Nine Crazy Albums for '09!

2009 is going to be chock-full of dance-ready industrial noise and electro-glam-goth rock. Anyone interested in truly rebellious and depraved music should check out the following (in no particular order):

1) Zeromancer - Sinners International - Myspace

Most frequently compared to Orgy, this Norwegian electronic rock group is considered by many to be superior to its American counterpart. The band's 2009 album (released earlier this year) picks up where previous albums left off -- and for fans, that's not a bad thing. Recommended: "It sounds like love, but it looks like sex."



2) KMFDM - Blitz - Myspace

The ultra heavy beat marches on! This veteran band still knows how to throw down harder than almost any other industrial band, but has never lost that urge to incorporate more pop-friendly loops. Listen to KMFDM's new album in full at the group's Myspace page.



3) Marilyn Manson - The High End of Low - Myspace

Some call him one of the few remaining rock 'n roll stars on the planet. Some are less accepting. This shock-rocker, though, has never been very bothered about what other people think. For 2009, Manson presents an album that in his own words "really wipes the floor with everything we've done before." We don't know if the final product (set for a May 26 release) will live up to the hype, but based on the two songs available now -- "Arma-God-Damn-Mother-Fuckin'-Geddon" and "We're From America" -- fans have reason to be excited.



4) VNV Nation - Of Faith, Power and Glory - Myspace

This British/Irish duo is known within the EBM/industrial community as a premier act; in a scene filled with cliches and tired beats, VNV Nation has consistently offered up dance-friendly songs that at the same time touch on real human concerns (war, global warming, etc.). The group's album is set for a June release -- check out some of its older work for a taste:



5) Julien-K - Death to Analog - Myspace

The brainchild of former Orgy bandmates Amir Derakh and Ryan Shuck, Julien-K aims to showcase what could have been of the latter group should it have pursued a more electro-driven sound. Their debut album, released earlier this year, includes the single "Kick the Bass":



6) Dope Stars Inc. - Criminal Intents/Morningstar EP - Myspace

April 21 marks the release of DSI's latest release, which will feature both new tracks and previously unavailable/rare songs. These hard-hitting cyberpunk Italians are a force to be reckoned with.



7) The Birthday Massacre - Show and Tell - Myspace

Toronto-based new-wave post-retro Goth band The Birthday Massacre is what happens when Tim Burton meets Bauhaus, The Sisters of Mercy, and '90s-era electro-rock in the back seat of a seedy limo. The band's first live album is due soon:



8) Combichrist - Heat EP: All Pain is Beat - Myspace

After releasing a full-length album earlier this year, Combichrist returns with a CD full of remixes and B-side rarities. This is music for a rave — attended by crazed zombies.



9) Vanity Beach - Love is Dead - Myspace

Straight from Finland, this group has been described by Metal Hammer magazine as the type of band that'd "sleep with your mum and film it for you as a birthday present." I don't know what that means, really, but it's probably a good thing when it comes to discussing top-notch industrial rock. The band's full-length album is due out in mid-2009 — listen to their cover of "Batcave"...