EBM, or Electronic Body Music, is one of the more recognizable genres of Industrial music. EBM is the type of music most often played in Industrial music clubs and is known for hard, driving electronic beats and aggressive arrangements. EBM also usually has bass drive melodies and lots of different media samples. EBM themes are usually dark, and usually political or militaristic. Early EBM is sometimes called “Martial Music” because of the pervasive military themes. EBM artists in the 80’s led to the creation of other Industrial music subgenres that are popular today like Futurepop and Synthpop. While there were many EBM bands that appeared in the 80’s and early 90’s, some of which are still producing music today and have become legends in the Industrial music world these five artists were the ones that really created the EBM genre and created the first entirely electronic music to find any type of significant commercial success, even though the appeal of EBM has largely remained limited to fans of Industrial music.
1. Front 242
It isn’t an exaggeration to say that Front 242 was the original EBM act that created the genres. Front 242 is a Belgian band that began releasing music in 1982. The original members and creators of Front 242, Daniel Bresanutti,Dirk Bergen,Patrick Codenys and Jean-Luc De Meyer. The first single, U-Men, and the first Front 242 album, Geography, were released that same year. While Geography hasn’t had the lasting impact on the genre that later albums like Front by Front had, many EBM artists and fans credit Geography with being the album that sparked their interest in EBM.. Front 242’s approach to music was new because it was observational rather than dealing with abstract themes. Vocalist Jean Luc De Meyer has said “We don’t want to say anything to the people. We just take samples from the world around us, the news, television, movies, the street…We act as a reflection of what’s happening and what’s interesting in the world.” Front 242’s most recognized album, Front by Front, was released in 1988 and gave fans classic singles like Headhunter and Welcome to Paradise. Originally the band was signed to the Wax Trax! record label in the US and members of the band worked with other WaxTrax! artists in the collaborative Revolting Cocks project with an ever-changing lineup of artists that included Al Jourgensen from Ministry, Luc van Acker, and Trent Reznor. Today recording for the Metropolis label in the US, Front 242 continue to make music, and to redefine the EBM genre that they created.
Essential Front 242 albums: Geography, Front by Front, Still and Raw
2. Nitzer Ebb-
First formed in England in 1982, Nitzer Ebb was the creation of Douglas McCarthy, Bon Harris , and David Gooday. The first Nitzer Ebb single, “Isn’t It Funny How Your Body Works” was released in1985. Like Front 242, Nitzer Ebb’s heavily militaristic themes and stage shows resonated with the audiences who were just beginning to embrace fully electronic music and the band became very popular. Nitzer Ebb’s music had a heavier edge than some of the other emerging EBM acts and European audiences especially embraced the heavier electronic sound. Nitzer Ebb’s sound was known for its analogue sound, simplistic arrangement and structure, and pounding percussion. In 1987 Nitzer Ebb released That Total Age, an album that would become one of the most well known EBM records of all time. Three hits off of That Total Age; Join in the Chant, Murderous, and Let Your Body Learn, would go on to become some of the most played tracks of all time in Industrial dance clubs and can still often be heard today. After a long period of separation, the original Nitzer Ebb toured together in 2006, much to the delight of EBM fans.
Essential Nitzer Ebb albums: That Total Age, Showtime, Ebbhead
3. Frontline Assembly
Canadian-based Frontline Assembly is another act that defined EBM music and continues to re-define the genre today. Formed by Bill Leeb after his departure from Skinny Puppy in 1986 and Michael Balch, Frontline Assembly went through a lot of lineup changes through the years but managed to form a cohesive group with the release of 2006’s Artificial Soldier which was created by Bill Leeb, Rhys Fulber, Chris Peterson, Jeremy Inkel, Adrian White, and Jarod Slingerland. Throughout the long and prolific history of FLA one thing that the band has consistently done is push the envelope of EBM by introducing new elements, like the introduction of sampled guitars to their music in 1994. By continuing to push forward FLA has constantly changed the accepted limits of EBM music and forced fans and artists to more forward with them. This passion for re-invention will make FLA just as relevant years from now as the band was in 1986.
Essential Frontline Assembly albums: Total Terror, Tactical Neural Implant, FLAvor of the Weak, Artificial Soldier
4. Leaetherstrip
Leaetherstrip (not *Leatherstrip) is the work of Danish born Claus Larsen. Claus was discovered in the early 90’s by legendary artist and producer Talla2Xlc, who signed Claus to the European Industrial music mega record label Zoth Ommog. The first Leaethestrip album, The Pleasure of Penetration, was released in 1990. Fans instantly gravitated to the signature Leaetherstrip sound which was heavily distorted vocals over very dark, aggressive, heavily percussive music. In 1994 Leaethestrip changed the signature sound by introducing darker, more melodic elements on the album Serenade for the Dead. During that early 90’s there was a lot of crossover between Gothic and Industrial music, and Leatherstrip successfully crossed over with Serenade for the Dead by blending some stylistically Gothic elements with more electronic rhythms. While Claus no longer releases Leaetherstrip albums, the influence of Leaetherstrip on EBM can be heard in the music of many of the acts that followed in Claus’ musical footsteps.
Essential Leaetherstrip albums: The Pleasure of Penetration, Serenade for the Dead, Anal Cabaret, Legacy of Hate and Lust
5.Funker Vogt
Funker Vogt is a relative newcomer on this list, having started out in 1995, but the band was an unstoppable force in EBM right from the start. The members of Funker Vogt, Gerrit Thomas, Jens Kästel, Björn Böttcher, Frank Schweigert, and Kai Schmidt, made an instant impression on fans with the military aesthetic of their dress and music. While EBM had begun to drift more into Gothic during the early and mid 1990s the original aggressive EBM sound was brought back to clubs by Funker Vogt. As with many EBM bands, Funker Vogt has said that war and social justice issues are a major influence on their music and they have tried, through albums like Execution Tracks, to “present the grotesque cruelties and the tragedy of war.” Funker Vogt has consistently put out albums that are club and fan favorites, and have built a solid reputation remixing other artists work with their own unique style.
Essential Funker Vogt albums: Thanks for Nothing, We Came to Kill, Tragic Hero, Maschine Zeit
