[mjg]

nine inch nails is pretty unique, each album had a distinct flavor to it..

the closest album to the definitive "industrial" sound, i believe is broken.
By this i mean, progressive, loud guitar, samples, distorted voice, but over all a rock sound... Not so much experimenting with odd ambiance, freakish dance music, or just generally "strange and depressing". Trent in his prime i think is on the broken album, best songs to me are "wish", "happiness in slavery"... Wow these videos for these songs are so messed up! Happiness in slavery video is the type never to see the light of day on mtv, holy crap...

Pretty hate machine was pretty much about him being angry at his girlfriend he broke up with, anger at people, dealing with some kind of depression. The downworld spiral is more like experimentation, perversion, and being at ease with the fact trent is a freak, but the ever so subtle (and debateable) selling out on an image people want to see, him doing what is stereotypical of an industrial rocker. See the video for closer to catch my drift... The best track on the album is definatly "march of the pigs", or my favorite is usually "heresy". So contreversial ehhe..

Yet, i will never say this wasn't a great album, but his most true to the sound album as far as industrial was burn. Pretty hate machine comes in at second to me, but it will even appeal to a more gothic type of crowd, and has alot of those undertones more so then broken... Everything trent did after, i pretty much disliked... I do like that he teamed up and helped produce a bowie album, and think he is an incredibly talented producer.

Some of my favorites ...

skinny puppy - "the last rights"
ministry - "the mind is a terrible thing to taste"
kmfdm -"angst"
download - "the eyes of stanley pain"
front 242 - any album in general, they are awsome!!

 

[EdipisReks]

KMFDM, Ritalin/Rx/R, Skinny Puppy, cEvin Key, Front Line Assembly, Download, Haujobb, Nitzer Ebb, The Tear Garden, Cleen and Chem Lab might be groups to look at. Skinny Puppy and groups of their ilk (Ritalin/Rx/R and the cEvin Key, etc) might be a bit much for a non industrial fan to swallow, though. Depeche Mode might be a good place to start as the Depeche Mode sound was definitely a big influence on early NIN, though Depeche Mode is not industrial by any means.

 

[virometal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdipisReks KMFDM, Ritalin/Rx/R, Skinny Puppy, cEvin Key, Front Line Assembly, Download, Haujobb, Nitzer Ebb, The Tear Garden, Cleen and Chem Lab might be groups to look at. Skinny Puppy and groups of their ilk (Ritalin/Rx/R and the cEvin Key, etc) might be a bit much for a non industrial fan to swallow, though. Depeche Mode might be a good place to start as the Depeche Mode sound was definitely a big influence on early NIN, though Depeche Mode is not industrial by any means.

lol

 

[Publius]

Wow, nobody's mentioned Gravity Kills yet? If anything, they've been accused of nearly plagiarizing early NIN style. Their debut album grows on me on one or two songs.

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by virometal lol

what's so funny?

 

[gloco]

Try Stabbing Westward's "Darkest Days" album. Good stuff indeed.

 

[giff07]

How about Machines of Loving Grace.

They have more of a Bush sound too them but I would still classify them the same as Stabbing Westward. They are a kick ass band IMHO. Too bad they broke up like Stabbing Westward.

 

[James63]

The band Pig is good. It is the lead singer from KMFDM (one man band like NIN). Trent Reznor produces Pig’s albums. Pig’s albums are different from one another. They are similar but different. I would start with the album Praise the Lard. It is the most up-beat album (note it is far from feel good music) and one of his best. I would not recommend the album Wreck

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feanor I recently aquired the album : the downward spiral from NIN, never having heard the band before (unless you count Quake) and I was very pleasantly surprised. I dont reallly like hard rock or metal or punk (only Mogwai), I listen to more positive-outlook music usually, but this is good. Can you recommend similar albums/artists?

From your description I think you really want softer progressive industrial sound, try:
Kidneythieves - Zerospace
Collide - Beneath skin, chasing the ghost
Stabbing Westward - wither, blister, peel
Frontline Assembly - tactical neural implant
Delerium - Karma
Hooverphonic - Blue wonder, stereophonic

 

[upangel180]

In addition to ^^

16Volt - Letdowncrush
Sister Machine Gun - Burn

 

[Feanor]

Wow,thanks for all the great recommendations. Now I need to find them here in hungary...

 

[Ikarus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by James63 The band Pig is good. It is the lead singer from KMFDM (one man band like NIN). Trent Reznor produces Pig’s albums. Pig’s albums are different from one another. They are similar but different. I would start with the album Praise the Lard. It is the most up-beat album (note it is far from feel good music) and one of his best. I would not recommend the album Wreck

Pig (Raymond) is not really the lead singer of KMFDM...And only Wrecked was produced by Trent.
But yeah Praise The Lard would also be my choice for a first listen. It gets quite repetitive lyrically after a while tho.

 

[BlackJackSkanz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel From your description I think you really want softer progressive industrial sound, try: ...Hooverphonic - Blue wonder, stereophonic

Their first album was trip hop and their later material strictly downbeat/pop? Where do you get progressive industrial out of that mix? Usually, I think your posts are pretty bang on but that was a bit of misclassification, my man.

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackJackSkanz Their first album was trip hop and their later material strictly downbeat/pop? Where do you get progressive industrial out of that mix? Usually, I think your posts are pretty bang on but that was a bit of misclassification, my man.

BJS
Shhhhhh!.......don't get me in trouble dog

I am breaking the "rules" a bit here but from the description given by Feanor and his preferences this will work for him. Besides I can't really think of any legit industrial group with "positive outlook"

 

[en480c4]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel BJS Shhhhhh!.......don't get me in trouble I am breaking the "rules" a bit here but from the description given by Feanor and his preferences this will work for him. Besides I can't really think of any legit industrial group with "positive outlook"

If it makes you feel any better, I'm a big fan of both NIN & Hooverphonic!
I'm also a big fan of Delerium's Karma.
While none are really in the same genre, I do feel there's a common thread to a lot of music that crosses genres. I think this is apparant with a lot of my tastes, and in my experience lurking on HeadFi, DarkAngel's incredibly varied (and often excellent) tastes as well.