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Industrial rock

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Industrial rock
Stylistic originsAlternative rock, industrial metal
Cultural originsEarly 1990s, United States, United Kingdom
Typical instrumentsElectric guitar - Synthesizer - Drum machine - Drums - Sequencer - Keyboard - Sampler)
Derivative formsNu metal

(complete list)
Other topics
Notable artists - List of subgenres

Industrial rock is a musical genre which is a fusion of industrial music and rock music. Industrial rock augments the guitar-based music and songwriting structure of rock with the electronic instruments and noisy production techniques of industrial. Though superficially abrasive and often aggressive, industrial rock is generally more listener-friendly than traditional industrial.

Industrial rock is similar to industrial metal. By convention, all industrial metal artists may be more vaguely described as industrial rock, but not all industrial rock artists are properly described as industrial metal.

Typical instrumentation for industrial rock bands centers on heavily-distorted or otherwise-effected guitars and synthesizers. Bass guitars and drums may be played live, or they may be replaced by sequencers and drum machines. Many groups also make extensive use of samplers.

The archetypal industrial rock band is Nine Inch Nails (NIN). Melding the influences of rock stars like David Bowie, Queen, and Kiss; industrial groups like Skinny Puppy and Coil; and industrial metal acts like Ministry; NIN produced "industrial-flavored" music that enjoyed wide mainstream success. Indeed, industrial rock's general popularity came largely in the wake of Nine Inch Nails' multi-platinum The Downward Spiral (1994), as record companies promoted bands with similar aesthetics. These included NIN-protégé Marilyn Manson, Filter_(band), Stabbing Westward, and Gravity Kills. David Bowie even flirted with the genre, releasing the industrial-tinged 1.OUTSIDE and touring with NIN in 1995.

The term "industrial rock" most likely had its genesis in the mid-1990s as a reaction to such crossover bands being referred to as simply "industrial." The industrial rock designation called attention to the fundamental similarities with rock, as opposed to industrial. However, casual listeners still often use "industrial" to refer to the more accessible industrial rock style.

As the 1990s drew to a close, industrial rock's mainstream popularity waned. The genre still remains alive, however, with groups like Pigface and Sister Machine Gun maintaining considerable grassroots followings. The influence of industrial rock has been acknowledged in the popularization of nu-metal.

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