I cannot for the life of me find the source of this quote, my favorite description of any musical genre, but here it is: “Noise has got to be the only genre that has more artists than fans.” If that doesn’t pique your interest, what will? This is a brief intro to noise — defined broadly to include power electronics, the abrasive end of industrial, and some even more blasphemous corners — through some of the tracks I’ve most enjoyed over the years.

Kevin Drumm - Hitting the Pavement (Sheer Hellish Miasma, 2007)

A great choice for a first encounter with noise music if I do say so myself. Patient, dramatic and sure to tickle your cochleae.

Prurient - Military Road (Pleasure Ground, 2006)

Ringing ears, artillery fire and some psychopath screaming over the combat radio. One of the most unhinged vocal performances of all time.

White Suns - Clairvoyant (Totem, 2014)

Yeah, it’s noise rock (yawn!!!!!!) but few rockers summon as substantial an offering to the entropy gods as White Suns. Lyrics also very #relatable.

Aaron Dilloway - Body Chaos (Modern Jester, 2011)

Playful loopy papier-maché noise with dog sounds! Are you not entertained?

Paysage d’Hiver - Schatten (Kerker, 1999)

Ninth-circle nether ambient. Tobias’ most underrated project!

High Rise - Psychedelic Speed Freaks (Psychedelic Speed Freaks ‘84-‘85, 1985)

It’s rock music, really, in the tradition of Stooges and Les Rallizes Denudes, but it counts for me. YouTube applies some sort of volume normalization; the original recording is LOUD. Also, watch Wild Zero.

Anna Gardeck - Rubber Rituals I (Bondage Woman, 2000)

Good old-fashioned urban tunnel horror.

Masonna - [untitled] (track 19) (Ejaculation Generater, 1996)

One of my goals in making this list is to highlight plenty of music outside comedically harsh J-noise. Here’s some comedically harsh J-noise.

Hanatarash - Hanatara Hopper (Hanatarash 3, 1989)

The only record store employee who didn’t graciously greet me in Japan was the frowning black-clad owner of a noise-focused spot in Osaka. This stuff is even weirder over there!

Ke/Hil - Work Church Poverty (Zone 0, 2015)

Mighty and mysterious. Beautifully unsubtle title. Found in the very sorely missed Aquarius Records, San Francisco.

Einstürzende Neubauten - Steh auf Berlin (Kollaps, 1981)

Really industrial industrial. Nice double entendre in the title: “[Ich] steh auf Berlin” is slang for roughly “I’m down with Berlin,” while “steh auf” as a command means “get up!”

The Gerogerigegege - G.I. Shit (Yellow Trash Bazooka, 1993)

Yeah, just those 10 seconds. 1 2 3 4!!!

Helm - Candy (World in Action, 2017)

I know, getting too creative with my definition of noise here. Love these textures and how they interact.

Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement - Refuges From Black Magic (Black Magic Cannot Cross Water, 2013)

Basically a 15-minute recording of heavy rain with Minecraft cave sounds. This is the same guy as Prurient. Versatility!

Gnaw Their Tongues - Then Shall They Come, Oh Master, Shrieking From Red Battle Fields to People Thy Dark Realms (To Rend Each Other Like Wild Beasts, Till Earth Shall Reek With Midnight Massacre, 2009)

Deep dark black unadulterated sound-evil.

Ramleh - Spear Flowers (Hole in the Heart, 1987)

200-foot hydra-headed apocalypse robot advances toward your city.

Man Is the Bastard - Trapped Within Burning Machinery (Untitled / The Brutality Continues…, 1992)

Believe it or not these guys are animal rights activists.

Затухание - древодемон (Затухание, 2012)

WARNING: TURN DOWN YOUR VOLUME

Describing extremity is hard. Look, a melody!

Genocide Organ - Negros in Sky-Wars (Leichenlinie, 1989)

Clipping industrial savagery. Some vinyl reissues come with a death certificate for a Wehrmacht soldier. 😳

Luceran Lycan Haunt - IV. Moonlit Hex… (Arcane Arts Bleach the Skulls of the Forbidden, 2017)

Dreadful union of trve black metal and noise. Better cue up some cute animal videos afterward.

Yellow Swans - Going Places (Going Places, 2010)

Unlike most on this list, this record doesn’t want to kill you. Catharsis at the tail of the Portland duo’s swan song (heyo!).

The Gerogerigegege - Boys Don’t Cry (Tokyo Anal Dynamite, 1987)

Gotta end with this classic Cure cover. $\Delta S_\text{univ} \geq 0$ and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. Make noise, have fun!