Not sure I want to go along for the ride though, seems like the most depressing, dark and creepy ride one can possibly take. "Apocalyptic" is the right word, they're definitely good at what they do, damn good.

Written by [user id=4365] on 15.12.2011 at 21:09
aggrotech

Written by [user id=105293] on 15.12.2011 at 21:14

That's getting complicated...

Anyway, I don't really care for black or industrial, save for a few bands, but that first Blut Aus Nord song is... yeah, I can understand what they're going for. Not sure I want to go along for the ride though, seems like the most depressing, dark and creepy ride one can possibly take. "Apocalyptic" is the right word, they're definitely good at what they do, damn good.

Yeah just try to think of it as "industrial black metal" rather than "industrial" black metal. Industrial is one of the most misused terms in music given its origins. Most things that are called industrial these days aren't industrial in its truest sense.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.12.2011 at 21:14

Marcorm in Middre

Damn Troy, did you download a pack of those or something?

Written by [user id=4365] on 15.12.2011 at 21:18
Damn Troy, did you download a pack of those or something?

No I just have a penchant for retaining UFI.

Anyway, I think I sort of understand this genre. Like you said, it's not "industrial" black metal, it's "industrial black metal". And there's obviously a big difference. And obviously some bands focus more on incorporating "true" industrial elements while others are tagged as industrial simply because of a drum machine.

This reminds me of progressive metal. I don't even know what it is anymore.

The Satanic Art EP is excellent. The follow up album was also very good. I didn't like Supervillain Outcast however.

Written by [user id=4365] on 15.12.2011 at 21:09

Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.12.2011 at 21:06

Hm. I get the industrial stuff in that Kovenant song Ernil posted, kind of like ...and Oceans and Deathstars. It's way more obvious to me when it's not mixed with pure black metal I suppose.

I think I've said a few times before that the "industrial" of industrial black metal is its own definition really. Doesn't have much to do with early industrial of Throbbing Gristle and such, more to do with sample metal/rock of Ministry, Nine Inch Nails. The Kovenant song is more in line with aggrotech "industrial" which isn't really industrial either.

Yperit have quite some aggrotech in them too (drum programmin, for example.
Oh, and I do LOVE Supervillain Outcast, but never really could get into 666 international. Bur "Supervillain" is not that much black metal...

Written by Darkside Momo on 16.12.2011 at 00:29

Yperit have quite some aggrotech in them too (drum programmin, for example.
Oh, and I do LOVE Supervillain Outcast, but never really could get into 666 international. Bur "Supervillain" is not that much black metal...

Alien Deviant Circus is quite beat-driven too. Both definitely steer clear of the blackened aggrotech kind of band though.

Haven't been bothered to get to know any more extreme metal genres, but after falling in love with BaN I may just have to look into this stuff. Listening to Deleted Scenes From The Transition Hospital right now, and it seems promising. Can't avoid the Silent Hill vibes, and that's always a big plus: Entangled In Mannequin Limbs, really?

I like BaN at their most atmospheric, Procession Of The Dead Clowns/The Desanctification. What band do you think comes closest to that?

Written by IronAngel on 16.12.2011 at 01:17

Haven't been bothered to get to know any more extreme metal genres, but after falling in love with BaN I may just have to look into this stuff. Listening to Deleted Scenes From The Transition Hospital right now, and it seems promising. Can't avoid the Silent Hill vibes, and that's always a big plus: Entangled In Mannequin Limbs, really?

Yeah they're quite vocal about their Silent Hill appreciation, many samples from the games appear in their music. The best thing about The Axis is that, like BaN, none of their albums are the same. I still don't like their most recent record but everything else before that is grimy gold in my opinion.

Quote:

I like BaN at their most atmospheric, Procession Of The Dead Clowns/The Desanctification. What band do you think comes closest to that?

None unfortunately. If I discovered anything that emulated that style I would be a happy camper indeed. Hell, Godflesh is probably the closest you'll get to it.

I just played all 11 of those videos simultaneously and N.K.V.D. was still very audible.

Written by [user id=4365] on 16.12.2011 at 01:36
I just played all 11 of those videos simultaneously and N.K.V.D. was still very audible.

I knew as soon as I was going to try that you'd beat me to it.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 16.12.2011 at 01:41

I knew as soon as I was going to try that you'd beat me to it.

It had to be done. To be honest it wasn't bad either xD