“industrial_strength”
Industrial Strength Machine Music
The Framework of Industrial Rock 1978-1995
Rhino
Behind the long, unwieldy title, you’ll find a pretty good primer of what the industrial genre’s all about. All the bands you’d namecheck to a newbie are here, from founding fathers like Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire, and Einstürzende Neubauten to more modern-day heroes like Nine Inch Nails (hey, kids! Exclusive live track here!), Meat Beat Manifesto, and Front 242. Overall, there’s a pretty representative, seminal choice of songs, too, with Ministry’s “Stigmata,” KMFDM’s “Godlike-Doglike,” and My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult’s “Kooler Than Jesus” all showing up. While I might quibble a bit with song selection here and there (“Funkahdafi” represents Front 242, rather than “Headhunter”? “Dig It” instead of “Assimilate” for Skinny Puppy?), and wonder aloud at the exclusion of Nitzer Ebb (too “commercial” for this grouping of tunes? If NIN can make it on…), overall, the folks at Alternative Press have put together a strong introduction to industrial that will give the new listener plenty of ideas where to look to discover more. Here’s all the starting point you’ll need!
Rhino Records, 10635 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025; http://www.rhino.com
