I have been a long time fan of Trent Reznor and a lot of his work with Nine Inch Nails and Atticus Ross. I love instrumental tracks similar to tracks like A Minute Later and 8 Billion (both links to below) and am trying to locate any other artists that have a similar style. That ominous tone that plays throughout is always highly appreciated when i hear it.

So anyone know of great bands or tracks that fit the bill? (i do listen go soundtracks by Johann Johannsson as they can have a similar vibe at time).

I can't think of other bands to recommend... yet... but if you haven't heard the Ghosts album (4 x EPs) by Nine Inch Nails, that's a great place to get more instrumental stuff. The Quake soundtrack isn't bad either, but I'm not sure you'll find that for purchase, specifically. The entire thing was on the Quake game CD (as well as the demo CD, which, as I recall, was just the game CD, but with the additional levels locked out via software)

Don't forget Reznor's other project, How to Destroy Angels, that includes his wife. Good stuff there.

I hadn't heard those pieces before, but I don't think they classify as industrial. Based on the genre alone you'll probably get a lot of recommendations that don't really have a lot in common with your examples. I'll be curious to see what is recommended though.

I know Front Line Assembly has a decent amount of instrumental material in the last 15 years but the bulk of their albums are vocal songs and have a steady beat. They do have one instrumental album from a few years back called AirMech - it was music for a video game I believe.

Heh, I've listened to How to Destroy Angels on Youtube. Never knew it is Trent Reznor.

Industrial? Or that synth sound. Not sure what it's called. Those two samples are more like "ambient synth" to me. But I'm not a music guy. I just like what I like.

Godspeed You Black Emperor and Silver Mt Zion are the first two that come to mind. Some tracks from M83, Bjork, David Lynch would apply.

Will keep an eye on this thread because this is probably my favorite type of music.

I have the Quiet album and its very good. I actually have everything by NIN and also have everything so far released by How to Destroy Angels (very hit and miss).

Oh, and i do like a lot of M83 and have a half decent collection of their music. Also got the entire works of the Future Sound of London, all the Global Underground albums, and the Electric Calm collections being magnificent. They tend to have some tracks that kinda fit the bill.

Fuck yeah, GYBE! Not sure if the OP would be into them, but... fuck yeah, GYBE!

I remember Brian Eno did an ambient synth album called Music for Airports. That was pretty cool, but I haven't heard it in... hell... over 15 years, I think.

Maybe Selected Ambient Works (there's two separate volumes) by Aphex Twin might be up the OPs alley. Not industrial... but... ambient synth.

You have a point. I was having a hard time thinking of a suitable description. I guess Industrial Synth might be a more accurate description. I guess my love began when i first saw Blade Runner and heard the Vangelis soundtrack. I love music that feels futuristic.

But there have been a number of tracks from Reznor both in and out of NIN that seemed to fit my bill, so i know he is more recognized as an Industrial artist, so felt it might be better. But you have a valid point with my description. Its a work in progress. LOL.

And i just checked out some Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Liking what i hear. Not exactly what i was after, but its very interesting. Seems like a lot of material out there as well, so thats good.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PZwQeZh6rP0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Skip to 1 hour and 12 minutes. Listen till the end.

Yanqui UXO is my personal favourite album (How can you not like Motherfucker = Redeemer??) but most folks lean towards the one Troy linked above.

and I mean... if we're going down this road, you need to check out Explosions in the Sky. The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place is one of the best albums ever.

More random samples for ya with that string-synth sound.

(For the long outro):

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iJ_VBkdsS0U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hExfI7SHyBo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

(I'm not really familiar with Mogwai, but I know they're listed on the Before the Flood cover. Here's another track from the Miami Vice soundtrack):

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mAWL_bdpXWA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Vangelis (maybe best known for the Blade Runner score) gets a lot of credit for that sound. Though I haven't picked up and listened to a lot of his work yet.

And maybe you'll get something out of listening to post-Bends Radiohead and Thom Yorke. Too much to post. Here's a random one.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LoOlrf3x2gI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

And I recently posted this in the random video thread:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xvyNrneJYTw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

As others have pointed out, the tracks (2nd one in particular) seem closer to post-rock than anything else.

Mogwai are top notch, although they don't have a lot of the slower, less noisy kinds of tracks. The EP +2 album is closest.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yUlX4WeA-3w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Snowmobile as well. He has his albums for free on Bandcamp, if you wish.

<iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 42px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=956331102/size=small/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/" seamless>100 Years by Snowmobile</iframe>

Lustmord would probably fit in this genre, https://m.soundcloud.com/blackest-ever-black/lustmord-chorazin-extract

Ministry
Skinny Puppy
KMFDM
Godflesh

Did you listen to the songs he posted? I can't think of a single song by any of those bands that are similar, and I'm a big fan of 3/4 of them.

Going by the thread title, Josh isn't far off. Going by the actual content of the thread... yeah... not even close.

Check out this guy, who actually plays in Nine Inch Nails. I saw him open up for Ladytron a few years ago and thought he was great.

It's been a while since I've really listened to NIN...but...
check out CHANT. They opened for KMFDM last year and toured on their own this year and I really got into them. Plus Bradley's an awesome guy. Best new-to-me band i've discovered in a long time.

http://www.chantproject.com/





OK I did the same thing :), posted based on the thread title, not the thread.

Instrumental-ish/ambient/gothic/creepy type stuff:
Not totally instrumental but close:

Black Tape for a Blue Girl



Maybe:
Foetus
Deine Lakaien
Switchblade Symphony

I can help. Good suggestions here but here's some bands that are a bit more contemporary you'd probably dig. Check out:

VNV Nation
Mesh
Apoptgyma Berzerk
Imperative Reaction
Aesthetic Perfection
The Birthday Massacre
Covenant
The Dreaming (ex Stabbing Westward)
Nitzer Ebb

KMFDM were the shit in the 90s, but after their split they just haven't been as good. Their strength was the collective talents of the musicians and with 2/3 gone, it's not the same.

Without a doubt this is their best album.

Agreed, NIHIL by KMFDM is amazing. And yeah, their catalog isn't what it used to be after the breakup. I stopped buying after 2007's Tohuvabohu, so I've missed the last four records and don't necessarily think I'm missing all that much.

I appreciate this thread, looking forward to listening to some new music in styles I like.

As for the more ambient music with sustained notes and synths, I don't have a lot of suggestions that are as minimalist as your examples, james2025a, but I have a few artists I put in this category that I like:

Antosh
Blue States
Moby
Röyksopp
Sigur Rós
Tyko
Washed Out
Zero 7

Here are a few examples of each:

Antosh

Blue States

Moby

Röyksopp

Sigur Rós

Tyko

Washed Out (including Portlandia theme)

Zero 7

You might also want to try some dark ambient music, the sound can be similar at times. Raison D'etre is a good start.