Industrial rock has its origins in the late 1970s and is generally considered to be a combination of regular rock music and industrial music. The genre is characterized by harsh, sometimes discordant and aggressive sound, and its use of electronic sounds. The bass and guitars are often heavily distorted, and synthesizers and white noise machines are often used. Typical lyrics have been described as bleak, dystopian or abrasive, and this type of rock music is common at alternative bars, discos, and clubs around the world. Like many other musical genres, it’s hard to say exactly what the first IR group was, although the 1970s band Chrome is often credited with being the first such group. Other groups to listen to in order to get a good feel for the genre and its style are Iggy Pop, Throbbing Gristle, SPK, and Cabaret Voltaire.
