When Rob Halford Screamed Queer-Coded Lyrics
From coded BDSM references to vivid homoerotic imagery, Rob Halford’s lyrics formed a complex, emotionally charged expression of queerness under societal pressure.
industrial rock
The Way Out Is Through: Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Hesitation Marks’ at 10
Nine Inch Nails’ Hesitation Marks creates an objective point for looking back with wiser eyes, showing that the way to a better life is to push through the past.
Reflections of a Revolutionary: Interview with Egyptian Musician Ramy Essam
Ramy Essam, whose protest song in Tahrir Square deemed him “a voice of the [Egyptian] revolution”, sings of suffering, longing, and torture, and uses irony to at times, make a point about certain oppressive conditions.
Nine Inch Nails in Manchester Screams Catharsis – We Scream Back
Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails is better than ever and back in Europe to remind us of the mess we’re in and to give a much-needed cathartic release.
Time Is iamamiwhoami’s Worst Enemy and Best Friend on ‘Be Here Soon’
Swedish synthpop revolutionary Jonna Lee revives her iamamiwhoami moniker and takes on time to give us her forceful folk album, Be Here Soon.
David Bowie’s Danceable Assault on the Senses ‘Earthling’ Turns 25
Twenty-five years old today, David Bowie’s Earthling embodies multifaceted, sometimes contradictory currents of 1990s pop culture, including industrial metal and drum ‘n’ bass.
Garbage Return After Hiatus with Smart, Witty Answer to Our Chaotic World
Arguably Garbage’s most political record, No Gods No Masters is simultaneously novel and familiar. It’s a stark reflection of the recent overwhelming angst.
Between the Grooves: Nine Inch Nails – ‘Broken’
Nine Inch Nails' 1992 EP is half an hour of visceral, undiluted anger delivered through muscular, caustic guitars and Trent Reznor's anguished screams. It's concise, focused, and arguably the pinnacle of Nine Inch Nails' discography.
‘What a Fantastic Death Abyss’: David Bowie’s ‘Outside’ at 25
David Bowie’s Outside signaled the end of him as a slick pop star and his reintroduction as a ragged-edged arty agitator.
Nitzer Ebb: Three Decades of Pounding Beats and Smashing Stereotypes
As they prepare to hit the road again in their original 1982 lineup, Nitzer Ebb's Douglas McCarthy reflects on the long road that brought the EBM pioneers to where they are today.
Ministry’s ‘AmeriKKKant’ Isn’t Exactly Subtle
AmeriKKKant feels like Ministry, and it honest-to-god soars at times. For today, and especially if you're in a particular mood to rage at the current presidential administration, that’s enough.