Browsing Tag

Industrial Rock

Ride the electromagnetic waves in Us or Aliens’ latest industrial pop-rock call into the void, Black Hole

Posted on 22 May 2023

Giving us all the dark industrial rock energy of Celldweller and Zeromancer, with a few sharp pop hooks for impaling measure, Us or Aliens’ latest cry into the void, Black Hole, is an existential tour de force.

While the hollow find it hard to find fulfilment in a disenfranchising reality where ennui is as escapable as the cosmic phenomenon which became the metaphorical focus of the single, the pensive will more than get their resonant fill from Black Hole.

Us or Aliens is the solo project from Shawn Kirkpatrick, who has been writing, composing, recording and producing for himself and other artists for the past two decades. In his impressive by any measure career, he has performed in over 500 venues and found the time to become an accomplished guitar teacher and TV composer.

Delve into Black Hole by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Alt-90s Cinematically Lives and Breathes Through Agent Envy’s Grungy Industrial Rock Single, No Friend

Posted on 9 December 2022

San Diego artist and producer Agent Envy is fresh from the release of her sultrily fierce single, No Friend, which cinematically amalgamates trip-hop, industrial rock, grunge and metal. Under the wide-spanning influence of acts including NIN, Tool, Massive Attack and Deftones, Agent Envy found her own striking sonic aesthetic that is nothing short of iconic in itself.

Any fans of Warpaint and Wolf Alice will want to sink their teeth into this demurely powerful protest against life’s prolific protagonists who guise their usury entitlement as friendship to take what they can, and guilt trip you when they’ve bled you dry of your empathy but still haven’t quite had their fill.

“No Friend is about finally saying, “enough is enough,” and captures the triumph and catharsis of setting a boundary. The track explores a powerful side of my vocal range not previously featured in my earlier songs, along with the deep, sultry vocals that my audience is familiar with.”

No Friend will be available to stream and purchase on all major platforms from December 9th. Catch in on Spotify & YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Warning Signal gave the hooks in their industrial alt-rock debut, Nightmare, razor-sharp teeth.

Posted on 7 April 2022

There’s nothing like a caustic cut of blackened industrial alt-rock to catharize the mind from the dystopic night terror that is modernity; that’s exactly what the Brighton-based trio, Warning Signal, delivered in their debut single, Nightmare.

The infectiously antagonist energy in the hooky indie vocals from Eva Sheldrake, which declare there’s no waking up now, paired with the gnarled guitars and harbingering percussion is by far one of the most exciting new additions on the airwaves this year.

If you could imagine what it would have sounded like if Powerman 5000 had a softer indie-pop edge, you’ll be able to get an idea of the explosive yet intimate alchemy in Nightmare. Naturally, we can’t wait to hear what follows. It is going to be incredibly sweet to watch the world wake up to Nightmare and the hits that will undoubtedly follow.

Nightmare is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Chris Luke has made a soulfully interstellar return to the airwaves with his industrial cosmic rock track, Love’s Big Machine

Posted on 20 March 2022

After getting sync deals in shows, such as Beverley Hills 90210 and McKenna, and contributing to the OST in the 2021 film, The Girl Who Believes in Miracles, Chris Luke has released his first original single in two decades, Love’s Big Machine.

After a snarling industrial rock intro that establishes the Nine Inch Nails influence right off the bat, Love’s Big Machine starts to veer into a vibey euphonic hit that crosses timelines with its psych-pop nuances, classic rock structure and rock opera styling. It’s as spacey as Bowie, as upraising as a Christian & Gospel release, and thanks to the sporadic industrial touches, it’s as visceral as the similarly titled Pretty Hate Machine.

The Cleveland Ohio-hailing artist has definitively mastered the art of allowing pure expressive soul to resonate as infectiously catchy anthemic energy. We can’t wait to hear what follows.

Love’s Big Machine pulses with raw energy and heart. Both cacophonous and subdued, the lyrics celebrate the endless tumble of life and love, exploring themes of connection and isolation, with love as the driving force at the center. Part soundscape, part alt-rock-epic, Love’s Big Machine blends beauty and chaos in a unique, radio-friendly rock anthem.”

You can check out Love’s Big Machine for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Keep up to news with Chris Luke’s latest releases via Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

KURO has dropped the antipathic industrial hit of the year with ‘Lividity’.

Posted on 10 October 2021

After a bass-dripping slam of an intro, KURO’s latest single, Lividity, asserts its volatility early in the mix before unravelling around poppy industrial hooks and serpentine antipathic vocals. If you’ve been mourning the downfall of Jimmy Urine recently, you’ll find just as much salacious charisma here.

It has been a while since I’ve had my finger on the pulse in the industrial scene, it took the incandescent talent of KURO to draw me back in with their monolithically fierce guitars and the earworm potential in the magnetically antagonistic vocals. Not only is it an instant hit at surface level, but Lividity also serves a deeper purpose. In their own words. here is how Lividity transpired:

“I wrote Lividity in an attempt to capture the discomfort, rage, and volatility felt by ethnic minorities during the tumultuous events of the BLM riots sparked in the wake of 2020’s events as well as the StopAsianHate movement- which was exacerbated by the racial division sadly spurred on by pandemic.
These traumatic happenings seemed to create a black hole of negativity and distrust in society that enabled many in positions of power to engage in horrific behaviour with little consequence at the expense of the vulnerable. The video highlights this. I and we, as a band, wanted to highlight this, raise awareness for it, and hopefully push to make a positive change that could contribute to the ending of these problems. However, to really do so, we all need to come together, and time will tell with that.”

Industrial music and gripping lyricism don’t often go hand in hand; instead of offering a series of thoughtless reprises with the aid of a rhyming dictionary, KURO digs deep into the macabre to exhibit the veracity of contempt behind this instantly infectious harsh electro-rock hit. Frankly, we’re obsessed.

Lividity is the first single to be released from their upcoming EP, Death by Aesthetic, due for release in October 2021. KURO are also set to join the industrial icon, Grendel, on tour. Tickets are available for purchase via Bandcamp.

Connect with Kuro on Facebook & Instagram.

Stream the official video on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Heck Vektor has unleashed their industrial garage-rock single, Superspreader.

Posted on 27 August 2021
Superspreader (Sonofabitch Mix) by Heck Vektor

Youngstown Ohio’s prodigal sons of industrial metal, Heck Vektor, have released their scathing new single, Superspreader. With the energy of garage punk, the harsh electronica stylings of Powerman 5000 and vocals that switch from Alec Empire-level slick to caustic and confrontational, it is impossible not to be drawn in by this tumultuous amalgamation of alt electronica and rock.

Even though I hit play on the covid-related track with hesitancy, the glitchy basslines, nefarious charisma and unpredictable breakdowns quickly replaced the cynicism with admiration. We can’t wait to hear what follows.

Stream and download Superspreader via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

UK solo artist Matt Black has made his industrial-rock debut with his single, Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Posted on 20 August 2021

UK-based singer-songwriter Matt Black tapped into the collective sense of listlessness and despair with his scathing industrial rock debut single, Are You Afraid of the Dark.

The lyric-less soundscape uses samples of doom-mongering news broadcasts, featuring our seemingly dim, realistically catastrophic prime minister who seems determined to blather the country to ruin around heavy scuzzy metal guitars and percussion that could only be described as apocalyptic.

With a similar sonic palette to Machine Head’s Bloodstone and Diamonds and Disturbed’s Down with the Sickness, we’re sure plenty of the industrial rock and metal community will welcome his cathartically foreboding presence on the airwaves with open arms.

Are You Afraid of the Dark was officially released on August 20th; you can check it out via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

TUNNL19 deliver grungy industrial rock in their debut single, ‘Voices’.

Posted on 9 July 2021

TUNNL19 has been making major waves in the alt-rock scene in Puerto Rico since 2013. Originally, they performed in cover bands, their latest single, ‘Voices’, proves they have just as much talent as the artists they were covering.

It’s a bitter pill that many artists have to swallow that ‘good’ instrumentalists don’t necessarily make great songwriters; the hooks and fervent energy in Voices affirm that was never going to be an issue for TUNNL19.

After a fuzzy synthesised intro, the electronic alt-grunge track starts to unfold with scuzzy, Rob Zombie-reminiscent-guitars, high-energy grunge vocals and industrial beats that come with an alt-90’s-style-psychedelic kick. They even managed to find room for some post-punk sensibilities in the low reverberant basslines that won’t fail to pull you into the heart of this fiery feat of refreshing alt-rock.

Voices officially released on July 2nd; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Urban Sombreros put a theatric twist on industrial electronica with their single, ‘BAD’.

Posted on 16 June 2021

The Urban Sombreros have put a baroquely theatrical twist on industrial electronica with their latest single, BAD (Michael Jackson). As Marilyn Manson falls, The Urban Sombreros rise.

The coarse and distorted vocals, beatboxing, bluesy angular guitar riffs and trance-style interludes ensure that you’ve never heard a feat of electronica quite like this before – no matter how obscure your playlists are. It’s manic, but The Urban Sombreros’ playfully charismatic mania is one that you’ll easily get on board with.

The Cambridge, UK-residing artist is easily one of the most experimentally bold, infectiously addictive artists we have heard this year. We can’t wait to hear how they’ll follow on from BAD.

BAD released on June 9th; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Alt Electronica just got harsher with the release of Asterous’ sinister standout single ‘Heroes’.

Posted on 4 May 2021
Asterous

Vancouver’s alt-electronic-rock powerhouse duo Asterous unleashed their highly anticipated self-titled EP on April 23rd. The standout single, ‘Heroes’, is a sublime mash of sinister tones, glassy 80s-inspired synth notes and caustic black metal vocals that break the accordance laid out by the reverb-laden animatronic female vocals.

The arresting single seamlessly shifts between spacy melodicism, comparable to the work of Depeche Mode, to industrial metal increments with buzzsaw riffs that cut with reminiscence to the likes of Static X and Rob Zombie.

The stylistic choices are one thing, but the way that Asterous pull them all together is quite another. Heroes, paradoxically, serves nuance by the bucket-full.

You can check out the EP for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast