So how did I get into Industrial metal? Well, Megadeth was starting their inaugural Gigantour and included a band called Fear Factory. I had never heard of them so I checked out some reviews and they varied from classic to sucks. One day I was at Best Buy and saw a 2 disc re-release of Demanufacture. I picked it up, put it in and was blown away by the guitar riffs and the drumming. Vocally, they changed between death metal screams and clean harmonic singing (not like KsE, but similar). The second disc was Remanufacture, which is a techno remix of Manufacture...it took me about a year before i could enjoy that disc. After that it all came together, and from that I give you 5 iindustrial metal albums you must own.
1. Fear Factory - Demanufacture: Did you think this wouldn't be #1? In music sometimes you are fortunate to pinpoint an album that starts a new genre, well FF's Demanufacture did just that. This was their 2nd album, their debut had elements of industrial, but was more of a death metal album. Demanufacture, Replica, Zero Signal, New Breed, and Self Bias Resistor are all classics in this genre. If you are into any kind of metal then this album belongs in your collection.
2. Mnemic - The Audio Injected Soul: Like FF this is Mnemic's second album (why do bands put out classic albums on their second try?), and like FF there is the standard start/stop riffs, incredible drumming, and catchy choruses. I personally feel that the clean harmonic vocals are better here than Fear Factory. Dreamstate Emergency, Deathbox, Illuminate, and Door 2.12 are all solids songs. In fact, like Fear Factory (notice a trend?), the whole album is a classic in the industrial metal genre.
3. Strapping Young Lad - SYL: ok now this might confuse some people that are into metal. A lot of people don't consider SYL to be an industrial metal band, but take one listen to this album and you will see why I included them on the list. Now the one difference would be the lack of death metal screams. Devin Townsend (vocalist/guitarist) doesn't use a lot of screams, more of classic heavy metal singing. Now unlike FF & Mnemic, there aren't any melodic choruses. Devin has described his music as a "wall of sound" and that fits it pretty well. With SYL, you have to keep you senses up because typical song structures don't exist. What you think should happen doesn't, so don't look to have the song memorized in one listening. BTW, SYL is a difficult/challenging listen on their follow-up to SYL, Alien, their is a twelve minute "song" of white noise and other odd sounds...why? If you can get past some of the unusual song structures you are in for a treat. One last note, SYL is an angry album, it was written as Devin's response to the attack's on 9-11.
4. Threat Signal - Under Reprisal: ok I failed to mention something in my description of industrial metal, there are normally no solos. That's right no guitar solos, just crushing riffs. Well Threat Signal changed that. Take everything you know about Fear Factory and throw in some guitar solos and you have Threat Signal...no I'm serious. When I hear Rational Eyes I thought it was a new FF song, down to the vocals and harmonic clean chorus and then I heard a solo. Now this isn't a Metallica/Megadeth solo, but it still separates them from the pack. One of the reasons that TS sounds like FF is the fact that FF's guitarist produced their album. An interesting side note it that this band was discovered on a website for new bands. Their song became #1 on the site and it caught the attention of the right people and now they are making records.
5. Dagoba - What Is Hell About?: Well I never thought I would say something from France is good, but Dagoba is from France and they are more than good. Do they bring anything new to the scene? Not really, but they have put their own little twist on it. Dagoba's vocals are what does it for me. When I heard Cancer and The Things Within I was blown away.
After awhile, most industrial metal bands start to sound alike, so my suggestion is to take them in small doses, like a couple hours at a time.
Next up...good nu-metal? Damn you Limp Bizkit!!!
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