Industrial -pure- noise

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I was talking with friend who asked me question he had been thinking about lately. Pure noise releases that are... industrial noise. To explain it, one could give example of Con-Dom "Subjection" or some Victor/im, perhaps Mauthausen Orchestra. Sound itself, may be pure noise. No obvious beats, rhythm, synth tone, but there is something that makes it "industrial" or "power electronics" while being musically pure noise.

We did discuss is it merely based on artists other output that puts it in context of industrial culture or is it based on aesthetics. Artwork and such.

Perhaps some of it. Nevertheless, some pure noise one may perceive not to be harsh noise or free improvised experimental noise. He was curious of my favorites of that type and I was indeed caught by surprise but he was genuinely interested in this topic so it feels could be interesting in general!

[DBL]

I'm not sure how "pure noise" it is, but the harshest works by Commando 15 come to mind. No synth or beats, just metals screeching and feedback, but somehow often feels industrial. Not sure it comes to mind just due to an instant mental connection from metal sounds to industrial/PE or something else.

Then again, thinking of Umpio for example, I quite rarely associate it with industrial despite heavily featuring (percussive) metal sounds, so there must be more to it. Not really Knurl either, although I am perhaps just too unfamiliar with their works.

[Penon]

That is an interesting observation and hits close to home! On couple of occasions I told people that I am not really into noise and I prefer industrial / PE, but then I had to add "but I like some noise such as Con-Dom". I think there are many small and not so small things that can make noise be perceived as industrial:
- Vocal is one of the most obvious ones
- Themes (religious, social and existentialist aspects of Con-Dom's material are more firmly associated with industrial)
- Association with certain labels (Tesco) and fellow acts (The Grey Wolves etc.)
- Structures - even when there are often no obvious structures to songs themselves, Con-Dom definitely has well thought-through structures of albums and even short-form releases.
- Live shows (confrontational style is not very typical for noise in my view)
- On a more basic sonic level, more focus on low/mid frequencies than high frequencies (also, I personally find mixer feedback more industrial than speaker/mic/room feedback)

[Balor/SS1535]

Does the inclusion of vocals---not sounds made with the voice/mouth---make something no longer "pure" noise?  I was listening to Bizarre Uproar Amputated Limbs yesterday and was thinking to myself that it might not only be my favorite from the project, but also one of the best noise albums that I have.  It sounds like a noise album, but the context of the release is certainly post-industrial.

[Balor/SS1535]

Mania having a strong sense of narrative in his noise also feels much more "industrial" than the usual noise as nonsense/excess/freakout that you get with projects self-affiliating with noise.

Maskhead could also fit as well for similar reasons.

[Moran]

Murder Corporation comes to mind, like New Crimes. The album has the standard Pure cover, no song titles, but feels "industrial". The muffled sound, sense of space and oppressive atmosphere contribute to the industrial feeling.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Hesitating to make any top list myself... but  Murder Corporation for sure! Just yesterday listened to Death Squad "Radium" and "Death Textures" and they most definitely qualify -so does all early works before debut CD!

[Balor/SS1535]

Zone Nord?  At very least the CD on Pure initially felt like something in the realm of MB.

[Moran]

An obvious example for the OP but Grunt's junk noise like the second CD of Seer of Decay feels industrial. The choice of sounds and recurring implied movements create a particular sense of urgency and purposefulness similar to early industrial releases with political and/or spiritual themes.

Death Squad is a good example of "industrial noise". MK9's Contaminants feels industrial, though maybe not "pure noise".