Chicago EBM Revival

I'm a big fan of the crop of new bands coming out of Chicago (and elsewhere) making early 80s industrial kind of stuff.

Gatekeeper, White Car, Tense and Valis are a few that come to mind.

Its kind of associated with drag, but dancier, synthier and less drugged out. The style is very similar to old Skinny Puppy and Ministry, but that's alright by me.

anyone as smitten as myself?

no.

hello Backson, this is the first time i've heard about any new EBM reivial in Chicago, post some youtube clips, but there is an interesting revival of similar music happening in Oakland, Ca by way of a group called Katabatik. If you dig ebm and old school industrial you will enjoy their new free comp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41mvgGVG7J4

gatekeeper struck me more as trying to recapture the early 80s horror sound, fairly goblinesque with a load more italo heaped on. a bit like bottin, really. but a bit more "authentic" if that makes sense. like, it totally could be in a really bad slasher flick.

of the rest i've only heard a track or two by //tense// and it was okay but i've not gone more in depth. worth it?

i like the notes that come in at the end of that track.

oh here's the //tense// track i'd heard lol, related videos of gatekeeper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbpcVL0PBwo

! sounds like full on nitzer ebb

"revival" to me means they add something new to the old sound. this is more like a re-enactment.

i like this

edit: not really ebm at all but this is from the katabatik comp which can be found here - http://www.katabatik.org/kollektion/

  On 8/22/2010 at 7:58 AM, analogue wings said:

"revival" to me means they add something new to the old sound.

since when? it doesn't mean that. you just made that up then to cut me and gatekeeper down.

shame on you.

also, i didn't add videos because my internet was too pathetic.

if you get a chance, check out "The Bridge" by White Car, anything off Gatekeeper's Optimus Maximus EP. Also, Gatekeeper have a new track called "Serpent" which I think is ace.

as much as i post about witch house, there is alot of crap to wade through in that genre. this stuff has more killer and is dancier too.

  On 8/22/2010 at 10:04 AM, Backson said:

  On 8/22/2010 at 7:58 AM, analogue wings said:

"revival" to me means they add something new to the old sound.

since when? it doesn't mean that. you just made that up then to cut me and gatekeeper down.

 

shame on you.

just re-read your post and I actually agree.

i sorry.

lol it's just an observation. i'll keep an eye on this cos i liked that ebm thing the first time round

EBM/industrial revival huh...I'll check out these vids and other recommendations when I don't have something else playing. Could be interesting. Could be boring too, but I'm curious.

  On 8/23/2010 at 4:11 AM, sidewinder said:

EBM/industrial revival huh...I'll check out these vids and other recommendations when I don't have something else playing. Could be interesting. Could be boring too, but I'm curious.

depends how you define boring. the music is eventful by all means, but its based on heavy influence.

just check out Gatekeeper. all shall reveal itself.

i should move back to chicago. Well it seems this Gatekeeper group is rather authentic then eh? The katabatik comp is good too.

I didn't know there was a revival happening in the ol' EBM, part of me wants to get a nice nostalgic buzz and part of me feels embarrassed for feeling that way.

  On 8/22/2010 at 10:17 AM, Backson said:

if you get a chance, check out "The Bridge" by White Car,

i just watched the video for this... holy Stephen Mallinderisms!!! It's not bad but I can't help wishing it had more spike. Actually, maybe if one of these bands was doing something a bit more like Drinking Gasoline I'd be pretty excited. I always thought that EP had a very distinct sound I'm not sure I've heard anywhere else.

i am investigating Drinking Gasoline as we speak.

speaking of which, are there any original EBM artists that you'd recommend for someone who enjoys this revival stuff?

I think I'm going to get a copy of Ministry's "Twitch", for example.

  On 8/24/2010 at 4:50 AM, Backson said:

i am investigating Drinking Gasoline as we speak.

 

speaking of which, are there any original EBM artists that you'd recommend for someone who enjoys this revival stuff?

 

I think I'm going to get a copy of Ministry's "Twitch", for example.

early stuff:

Front 242 - Geography, Front by Front

Skinny Puppy - Bites, Remission, Mind the Perpetual Intercourse

Revolting Cocks - Big Sexy Land

later stuff:

Leather Strip - Fit for Flogging

Haujobb - Freeze Frame Reality

I'd agree with Awepittance's recommendation for early stuff especially that particular RevCo album. The Puppy stuff if always good and some of their later albums are much better but probably don't sound like the kind of thing you're looking for a recommendation for. With regards Front 242, the Front By Front album is a classic of that scene but I've never found it to be all that satisfying. The Backcatalogue CD has a good mix of their early stuff.

If you liked Drinking Gasoline then I'd recommend more Cabaret Voltaire but they tend to have highs and lows on their albums and it's only a few albums from the sizeable discography that in your stylistic ballpark. Radiation is a good bet combining various BBC session from that mid-period including some nice alternate versions of Drinking Gasoline tracks.

Elsewhere, the obvious example of a wide range of the late 80s Chicago sound is the WaxTrax Blackbox compilation. Quite a wide variety of stuff but it strikes me as a good intro to consider.

  On 8/25/2010 at 12:23 AM, jeyemusik said:

Elsewhere, the obvious example of a wide range of the late 80s Chicago sound is the WaxTrax Blackbox compilation. Quite a wide variety of stuff but it strikes me as a good intro to consider.

I'll second that, for someone starting out.

And regarding Cabaret Voltaire, I'd suggest The Crackdown or Micro-Phonies. And Awpittance's list is great (not familiar with that Leather Strip album though, only ever heard one from them).

yeah wax trax blackbox is a good start even just for learning about the 2nd wave of industrial music.

this is probably my favorite track out of the 2nd wave of EBM (from fit for flogging)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cCYAzqRr0Y

  On 8/22/2010 at 10:17 AM, Backson said:

if you get a chance, check out "The Bridge" by White Car

So I got White Car's EP today, and The Bridge is indeed awesome. Totally Cabaret Voltaire at their most accessible. The first 2 tracks of the EP are pretty meh (they might grow on me), but the 2nd two including (The Bridge) are awesome.

  On 9/7/2010 at 6:20 AM, sidewinder said:

  On 8/22/2010 at 10:17 AM, Backson said:

if you get a chance, check out "The Bridge" by White Car

So I got White Car's EP today, and The Bridge is indeed awesome. Totally Cabaret Voltaire at their most accessible. The first 2 tracks of the EP are pretty meh (they might grow on me), but the 2nd two including (The Bridge) are awesome.

these are similar to my opinions.