Sat, 03 Jun 2006 09:32:27 GMT

Musick for Mass-Murderers
a journey into "dark" music

This list is nowhere near complete; my knowledge of the subject isn't big enough to provide a list of all music that could be labeled as being dark. And of course "dark" is a bit of a vague term, really. I am a very happy and lighthearted person (ok sometimes I hit people with mangos), so what I call dark might just make you (the truly evil, "I eat babies for breakfast" reader of this list) laugh.

Legend:

▼ = For Having A Laugh Only
▼▼▼▼▼ = Essential Listening

So, here goes Nihil:

Combichrist
Genre: EBM
▼

Combichrist is dumb. Combichrist is loud.
Synthesizers, a whole shitload of distortion and very daft lyrics. The only reason to listen to this crap is getting in the mood for killing domestic animals (and their owners).

Everybody Hates You - This shit will fuck you up
(Watch out, it really will. It's so awefully stupid)

Coil
Genre: Industrial / Avant-garde / Gothic
▼▼▼▼▼

Nothing quite compares to Coil.

Bewildering Musick for Astral-Minded People.

Holy Holy Holy

Horse Rotorvator - The Anal Staircase
The Ape of Napels - Fire of the Mind

Wumpscut
Genre: EBM
▼▼▼▼

"War" must be one of the coolest song ever. :W: latest releases have been a bit of a let-down, but he has made some really harsh, twisted and sometimes just plain sick songs in the past. Especially Embryodead is a lot of fun.

Wumpscut - Embryodead - War
Soylent Grün

Skinny Puppy
Genre: Industrial / Gothic
▼▼▼▼▼

Skinny Puppy is the best goth-act ever. Skinny Puppy is the best industrial-act ever. Skinny Puppy is the greatest band ever. Or something.
Although their latest album is soft and fluffy and they don't disect dogs on stage anymore they are Heroes.

LoveLoveLove.

Rabies - Tin Omen
Last Rights - Killing Game
Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse - Dig It
The Process - Hardset Head

Ministry
Genre: Industrial / Metal
▼▼▼▼

Ministry brings together metal and industrial in a way which makes me want to jump around and randomly hit people. Agressive musick, fun lyrics:

The land of Rape & Honey - Flashback
"
I'm gonna kill him
I'm gonna break his face
I'm gonna crack his skull
I'm gonna kick it all in
I'm gonna break his legs off
I'm gonna rip his head off
and then shit down his neck
and then I'll laugh like a motherfucker
and then I'll laugh like a motherfucker
coz i hate her
"

(don't we all just feel like that sometimes?)

Twitch is the pure industrial album, The Land of Rape & Honey combines industrial with a metal and punk edge, "The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste" must be the best combination of heavy guitars and strange effects in human history and "Psalm 69" is just a very loud metal recording. Their newest piece of work "Rio Grande Blood" is enjoyable but nothing great. It's fucking loud though. Loud = good.

The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste - Thieves
Psalm 69 - N.W.O
Rio Grande Blood - Yellow Cake

Bauhaus
Genre: Post-Punk / Gothic
▼▼▼▼

One of the first (and last, some would say) gothic bands. Nowhere near as dark as Joy Division but really essential listening. Dark, theatric, intelligent.

And fun. I keep saying "fun" all the time. I mean evil, of course :P.

I dare you! You!

Yay.

Crackle (best of) - Double Dare
Crackle (best of) - The Passion of Lovers
Crackle (best of) - Dark Entries
Crackle (best of) - Bela Lugosi's Dead

The Cure
Genre: Post-Punk / Gothic
▼▼▼▼

The Cure made some lovely dark music in their brief gothic period. Yes, dark. Not whiny or romantic to the point at which it makes you want to throw up. For the Cure, that is quite an achievement indeed ;).

Pornography - Siamese Twins

Joy Division
Genre: Post-Punk
▼▼▼▼▼

One of the darkest bands ever. They scare me. "Closer" must be the most depressing album ever. I tend only to listen "Unknown Pleasures". It doesn't fuck with my brain as much. The music reminds me of the paintings of Beksinski.

Utter nihilism.

Closer - Heart and Soul
Unknown Pleasures - Wilderness

Alien Sex Fiend
Genre: Death-Rock / Industrial
▼▼

:) :) :)

Ain't got no time to Bleed
I'm her Frankenstein
Now I'm Feeling Zombiefied

Suicide Commando
Genre: EBM
▼

One of the worst artists in my collection (although I only have one of his CDs, so I guess it isn't fair to judge him on that alone). But yeah, he's from Belgium so that was to be expected. The lyrics! Oh, the lyrics. They will make you want to shit yourself, I promise:

I penetrate your body
I'm getting inside
your eyes wide open
staring at the sky
I'm taking of your clothes
you're looking so livid
to hell with religion
you're dead, I'm living
necrophilia

Haha-fucking-ha...

*sigh*

Critical Stage - Necrophilia
Critical Stage - H.I.V +

Diary of Dreams
Genre: Darksynth / Synthpop / Gothic
▼▼▼

I have my doubts on this one. Sometimes it just makes me laugh to the point of bleeding 'cause it sounds so much like it could be a dark entry for the Eurovision Songfestival. But at the same time this is really rich and layered darksynth with a nice atmosphere.

Freak Perfume - She
Freak Perfume - The Curse

Pigface
Industrial / Rock
▼▼

There isn't a lot to say really. Pigface is an industrial supergroup (but not that super) with members of the live band of Ministry and a lot of guest artists. Pigface is quite FFFun.

Slut! Slut! Slut!

Notes From Thee Underground - Fuck it up
Notes From Thee Underground - Slut / Blood / Pain
Notes From Thee Underground - Steamroller

Project Pitchfork
Industrial / Synthpop
▼▼▼

Great industrial/synthpop from Germany. The German accent of the singer might be a bit of a turn off, but the music is great. And instead of having those cliched evil lyrics, their lyrics are actually quite intelligent. For "industrial" standards, that is.

Kaskade - The Present
Kaskade - The Touch

Mind.in.box
Technopop
▼▼▼

This isn't really that dark, and it isn't gothic and it is't funny. As a matter of fact, it isn't even Evil. But in its minimalistic, techno-pop way this is incredibly beautiful music. A bit strange, but very moving with simple yet effective lyrics.

You are not the only one lost alone in this world.

Lost Alone - Lost Alone
Lost Alone - Light & Dark
Lost Alone - You Will See

Panzer AG
EBM
▼▼

The same guy as Combichrist, but this isn't quite as stupid. Harsh, twisted EBM. Kinda like Wumpscut. Not as sexually frustrated or as violent as Combichrist but still very ROFL-lyrics.

"Oh God I am so angry at you! I will now do evil things and drink blood and I am so dark and I hate religion and I am so evil.

PS: I worship Satan"

But ok, the guy's from Norway.

Norway will fuck you up.

This is my Battlefield - God eats God
This Is My Battlefield - When Death Embrace Me

Current 93
Apocalyptic Folk & Industrial / Ambient
▼▼▼▼▼

One of my favourite artists ever. The inventor of apocalyptic folk. The creator of the scariest ambient-industrial ever. And he loves cats, so I love him.

Very voice of very God and/or pretentious, repetetive music for people who think it's Halloween every day and have no sense of reality.

Count me in! Count me in!

Sell all you have, give it to the kittens

Soft Black Stars - It is Time, Only Time
All The Pretty Little Horses - The Blood Bells Chime(such a cute song)
Dogs Blood Rising - Dogs Blood Rising

Death in June
Apocalyptic Folk
▼▼▼

Rather controversial artist who openly flirts with Nazism. Being a former member of a socialst punkband and gay, chances are he isn´t really as fascist as some people like to think. Misanthropic, nihilist musick.

But, What Ends When The Symbols Shatter? - Little Black Angel
Rose Clouds of Holocaust - Rose Clouds of Holocaust

Lustmord
Dark Ambient
▼▼▼

It is the night of the demon. It is the night of the demon. It is the night of the demon
ad infinitum

This artist can be a lot of fun. Listen all alone, without any lights on. On a stormy autumn night. You will be scared.
Or bored to death.

Either way is a FFFun way to spend your time.

Metavoid - A Light That Is A Darkness
The Monstrous Soul - Ixaxaar

Swans
Industrial / Rock / Gothic
▼▼▼▼

Heavy, dark beauty. The oldies always are the best, aren't they?

Children of God - Sex, God, Sex
Children of God - Real Love

Haujobb
Industrial
▼▼▼

Good industrial-with-guitars from Germany. Has a bit of Skinny Puppy sound, which is always a big plus. Not just a Skinny Puppy clone though, but an industrial force to be reckoned with in it's own right.

Freeze Frame Reality - Cold Comfort
Freeze Frame Reality - Dream Aid

Velvet Acid Christ
EBM / Industrial
▼▼

I don't know why I don't really like VAC, but I really don't. Some songs are fun, but I can't seem to stand them for too long.
But of course, this isn't a good town for psychedelic drugs.

Fun With Knives - Fun With Drugs
Twisted Thought Generator - Crypul

Hocico
Industrial / EBM
▼▼▼

Sometimes compared to Skinny Puppy, but not quite as fun. Yes, they are loud. Yes, they scream. It gets boring, though. And Skinny Puppy never gets boring.

Wrack and Ruin - Love Posing As A Prostitute
Blasphemies in the Holy Land - Untold Blasphemies (live)

~W

dogsbloodrising