Godflesh - A World Lit Only By Fire

This is one album I left far too late before checking out, even though I'd heard good things about it through reliable sources. I wanted to check it out, but was waiting for the right price - found it cheap, so decided to give it a whirl. Talk about a return to form! I loved early Godflesh (Streetcleaner, and their self titled EP in particular), but got a little jaded with their later albums before their original split. This, the 'reformation' album absolutely rocked me back on my heels. Killer, primal, crushing and coldly clinical, Justin Broadrick and co have combined all the elements that made thousands fall in love with their sound in the first place, and connected them together here for an absolute stone monolith of an album.

Mysticum - In the Streams of Inferno

A late addition to my Mysticum collection (other parts of which are merely a search away on this very blog) is the very first pressing of the bands debut album 'In the Streams of Inferno'. I'd already owned the 2nd press with the alternative cover artwork, but was happy to find this lurking under a pile of pop music in a 2nd hand store. For those who don't already know, this is what bad dreams are made of. Mysticum are the masters of industrial sounding black metal. If you're a black metal fan, check this out without a second thought. Full Moon Productions.

Deathless - Anhedonia

Here is the 1992 debut album from Deathless, a old doomy band with industrial influences from the UK, who actually originated from Australia. These guys have a fair bit of industrial vibe in their sound as mentioned before, with a hypnotic and intense feel that sometimes reminds me of the starkness of Godflesh or very early Pitchshifter. To be honest, I've really got to be in the right mindset and mood for music like this (same goes for when listening to Godflesh actually in my case). When you are feeling it though, you can't beat it. Original pressing on Electrip Records, and long out of print.

The Berzerker - The Reawakening

The Berzerker were never a band that spring to mind when listing a ton of my favourite bands, but they certainly had something about them I liked. This was the bands final release after their acrimonious split from Earache Records, entirely self financed and released by the band themselves under their own Berzerker Industries label. Funny thing is, I'd probably say the shackles of Earache being off allowed them to create their finest work - just a shame not many got to hear it as it had such limited distribution (well, discounting downloads, of course). Fine grinding death metal with those crazy gabba drums and sick industrial vibe all added together to create a measured album of intensity and power. Worth a look for those willing to expand outside the usual realms of death/grind.

Red Harvest - Nomindsland / There's Beauty... / HyBreed

Here are the first three albums by Norwegian weirdos Red Harvest. Their debut started out as meat and potatoes thrash, but they went onto a weird hybrid of industrial bastardized metal later on. These guys were to break big time with their following release 'Cold Dark Matter', bringing them to the attention of the mainstream.

Mysticum - In the Streams of Inferno & Lost Masters of the Universe

These guys need no introduction. Famed for their techno/industrial styled black metal, they released one official full length album (featured here on Full Moon Productions with alternate cover art). Also, here we have a compilation of other material by the band.