Category: industrial

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: ADULT. Shares Urgent, Anthemic “No One is Coming”

Throughout the course of their 25-year history, Detroit-based industrial, synth punks ADULT. — Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller — have embodied steadfast frustration, distrust and apprehension. Typically for acts that have been together that long, the edges began to soften with time, but the duo isn’t interested or even remotely concerned about the comfort of legacy.

Kissing Luck Goodbye, the duo’s 10th album is slated for a March 27, 2026 release through Dais Records. Reportedly, the album features music that may arguably be the most visceral, urgent, angry and uncompromising effort of their career to date. Built with upgraded gear and a whole new library of sounds, Kissing Luck Goodbye‘s material is crushingly dynamic, louder and much clearer with Kuperus’ commanding delivery being given much greater delivery in the mix, outlining an arsenal of vivid, caustic calls, chants and music. Laughter, whether in the lyrics or as possessed presence, serves as a leitmotif through the material that speaks to the menacing absurdity of our moment.

The album’s lead single “No One is Coming” is a rousingly anthemic and urgent industrial scorcher anchored around a forceful baseline and noisy feedback that’s one-part dire warning, one-part call to arms that directly attacks inaction in the face of fascism. And at its core, it reminds the listener that there will be no calvary, no saviors, no deus ex machina to save us. We’re all we got. We’re going to have to save ourselves — or perish.

“‘No one is coming to your rescue . . . ‘ A lyric that was written in early 2025 and is even more relevant on its release date a year later. A song speaking to moral collapse and political corruption ‘to a T.'” ADULT.’s Nicola Kuperus says. “These subhumans attempting to run the show are more concerned with cashing in and political cosplay than the well being of mankind. While working on this album, I read an article from an esteemed environmental scientist about “what’s coming in the future”. What stuck with me was their point that we are entering a new phase in existence where the most important thing we can do is know our neighbors and know the strengths of each other and what resources everyone has. Who needs extra care? Who is on their own? This song was written as a call to arms. Be alert. Be aware. Be prepared. Stand up for yourself and look out for your community. We are better when we are united. Social media is wearing us down. Deluding us. The political landscape is horrifying, distracting, deranged and unhinged. We are seeing this go down in real time right now in Minneapolis… NO ONE IS COMING TO YOUR RESCUE… except ALL OF US! Keep speaking up! Keep using your right to protest and most importantly keep showing kindness to one another.”

The accompanying video features the duo playing in front of a backdrop of edited stock footage of crowds clapping, dancing and consuming mindlessly as the surrounding world burns down.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Augu Returns with Slick, Club Friendly “Industrial”

Augu is a mysterious and emerging Lithuanian electronic music producer, who has released a series of attention grabbing singles including:

  • “Foreigner,” a slick synthesis of  John Carpenter film soundtracks with deep industrial house and Kraftwerk-like minimalism into a dance floor friendly, club banger.

  • “Line,” a club friendly track that features elements of thumping industrial electronica, Kraftwerk and Daft Punk, John Carpenter soundtracks and deep house, anchored around the Lithuanian producer’s knack for big, catchy hooks

The Lithuanian electronic music producer closes out 2025 with “Industrial” another thumping banger that showcases his unique, hook-driven blend of industrial, techno, house and sci-fi soundtracks. But unlike the previously released material, “Industrial” seems to subtly nod at the work of Blanck Mass, as the track is bruising but simultaneously deeply sensitive.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Augu Returns with Melodic and Club Friendly “Industrial”

Augu is a mysterious and emerging Lithuanian electronic music producer, who caught my attention with singles like “Foreigner,” “Line“ and “Silence.”

The Lithuanian artist’s latest single, the aptly named “Industrial,” is an industrial electronic banger that subtly channels Ministry and Blanck Mass, complete with the prerequisite thump, and clang and clatter — but with a melodic sensibility.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Lyric Video: SOMBRA Shares Club and Arena Friendly “NINGEN”

SOMBRA is Canadian-born, Tokyo-based producer and songwriter, who blends elements of 90s alt rock, industrial, house, techno and trip hop to create a body of work that effortlessly moves between heavy and atmospheric. Frequently described as “music to turn the lights off to,” the Canadian-born, Japanese-based producer’s live band sets pair his sound with immersive visuals and projection — and feature collaborations with Japanese artists across multiple genres.

His latest single “NINGEN” showcases the Canadian-born, Japanese-based producer’s expansive, forward-thinking and dynamic sound. Sonically bringing Atusko Chiba, Odonis Odonis, and Tweekend-era The Crystal Method to mind, “NINGEN” is both club and arena friendly while featuring some immensely catchy hooks.

Video by William Ruben Helms

Lyric Video: Velatine Teams Up with Holly Purnell on Brooding “Oh See Me — The Siren”

Loki Lockwood is a Melbourne-based songwriter and producer and creative mastermind behind the darkwave/goth recording project Velatine, which for the bulk of is history saw him crating a unique and fresh take on a familiar and beloved sound through experimenting and working with different vocalists.

Earlier this year, the Aussie producer and musician collaborated with Nocturna on the slow-burning and broodingly cinematic “Till Death Do We Art.” But with Lockwood’s latest Velatine single, “Oh See Me — The Siren,” the Melbourne-based musician and producer collaborates with Holly Purnell, who was discovered through an Instagram ad seeking a vocalist and then recruited to be the project’s full-time vocalist.

On “Oh See Me — The Siren,” Purnell’s remarkably Siouxsie Sioux-like vocal is paired with a brooding and glitchy industrial-meets-post-punk production that continues to showcase Lockwood’s unerring knack for catchy hooks.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Augu Shares Brooding “Silence”

Augu is a mysterious and emerging Lithuanian electronic music producer, who caught my attention with “Foreigner,” and “Line.“

The Lithuanian producer’s latest single “Silence” is a brooding, club friendly track that seemingly channels Depeche Mode and Blanck Mass while showcasing an unerring knack for crafting forward-thinking material that’s anchored around remarkably catchy hooks.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Godkomplex Shares Bruising “Satanica”

Godkomplex — Mr. Panik and Download — was formed back in 1998 with the intention of revitalizing hard industrial music and features two accomplished stalwarts of the industrial scene:

  • Download’s career began in the mid 1980s with stings playing in a number of bands, including Servo Sector, which featured members of Kevorkian Death Cycle and Hex RX.

  • Mr. Panik is currently involved in a number of side projects, including Chaos Frequency and Skinprobe among others.

With Godkomplex, the duo combine elements of several electronic genres, including drum ‘n’ bass, power noise, techno, trance and coldwave to produce a sound that preserves the integrity of early industrial music while employing a more modern approach.

The duo released their full-length debut, 2000’s World Below through Chaos Records. The album was re-released in 2003 through ANR/Hexagon with national distribution through DSBP.

Their sophomore album, 2006’s Audial Apostasy saw the duo expanding into a quartet with the addition of Reload and The Loch Ness Monster. The duo returned with last year’s “Torture” and “Race-4-Power,” which was released last year.

Building upon the momentum of those singles, the duo recently released “Satanica,” a bruising and forceful yet club friendly bit of industrial that channels the likes of Ministry and Rammstein, while hinting at much more contemporary fare.

Fittingly, the accompanying video for “Satanica” features imagery of witchcraft, accused witches being burned at the stake, folks head banging at a festival show to hard music and more.

Both “Race-4-Power” and “Satanica” will appear on the duo’s forthcoming best of compilation, Best of Godkomplex 1999-2024, which is slated for release late this year.

Video by William Ruben Helms

Throwback: Happy 60th Birthday, Trent Reznor!

JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates Trent Reznor’s 60th birthday.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Augu Returns with a Sleek, Industrial Banger

Augu is a mysterious and emerging Lithuanian electronic music producer, who caught my attention with “Foreigner,” earlier this year. “Foreigner” was a slick synthesis of John Carpenter film soundtracks with deep industrial house and Kraftwerk-like minimalism into a dance floor friendly, club banger.

His latest single “Line” continues a run of a club friendly material that features elements of thumping industrial electronica, Kraftwerk and Daft Punk, John Carpenter soundtracks and deep house, anchored around the Lithuanian producer’s knack for big, catchy hooks.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Donïa Nö Shares a Brooding and Eerie Banger

Donïa Nö is a Tuscan-born singer/songwriter and electronic music artist, who relocated to Rome, where she studied guitar at Liceo Musicale F. Petrarca and privately, and graduated with a degree in pop vocals at the Saint Louis College of Music.

After spending some time in both cover and original music projects, the Tuscan-born artist felt the need to express herself completely and she started her first solo project The Silence with which she released her debut single “Intro-Right/Wrong,” and five follow-up singles written and sung in English.

She made her live debut back in 2022, opening for Cigno in Rome and for Le Cose Importanti. She also participated in Firenze Suona and Lazio Sound.

Back in 2023, the Tuscan-born, Rome-based artist rebranded her project Donïa Nö — and with the rebrand, she decided to write and sing her lyrics in her native Italian. As Donïa Nö, her sound is influenced by Nine Inch Nails, Fever Ray, Bones UK, Subsonica, Verdena and others — dark, industrial-like electronica paired with alternating screams, howls and ethereal melodies.

Her latest single “Cenere alla Cenere” is a slickly produced yet brooding bit of goth/industrial music anchored around an alternating eerie atmospheric verses and hard-hitting, club friendly hooks and choruses paired with Donïa Nö’s expressive vocal. Sonically, recalling Marie Davidson and Becoming Undone-era Adult.,” Cenere alla Cenere” makes a reference to Genesis while giving voice to women, who have suffered and have been silenced. She explains that the song “. . . is a ferocious cry and a celebration of the survivors who do not bend.”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Anil Shares Goth Interpretation of Emily Dickinson

Anil is an İzmir, Turkey-based singer/songwriter, producer, author and literary translator. He recently created a song around Emily Dickinson‘s “A Wounded Deer — Leaps Highest.”

The club rocking, industrial goth remix of the original mischievously reveals that Dickinson might have been a modern day goth.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: clubdrugs Tackles Portishead’s “Sour Times”

Chicago-based, self-described goth pop duo clubdrugs have developed a reputation both locally and regionally for a genre-defying sound and for captivating live performances.

Last year, I wrote about “Waiting,” a slickly produced, hook-driven, club friendly bop featuring glistening synth arpeggios, tweeter and woofer rattling thump and a sinuous and propulsive bass line that serves as a lush bed for Maria’s yearning vocal to ethereally float over. It’s the sort of song that’s perfect for the lovelorn and heartbroken to dance while crying their hearts out on the dance floor.

To celebrate Valentine’s Day and the season of love, the Chicago-based outfit shared a cover of Portishead‘s “Sour Times” that turns the slow-burning, brooding torch ballad into a tense, club friendly industrial banger.

“As kids, we passed out Valentine’s to our friends to show we care. We miss that,” Maria shares. “This year, our Valentine is this sexy melancholic love song. We hope it resonates with everyone, no matter how they’re feeling this Valentine’s Day.”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Big Fish Shares Brooding and Folksy Industrial Hymn “Vad blir kvar (What Will Remain)”

Back in 1988, four Uppsala, Sweden-based teens decided to start a band after returning from a trip to West Berlin. Heavily inspired by the avant garde scene there, Big Fish‘s original lineup featured vocals, upright bass, samplers and scrap metal percussion. With the addition of a guitarist in 1990, the newly-minted quintet became part of an emerging local scene that would subsequently birth acts like Watain,Misery Loves Co., Lost Souls, Malaise and Defleshed. 

Throughout the better part of the 1990s, the Swedish outfit recorded three studio albums, including 1996’s Micheal Blair-produced Andar i Halsen, which they supported with frequently touring across Scandinavia, playing over 500 shows. 

The band broke up in 1997 after its members left Uppsala for work and studies. But their fanbase’s clamoring demand for hearing their material live resulted in the Swedish band playing a handful of reunion shows in 2016. 

2022’s surprise fourth album, Kalla döda drömmar was released to critical praise and was supported by extensive touring across their native Sweden. The band spent the next year writing and recording material, including six planned singles which will appear on the band’s forthcoming fifth album, Frya liter stoft (Four liters of dust) slated for release in May.

Late last year, I wrote about “SNÖ (Snow),” a brutally forceful and thrashing ripper, anchored around down-tuned and rumbling bass, fuzzy power chords. thunderous syncopated drumming and rousingly anthemic and enormous hooks and choruses paired with urgent and punchily delivered vocals singing lyrics in Swedish that describe a return from a bleak, metaphorical winter of isolation — or perhaps intoxication — and discovering that nothing is left. But at its core, the song captures uneasy, brutal nature of our bleak, mad, mad, mad existence.

Album single “Vad blir kvar (What Will Remain) ” is a brooding yet folksy industrial hymn that evokes bleak, dark and harsh winters; trudging through snow, ice and slush to some equally harsh, soul-crushing industrial workplace to make widgets, ball bearings and ammunition; of recognizing that there are small moments of breathtaking beauty and humanity that can be a respite in a brutal world.