Times New Viking

Godflesh, “Pulp”

When Streetcleaner was released, people would lump it in with grindcore, because Justin Broadrick cut his teeth in grindcore progenitors Napalm Death. But this isn’t grindcore, not the way we understand the genre today. Listen to yesterday’s Piss Vortex track again (it’s only thirty seconds!) to remind yourselves of what we think of grindcore. Instead, this really is either slowed down industrial metal (given the drum machine driving the proceedings) or more like doom. Either way, this is a touchstone for numerous heavy bands, who look to the plodding, punishing rhythems of this record for inspiration on how to make something really heavy.

The Arsonists, “Underground Vandal”

The Arsonists’ debut album, released in 1999, was very much a throwback record. Not just in sound, but in the way it was created. By 1999, hip-hop had moved into an era of producers being stars separate from rappers. But the Arsonists did everything as a group, including the production, which was unusual for the time.

Times New Viking, “My Head”

There’s something so abrasive and unhinged about Times New Viking’s particular racket that listening to them really kind of scrambles your brains. Strip away the fuzz, the overdriven amps, the squalls and washes of feedback, and what you get is pretty simple pop songs at the center. Personally, I don’t find the artiface all that convincing, so this is the only album I ever picked up from them.