A landmark album of noise music: from industrial to Japanoise.
Noise music, born from the free imagination of artists who sometimes ignore conventional musical composition and sound design, employing not only pure instruments but also samples of metallic objects and sounds from the natural world—indeed, every method imaginable—is, quite literally, so unmusical that it can make listeners uncomfortable.
In this article, we will focus on landmark albums by representative bands of the genre known as industrial music—indispensable when discussing noise music—while also introducing works by Japanese artists who are highly acclaimed worldwide under the banner of Japanoise.
Take this opportunity to experience the unique sensations that can only be found within the realm of noise.
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Masterpieces of noise music: From industrial to Japanoise (1–10)
Spread The VirusCabaret Voltaire
If you’re well-versed in art and literature, the name Cabaret Voltaire alone should clue you in that they’re not an ordinary music group.
Formed in Sheffield, England in 1973, Cabaret Voltaire took their name from the Swiss cabaret regarded as the birthplace of Dadaism, and became a pioneering industrial-to-electronic music group.
Employing techniques like cut-up, they crafted experimental industrial sounds before later shifting toward electronic dance music.
Their third album, Red Mecca, released in 1981, is renowned as a masterpiece where their early experimental spirit and a more accessible musical format are balanced to brilliant effect.
It was also their last work as a trio, and could be seen as a culmination of their early career.
The cheap drum machine’s electro beats, minimal guitar and synth, and effect-laden vocals conjure a trance-like sonic world, with noise used in a calculated way as textural ornamentation.
Standing alongside Throbbing Gristle as architects of industrial music—and instrumental, in the best sense, in shaping industrial music as “commercial music”—this album is essential listening if you want to understand their achievement.
The Honour of SilenceDeath In June
If you approach Nada! with a basic image of noise music—violent noise and electronic squall—you might be caught off guard by tracks that feature conventional song structures and melodies tinged with a gothic atmosphere.
Death in June was formed in 1981 by members who had previously played in the post-punk band Crisis, and their sound is commonly referred to as “neofolk.” That said, it’s far from purely folksy: they blend elements like electronic collage-noise into an experimental sonic world inspired by European ancient mythologies and the Third Reich—truly singular in every respect.
Released in 1985 as their third album, Nada! marked a fresh start masterminded by Douglas P., the group’s central figure, after political disagreements had split the band.
It’s widely regarded as a masterpiece.
True to its title, which means “nothing,” the sound is starkly nihilistic, as if dragging you into a deep, inescapable darkness.
Hearing it will make you realize that this kind of music, too, has its place within the realms of noise and industrial.
If you’re interested in genres like neofolk, post-punk, neo-psychedelia, or darkwave, you should experience their music at least once.
Ultra CockerHanatarashi
It seems to me that many prominent artists in noise—and by extension, Japanoise—have striking, memorable names.
Hanatarash, the first step in the musical career of Eye Yamatsuka—who would later gain worldwide recognition as the frontman of Boredoms—is another band name that any Japanese person would remember instantly.
Formed in 1983 around Eye Yamatsuka, Hanatarash was a hardcore punk-to-noise band that, notorious live performances included, has forever secured its place as a legend of the 1980s underground music scene.
Their self-titled debut album, released in 1985 by Japan’s venerable indie label Alchemy Records, feels as if the primitive destructive impulse and chaos of their live shows were captured directly onto tape.
A merciless onslaught of noise, chant-like vocals, and a sound that is, in a sense, hardcore and punk taken to the extreme—rather than pure industrial music—lets you experience a mass of noise composed solely of pent-up rage, violence, and a drive to destroy.
That said, if you liked Boredoms and try to jump straight into this, it’s likely to be a rough landing—so proceed with caution!
Masterpieces of Noise Music: From Industrial to Japanoise (11–20)
NeuridrinaEsplendor Geométrico
Esplendor Geométrico, the industrial music group representing Spain, was formed in 1980.
Their distinctive name is taken from the essay Geometric and Mechanical Splendor and the Numerical Sensibility by the Italian Futurist poet F.
T.
Marinetti.
Characterized by a sound that employs raw harsh noise and the machine beats typical of industrial music, they remain very much active in the 2020s, exerting a major influence not only on noise music but also on cutting-edge electronic musicians.
The work introduced here is EG-1, released in 1981, at a time when their once hard-to-find releases have been steadily reissued and reevaluated.
The original came out on cassette tape and was reissued on vinyl in 2021 to mark its 40th anniversary.
Its ferocious noise and relentlessly repetitive, minimal, and cold machine beats lay out the fundamentals of industrial, and you can’t miss the elements that arguably proto-type techno music as well.
It’s a must-hear album for understanding the historical fact that a unique strain of noise—developed differently from British industrial—was taking shape in Italy!
Senzuri ChampionZa Gerogerigegege
An absolute classic released in 1987 by a genius of Japanoise, with a title you could never say out loud in everyday life! This is the landmark debut album by The Gerogerigegege, the solo project of Juntaro Yamanouchi, who began his activities in 1985.
Yamanouchi has continued to make sound and stage antics that live up to the unit’s outrageously impactful name, and remarkably, he has the background of sending a demo tape in high school to Masami Akita—better known as Merzbow—which led to his debut.
The world of noise music tends to have many precocious artists who start young, and Yamanouchi was clearly one of them.
The Gerogerigegege are a literally extreme presence—reportedly punching a hole in the auditorium at Waseda University during their debut live performance—so of course the sound is anything but ordinary.
Senzuri Champion is punk and hardcore to the core: a free-for-all of noise and wild shrieks! The original edition is out of print, and in 2012 a revised version was released, newly edited from entirely unreleased versions.
As an aside, their musicality is extraordinarily wide-ranging—noise is only one facet.
If this has piqued your interest, check out their other works and be prepared to be surprised each time!
Lion Of Kandahar (Extended Re-Mix)Muslimgauze
The artist name Muslimgauze, with its curious ring, is the solo project of British musician Bryn Jones.
Since beginning activity in 1982 until his untimely death in 1999 at the age of 37, Jones released an enormous number of albums and tracks—just glancing at the official discography is overwhelming.
It’s ironic that it wasn’t his wish, but the continued release of many remixes and other material after his passing shows just how influential he has been on subsequent artists.
The work featured here, Iran, was released in 1988 and is famous as the first Muslimgauze album to appear on CD.
Industrial elements are kept to a minimum, and—true to its title—the uniquely crafted breakbeats, loaded with ethnic influences, should appeal not only to those interested in noise and avant-garde music but also to listeners who love techno and world music.
While Muslimgauze is inseparable from its political messages and ideas, it’s by no means a bad choice to first enjoy the primitive thrill of its blend of electronic and Middle Eastern sounds and then learn about the artist’s intent behind the music.
DogshitSkinny Puppy
When asked to name the quintessential industrial-to-electro music group to come out of Canada, the first name that comes to mind is Skinny Puppy.
Unfortunately, as of 2022, only one of their works has been released domestically in Japan, but they still have a devoted fanbase here.
Among their discography, I’d like to highlight their fourth album, VIVIsectVI, released in 1988—a classic born during their peak in the 1980s.
Their early experimental, dark electro-industrial sound reached new levels of refinement, while their uniquely Skinny Puppy worldview—putting heavy themes like animal experimentation front and center—has an addictive pull you can’t escape once you’re hooked.
The blend of harsh noise, danceable electro beats, and deeply unsettling electronic textures still sounds striking and incredibly cool even in the 2020s.
The samples drawn from horror films are fascinating as well.
Hailed by critics not only as industrial music but as a groundbreaking electronic album in general, this work also spawned the floor hit Testure.
However, be warned: the music video for that track is quite shocking, so those who are sensitive may want to proceed with caution.