Martial music
Encyclopedia
Martial industrial, also known as martial music, is a music genre
originating in late 20th century Europe
. It often borrows musically from classical music, neofolk
, neoclassical
, traditional European marches
and from elements of industrial
and dark ambient
.
, to describe the direction his music was going at the time, leaning away from an ambient
sound into something more militaristic
. It has since been used by other artists such as Dernière Volonté
to describe their musical sound. This term is often used in place of martial industrial.
-like music to rally-worthy dark parade
music to cabaret appropriate sexually
-charged carnal declarations to mournful marches
. Essentially, anything that could be made with traditional European martial instrumentation relating to the artists within this genre could be considered a part of this musical movement.
by a few groups, this is sometimes misunderstood as being a means of expression of a single, unified political tendency by Antifa, groups such as the Anti-Defamation League
and sometimes local news agencies, though artists in this genre range from the left (such as Test Dept.) to the right (such as Von Thronstahl
) to completely apolitical.
Music genre
A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other types of music...
originating in late 20th century Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It often borrows musically from classical music, neofolk
Neofolk
Neofolk is a form of folk music-inspired experimental music that emerged from post-industrial music circles. Neofolk can either be solely acoustic folk music or a blend of acoustic folk instrumentation aided by varieties of accompanying sounds such as pianos, strings and elements of industrial...
, neoclassical
Neoclassical (Dark Wave)
Neoclassical Dark Wave refers to a music genre within the Dark Wave movement. It is characterized by the use of ethereal atmosphere and angelic female voices but also adds strong influences from classical music. Neoclassical Dark Wave is distinct from the academic art music form known as...
, traditional European marches
March (music)
A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Wagner's Götterdämmerung to the brisk military marches of John...
and from elements of industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
and dark ambient
Dark ambient
Dark ambient is a subgenre of ambient music that features foreboding, ominous, or discordant overtones. Although it had its roots in the 1970s, Dark ambient emerged in the 1980s and 1990s with the introduction of newer, smaller, and more affordable Effects units, synthesizer and sampling technology...
.
Origins
The genre name military pop was coined by the Austrian musician Gerhard Petak, founder of AllerseelenAllerseelen
Allerseelen are the experimental, post-industrial and military pop music works of Austrian musician Gerhard Petak, aka Kadmon. The German name is translated into English as All Souls' Day. Their music is inspired by nature and has a strong philosophical/alchemical context inspired by the writings...
, to describe the direction his music was going at the time, leaning away from an ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
sound into something more militaristic
Militarism
Militarism is defined as: the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests....
. It has since been used by other artists such as Dernière Volonté
Dernière Volonté
Dernière Volonté is the name under which French musician Geoffroy D writes martial music, neoclassical music, dark ambient and military pop. Throughout his early period, Geoffroy tended to write a fusion of martial music and dark ambient. Choosing to focus on atmosphere, rhythm, and historical...
to describe their musical sound. This term is often used in place of martial industrial.
Themes
Themes range from pounding, percussive soundtrackSoundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
-like music to rally-worthy dark parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
music to cabaret appropriate sexually
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
-charged carnal declarations to mournful marches
Marches
A march or mark refers to a border region similar to a frontier, such as the Welsh Marches, the borderland between England and Wales. During the Frankish Carolingian Dynasty, the word spread throughout Europe....
. Essentially, anything that could be made with traditional European martial instrumentation relating to the artists within this genre could be considered a part of this musical movement.
Culture
Martial industrial fans range from people very politically active to cultural admirers to uniform fetishists. Due to use of fascist or Nazi uniformsMilitary uniform
Military uniforms comprises standardised dress worn by members of the armed forces and paramilitaries of various nations. Military dress and military styles have gone through great changes over the centuries from colourful and elaborate to extremely utilitarian...
by a few groups, this is sometimes misunderstood as being a means of expression of a single, unified political tendency by Antifa, groups such as the Anti-Defamation League
Anti-Defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League is an international non-governmental organization based in the United States. Describing itself as "the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency", the ADL states that it "fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects...
and sometimes local news agencies, though artists in this genre range from the left (such as Test Dept.) to the right (such as Von Thronstahl
Von Thronstahl
Von Thronstahl is a German Electronic, Martial-industrial, Neoclassical and Neofolk band founded in 1995 by Josef Maria Klumb.-Albums and EPs:* 1998 Sturmzeit * 2000 Imperium Internum * 2001 E Pluribus Unum ...
) to completely apolitical.
Neofolk
Neofolk music has musical and thematic elements in common with martial industrial, and the two genres developed closely together. Artists often overlap between the two genres.Artists
- A Challenge of HonourA Challenge of HonourA Challenge of Honour are a Dutch music project. They create music in the genres of Modern Classical, Industrial, Experimental, Neofolk.-History:...
- AllerseelenAllerseelenAllerseelen are the experimental, post-industrial and military pop music works of Austrian musician Gerhard Petak, aka Kadmon. The German name is translated into English as All Souls' Day. Their music is inspired by nature and has a strong philosophical/alchemical context inspired by the writings...
- ArditiArditi (band)Arditi is a Swedish martial industrial and neoclassical band. It consists of Henry Möller of Puissance and Mårten Björkman from black metal bands Algaion and Octinomos. Arditi formed in 2001, deriving their name from the early Italian special forces unit known as the Arditi...
- BleiburgBleiburgBleiburg is a small town in the south Austrian state of Carinthia , south-east of Klagenfurt , in the district of Völkermarkt, some four kilometres from the border with Slovenia....
- Blood AxisBlood AxisBlood Axis is an American Neofolk/Post-industrial band consisting of journalist and author Michael Moynihan, music producer Robert Ferbrache and musician and author Annabel Lee.-Early Blood Axis :...
- Boyd RiceBoyd RiceBoyd Blake Rice is an American experimental sound/noise musician using the name of NON since the mid-1970s, archivist, actor, photographer, author, member of the Partridge Family Temple religious group, co-founder of the UNPOP art movement and current staff writer for Modern Drunkard...
- Cold FusionCold fusionCold fusion, also called low-energy nuclear reaction , refers to the hypothesis that nuclear fusion might explain the results of a group of experiments conducted at ordinary temperatures . Both the experimental results and the hypothesis are disputed...
- Dead Man's HillDead man's hillDead Man's Hill is an electronic, death industrial, martial, neo-classical and post-industrial band founded in 1998 by Bart Piette, originally with the name "The Klinik And The Mortuary"...
- Death In JuneDeath in JuneDeath in June are a neofolk group led by English folk musician Douglas Pearce, better known as Douglas P. The band was originally formed in Britain in 1981 as a trio, but after the other members left in 1984 and 1985 to work on other projects, the group became the work of Douglas P. and various...
- Der BlutharschDer BlutharschDer Blutharsch is the primary musical project of Austrian musician Albin Julius.-History:...
- Dernière VolontéDernière VolontéDernière Volonté is the name under which French musician Geoffroy D writes martial music, neoclassical music, dark ambient and military pop. Throughout his early period, Geoffroy tended to write a fusion of martial music and dark ambient. Choosing to focus on atmosphere, rhythm, and historical...
- H.E.R.R.H.E.R.R.H.E.R.R. is a Dutch / English band that was founded in 2002 by Michiel Spapé . Other core members are Miklos Hoffer and, from the second album onwards, Troy Southgate . Musically, they have been described as neofolk, minimalist, Neoclassical and martial...
- HorologiumHorologiumHorologium is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky . Its name is Latin for clock. It was created in the 18th century by Abbé Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, who originally named it Horologium Oscillitorium after the pendulum clock to honour its inventor, Christiaan Huygens...
- Hieronymus Bosch
- In the NurseryIn The NurseryIn the Nursery are a neo-classical/martial electronica band, known for their cinematic sound. The duo has provided soundtracks to a variety of TV programmes and films, and is known for its rescoring of silent films.- Career :...
- Karjalan sissitKarjalan sissitKarjalan Sissit is the main musical project of Markus Pesonen. He combines neoclassical orchestral arrangements with elements of noise, power electronics and dark ambient. Common themes on his records are alcoholism, mental health problems and domestic violence...
- Kreuzweg OstKreuzweg OstKreuzweg Ost is a darkwave/martial industrial project founded by Michael Gregor and Martin Schirenc. The music is a blend of world war-related samples and loops with booming sounds and instrumental pieces. There are no vocals; instead, the predominant samples are arranged so that they take the...
- LaibachLaibach (band)Laibach is a Slovenian avant-garde music group associated with industrial, martial, and neo-classical musical styles. Laibach formed June 1, 1980 in Trbovlje, Slovenia . Laibach represents the music wing of the Neue Slowenische Kunst art collective, of which it was a founding member in 1984...
- Les Joyaux De La PrincesseLes Joyaux De La PrincesseLes Joyaux De La Princesse is a French industrial band, founded in 1986 by Erik Konofal. The musical style is a mixture of ambient and neo-classical, often utilizing samples from original works in tandem with French chansons, operatic works, and historical speeches...
- Life Toward TwilightLife Toward TwilightLife Toward Twilight is a dark ambient, post-industrial project from Detroit, Michigan. Life Toward Twilight's sound explores genres such as martial industrial and neoclassical, with a heavy presence of ambience and drone.-Members / History:...
- LuftwaffeLuftwaffe (band)Luftwaffe is a martial, neofolk and post-industrial music group from Chicago, USA.-History:The group was conceived of in 1997 by founding members b9 InViD and j1 StatiK, as they were introduced by a mutual friend and quickly became friends due to a common interest in the music of Boyd Rice and...
- ParzivalParzivalParzival is a major medieval German romance by the poet Wolfram von Eschenbach, in the Middle High German language. The poem, commonly dated to the first quarter of the 13th century, is itself largely based on Chrétien de Troyes’s Perceval, the Story of the Grail and mainly centers on the Arthurian...
- PuissancePuissance (band)Puissance is a Swedish martial neoclassical music group formed in 1993 consisting of members Henry Möller and Frederik Söderlund.- Overview :...
- RomeRome (band)Rome is a martial folk act founded in November 2005 as a main output for the songs of Jérôme Reuter of Luxembourg. In early 2006 Rome was signed to Cold Meat Industry record label. Rome has since signed with the Trisol Music Group record label as of 2009....
- Sol InvictusSol Invictus (band)Sol Invictus is an English neofolk and neoclassical group fronted by Tony Wakeford. Wakeford has been the sole constant member of the group since its inception, although numerous musicians have contributed and collaborated with Wakeford under the Sol Invictus moniker over the years.-Overview:For...
- Test DeptTest DeptTest Dept were an industrial music group from London, one of the most important and influential early industrial music acts. Their approach was marked by a strong commitment to radical socialist politics.-History:...
- The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath a CloudThe Moon lay hidden beneath a CloudThe Moon Lay Hidden Beneath a Cloud was an Austrian musical duo composed of Albin Julius and Alzbeth...
- ToroidhToroidhToroidh is a martial music project by Swedish musician Henrik Nordvargr Björkk . Bjorkk has described it as a continuation of Folkstorm, his previous project.- Quote :...
- Von ThronstahlVon ThronstahlVon Thronstahl is a German Electronic, Martial-industrial, Neoclassical and Neofolk band founded in 1995 by Josef Maria Klumb.-Albums and EPs:* 1998 Sturmzeit * 2000 Imperium Internum * 2001 E Pluribus Unum ...
- WestwindWestwind (band)Westwind is a musical project from the French post-industrial scene, created by Kris G . It mixes influences from musics such as Martial industrial, Post-industrial, Dark ambient, Neofolk and Neoclassical music....
Further reading
- Anton Shekhovtsov, 'Apoliteic music: Neo-Folk, Martial Industrial and "metapolitical fascism"', Patterns of Prejudice, Vol. 43, No. 5 (December 2009), pp. 431-457.