Industrial rock

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Industrial rock
Stylistic origins: Industrial, Punk rock, Alternative rock, EBM, Hard rock
Cultural origins: Late 1980s, Germany, United States, United Kingdom, Canada
Typical instruments: Electric guitar - Synthesizer - Drum machine - Drums - Sequencer - Keyboard - Sampler
Mainstream popularity: Small
Fusion genres
Industrial metal
Other topics
Notable artists

Industrial rock is a musical genre which is a fusion of industrial music and rock music.

Industrial rock is similar to industrial metal. By convention, all industrial metal artists may be more vaguely described as industrial rock, but not all industrial rock artists are properly described as industrial metal.

Contents

Industrial rock augments the guitar-based music and songwriting structure of rock with the electronic instruments and noisy production techniques of industrial and electronic body music (EBM). Bands such Ministry (The Land of Rape and Honey, 1988) used typical EBM-sequences in their songs. Though superficially abrasive and often aggressive, industrial rock is generally more listener-friendly than traditional industrial.

Typical instrumentation for industrial rock bands centers on heavily-distorted or otherwise-effected guitars and synthesizers. Bass guitars and drums may be played live, or they may be replaced by sequencers and drum machines. Many groups also make extensive use of samplers.

The term "industrial rock" most likely had its genesis in the mid-1990s as a reaction to such crossover bands being referred to as simply "industrial." The industrial rock designation called attention to the fundamental similarities with rock, as opposed to industrial. However, casual listeners still often use "industrial" to refer to the more accessible industrial rock style. A formative early influence on the genre was the Noise Rock band Big Black.

The band Einsturzende Neubauten used the sounds of the metal industries, sensitized it and use it in their music. Years later, the industrial style arrived in North America and many bands were formed, such as Skinny Puppy, Ministry, and KMFDM.

Established bands who formed long before Industrial rock existed, have later gone on to experiment with the genres stylings; Glam rock musicians such as, David Bowie during the albums Earthling and Outside, as well as Alice Cooper during Dragontown and Brutal Planet are prime examples of this. Another example is ex-Misfits front man Glenn Danzig, who experimented with Industrial rock on his infamous album Blackacidevil.

Other examples of this are W.A.S.P. with their 1997 album Kill Fuck Die and the later/current works of Synthpop icon Gary Numan. Shotgun Messiah, which started out as a glam metal band, changed their entire sound to industrial rock after losing all but two members. Taime Downe, lead singer of sleaze rock band Faster Pussycat, formed an industrial rock band called the Newlydeads in the late 90's as well.

As the 1990s drew to a close, Industrial Rock's mainstream popularity waned. The genre still remains alive, however, with groups like KMFDM and PIG maintaining considerable grassroots followings. The influence of industrial rock has been acknowledged in the popularization of nu-metal. There aren't very many new acts that come out in the Industrial Rock style however many of the acts that started in the 80s and 90s still put out albums and tour.


Industrial
Post-industrial developments
Ambient Industrial - Dark Ambient - Death Industrial - Electronic body music - Martial Industrial - Neofolk - Noise - Power Electronics
Fusion Genres / Derivatives
Aggrotech - Coldwave - Dark electro - Electro-industrial - Industrial metal - Industrial rock - Industrial techno - Power noise - Technoid
Other electronic music genres
Ambient | Breakbeat | Drum and bass | Electronica | Electronic Art Music | Hard Dance | Hardcore | House | Industrial | Synthpop | Techno | Trance
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