Percussion and rhythm of industrial music

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I was just quickly touching the subject on private conversation, but perhaps worth to open topic about it.

As for industrial music, I think the rhythm is something between the machine and the tribal rhyth. I have had people ask why is it that european industrial bands are almost like primitive tribal "afro" drumming, but just with metal objects. I can't define actual final answer, but to me it is beat is the sound of industrial revolution, factories replacing working animals, dead soul of machine repating same pattern. Rotation systems, trains, engines, etc.
Not so much of tribal beat, but perhaps it has some role in it? Shamans bounding skin drum drifting consciousness into something else. Not necessarily to be danced to. At least not in a modern disco styles, but primitive possession.

To me, it's been highly unfortunate, that the originally so "trendy" metal percussion, oil barrels, radiators, metal sheets, looped machines sounds and so on, are getting perhaps less and less...  Or was? I'm thinking that maybe, there has been slight resurrection of these methods?

I think of bands like Test Dept, Vivenza, Laibach, E.Neubauten, Genocide Organ, Militia, Sektor 304, to certain extent also drum machine dominated bands a'la E. Geometrico. When I think of Finland, I can say that majority of acts here use metal percussion as some sort of element, but perhaps not in same way. From projects where I'm involved, I can say that most certainly such material has been part of my works since very early days, starting from 1993 GRUNT "industrial madness" tape.

I was today listening Militia "nature revealed" 2xCD (full review to follow later..). Revisiting originally disappointing material has proven to be fruitful. Simply can't get enough of grinding loops, crashing metal objects, screech and smashing, bounding,.....  In my ears it never become "old". People may talk about cliche's, but still listen to music played with such a generic instruments like electric guitar and regular drum-kit!?

Where are the bands of end of this decade who still proceed on the ritual on industrial percussion, machines etc? When I leave out releases related to my own label, I'm wondering who else?

Knifeladder? Last Dominion Lost? Bocksholm? Sektor 304? ......

[Plague Haus]

A subject close to my own heart. Nothing will make me stop and take notice faster than smashing around on an old oil drum. That Sektor 304 disc is my current fave as I've already discussed. I just got the new Bocksholm, but honestly haven't listened more than once so I can't really give an honest opinion, but the track on Höga Nord was devastating. I like the new Knifeladder, but it seemed a bit all over the place. I would have preferred more in the lines with the "Alpha Male" track. I seem to always be mentioning Golden Rain, but on the first track of their tape, "Your Daddy Drives A Volvo", that's what initially caught my attention. Maybe they'll explore that more later?

Personally I'd love to see more projects use it. I guess to most rhythm is probably a dirty word. Maybe some are afraid to get the "rhythmic industrial" tag and the candy-assed dance music images it conjures.

[Strömkarlen]

I also like the old rhythmic industrial style. Remember seeing a Swedish group called TABU years ago banging away and the sheer noise and rhythm made everything feel really tense.
More recent metal banging from Sweden are Niellerade Fallibilisthorstar.

One classic Swedish mail-order, Pop'n'roll Family, called Neubauten "good despite being rhythmic".

[ARKHE]

I started out with the rhythmic/percussive stuff of Neubauten, "Headcleaner" and earlier tracks, which more or less opened the world of un-traditional ways of making music (dethroning rock basics & pre-modernist art music). but, as you write Mikko, to me it was as if the rhythms were taken over by the goth-industrial-EBM stuff, cheesy crap that was little more than distorted techno without any depth or will. of course, danceable music can have depth, but the stuff I encountered as a teenager at the Arvika festival (Scandinavians know what that implies) just turned me off that whole thing; it wasn't extreme anymore, it was for some-one else. Laibach, Neubauten, those bands were annected by the goths.
but hey, I think even more extreme/deep music can be made with rhythms - like shamanist troll-drums or marching boots it seizes you, hypnotizes. and since we Europeans love the sound of boots marching across town squares, giving us a feeling of belonging & home, why not?

I think a lot of people in "my" generation of industrial enthusiasts are attracted to the very early and primitive rhytmic style Strömkarlen alludes to, which'll probably bring new fresh musicians influenced by that stuff.

[ImpulsyStetoskopu]

Where are the bands of end of this decade who still proceed on the ritual on industrial percussion, machines etc? When I leave out releases related to my own label, I'm wondering who else?

Knifeladder? Last Dominion Lost? Bocksholm? Sektor 304? ......

In Poland is HATI, but I don't like their music. Maybe Scot JENERIK and his F-SPACE? Still active is great Gerechtigkeits Liga. From Czech republik is interesting NAPALMED.

[Zeno Marx]

Sistrenatus sometimes uses powerful, industrial rhythms.  I believe the Wrought Iron Railings album is the one I'm remembering having some great, repetitive rhythms.  In the vein of Einleitungszeit, Cazzodio, and the like.

[ConcreteMascara]

One group I'll mention is IRM. While digital in approach, the rhythmic sense is similar at times to some of the bands mentioned. I especially hear this after listening to the Sektor 304 album. Songs like The Stage of Crucifixion, Janus, Indicator: 1 and a couple tracks off of Oedipus Dethroned remind me of that raw metal percussion, albeit in a more digitized form.

[murderous_vision]

Deutsch Nepal
Isolrubin BK
No Festival of Light

Great Rhythmic Industrial...

[P-K]

Sat Stoicizmo.....sheer futurist machine power

[AQ]

Being a drummer of 16 years now myself, I really love all of the acts mentioned in this thread and the metallic percussion is definitely a big part of what got me out of punk/crust and into industrial/noise. I use a lot of junk metal percussion on my own stuff to varying degrees, especially on my recent shows/split tape. It's something I plan to use more and more. Vivenza has been a huge influence on me over the past year or so.

I think from an American perspective the reason why not many act's like this exist here is because a large part of the "experimental" musicians here don't appreciate industrial music in general at all. They come from hipster or metal backgrounds and have never even heard most of what's been mentioned. And for some reason a lot of them don't like it when they do hear it. It seems like Jeff mentioned they think it's cheesy because of how bad the modern version of it sounds. It's a shame, because I would love to see a group like Militia play, but would have to go to europe to do so.

[Zeno Marx]

Sat Stoicizmo.....sheer futurist machine power

YES!  Just this morning, I was coming to this thread with the obligatory Sat Stoicizmo mention.  Noticed we all forgot them.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

GRIM "Divine Music For Sleeping + Field 1987" tape
After latest GRIM 7", I was pretty shocked how crappy band turned to be, so when these Lust Vessel tapes came, I didn't feel like putting these on tape playr anytime soon. What a mistake it was! Actually, I'd say I now consider this tape possibly best GRIM recording that I have heard.
Though that LP, 7".. or VOD box etc would be all one needs, but hell no. This is actually crucial for fans of GRIM or industrial music general. THIS should have been on VOD box as it was far more rare material than vast majority of the stuff on box.

What we have here, is material from 2 tapes from 1987. Probably very rare, since they aren't listed even at discogs. It's 2-4 members doing most of all old fashioned bunker percussion. Various metal objects, some vocal howls and screams, sort of test dept meets more ritualistic feel. I would assume the influence of Vasilisk type of percussion, but raw sound quality and lack of anything electronic makes it very special.  One tape is recorded in basement, other in outdoor tunnel. I assume what they have had is boombox to make recording and that makes sound excellent. Rotten, naturally balanced, yet not exaggerated distortion or such. Those who don't have access for tapes, here's some stuff from youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh6wMPAX2Kk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk6BBdnsFYA

[THE RITA HN]

I enjoy some percussive elements, but usually the abstracted 'rhythms' or structure.  Not entirely related to the references above, but when I think of deconstructed and non linear percussion my go-to album is SUN RA's 'Atlantis'.  I like to equate percussive elements to snapping crackle and crumble, hence the fascination to abstracted, chaotic percussion. 
Always like seeing Harlow's projects mentioned in threads like this.  Honored to be able to see SISTRENATUS live often in Vancouver and witness his mastery of compression and chest splitting bomb-like percussive elements.

[NO PART OF IT]

Incidentally, there is one track by The Rita, that seems to utilize the spokes of a motorcycle or something, as a percussive element, on this release.  Would like to hear more of that.  Not that snap and crackle is bad or anything...  http://www.discogs.com/Rita-Headless-With-Leopard-Skin/master/238880

Also, the long defunct band COUGHS did this with expertise.  Very primal, two percussionists on oil drums, pots and pans, etc.  Glad to own their releases, especially the "Bent Babies" EP.  
http://www.discogs.com/artist/652850-Coughs

LOZENGE is also a good band (inspired the name of the band Coughs), using circular saw blades for cymbals and things like that.  Neither are strictly industrial, but cut from the same cloth, I think.  I liked this band so much, I used to buy all of the CDs I saw in bargain bins, just to give them good homes.   

Also, there is something about Nachtluft, that while it's not mechanical, sounds very machine like in its spatial use of metal percussion (and tapes).  

[SUBKLINIK]

I like the idea of rhythmic elements to PE/Death Industrial stuff but especially when it is constructed using electronics ala Korpses Katatonik "Shatok"
or my own SUBKLINIK "Deadpulse". The whole metal thing is all fine and dandy but it seems that after a time it becomes like the Heavy Metal guitar riff of "how many variations before its just a rehash thing?".... But don't get me wrong dudes. I love it but prefer a little more creativeness.