Industrial metal
Industrial metal is the fusion of heavy metal and industrial music, typically employing repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals.[1] Prominent industrial metal acts include Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM, and Godflesh.[3][4]
This article is about the musical genre. For the use of metal in industry, see metalworking.Industrial metal
Mid-1980s; United Kingdom, United States, Germany, and Switzerland
Industrial metal developed in the late 1980s, as industrial and metal began to fuse into a common genre.[3] Industrial metal did well in the early 1990s, particularly in North America,[5] with the success of groups such as Nine Inch Nails, but its popularity began to fade in the latter half of the 1990s.[6]
Coldwave
History[edit]
Early innovators[edit]
Though electric guitars had been used by industrial artists since the early days of the genre,[3] archetypal industrial groups such as Throbbing Gristle displayed a strong anti-rock stance.[7] British post-punk band Killing Joke pioneered the crossing over between styles[8] and was an influence on major acts associated with industrial metal such as Ministry, Godflesh, and Nine Inch Nails.[9][10] Another pioneer industrial rock group, Big Black, also impacted some later groups.[8][11]
By the late 1980s industrial and heavy metal began to fuse into a common genre,[3] with Godflesh's self-titled EP[12] and Ministry's The Land of Rape and Honey at the forefront. Godflesh was founded by former Napalm Death guitarist Justin Broadrick.[13] Drawing from a wide array of influences—power electronics forefathers Whitehouse,[14] noise rock band Swans,[15] ambient music creator Brian Eno[13] and fellow Birmingham hard rockers Black Sabbath[16]—the Godflesh sound was once described as "Pornography-era The Cure on Quaaludes".[17] Though not a top seller,[18] Godflesh nonetheless became an influential act, their name mentioned by Korn,[19] Metallica,[20] Danzig,[21] Faith No More,[22] and Fear Factory.[19]
Ministry emerged from the scene surrounding Wax Trax! Records, a Chicago indie label dedicated to industrial music.[23] Ministry's initial foray into guitar rock happened during a recording session of The Land of Rape and Honey on Southern Studios, in London.[24] The band's frontman, the Cuban-born Al Jourgensen, explained this transition:[25]
Film and video[edit]
Several industrial metal groups have produced eye-catching videos. These include Godflesh's collaboration with Andres Serrano,[103] Aidan Hughes's graphics for KMFDM,[104] Nine Inch Nails' work with Mark Romanek,[105] Rob Zombie's visual work for White Zombie (for which he received the MTV Video Music Award for Best Hard Rock Video),[106] and Marilyn Manson's output with Richard Kern[107] and Floria Sigismondi.[108] NIN later collaborated with Bill Viola for live accompaniment.[109] Trent Reznor also produced the soundtracks for the films Natural Born Killers and Lost Highway, and served as "musical consultant" for Man on Fire.[110][111][112] Rob Zombie has directed three films.[106] In 2009, Marilyn Manson was in the process of directing Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll. The movie has since languished in development hell.[113] Other films that have included prominent contributions from industrial metal artists include The Crow, Johnny Mnemonic, Mortal Kombat, The Matrix, Blair Witch, and A.I. Artificial Intelligence.[114][115][116][117][118]