Throbbing Gristle
Assume Power Focus
Paragoric

Brutal, borderline obnoxious, completely fucked. The OGs of noise music sprinkled this harsh record with a few bits that could be considered proto-techno. Then Genesis P-Orridge spews crazy sauce all over the mix, talking about murder and how conformity sucks and all that jazz. Fun times!

Skinny Puppy
Cleanse, Fold and Manipulate
Nettwerk

Sooo dark. Not SP’s most popular one, but one of the best. “First Aid” and “Second Tooth” rank with some of their greatest. The complexity in their arrangements is mind-boggling, especially considering it was before the age of music software. This album feels like Halloween.

“Second Tooth”

Ministry
The Land of Rape and Honey
Sire

This one holds up remarkably well. Although I generally don’t listen to angry or aggressive music these days, I can say that almost every track here is brilliant. “Hizbollah” is a huge highlight, and I sort of want to do a reggaeton remix of “You Know What You Are.”

“Hizbollah”

My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult
Confessions of a Knife
Wax Trax!

The audio equivalent of a John Waters flick—if John Waters dabbled in Satanism, that is. “The Days of Swine and Roses” might be the perfect goth/industrial dance track. I actually went to one of their shows and my mom was there. No shit.

“The Days of Swine and Roses”

Nitzer Ebb
Belief
Mute

Mostly this album for me is all about “Control, I’m Here.” What a classic jam. I’d love to find a way to slip it into a DJ set, but sadly, that moment has yet to come.

“Control I’m Here”

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