Few bands are capturing the grinding paralysis of the present moment with as much clarity as Industry. Formed in Berlin in late 2023, they quickly established themselves as one of the most vital voices in Europe’s DIY punk underground. After a relentless debut LP called, wait for it, A Self Portrait At The Stage Of Totalitarian Domination Of All Aspects Of Human Life in 2024 and near-constant touring across the continent, Industry have returned in late 2025 with a second, self-titled album that doubles down on everything that made their arrival so striking: mid-paced, punishing rhythms, churning bass-led momentum, and a sense of dread that never lets up. This is music that charges ahead by sheer force of conviction, as all punk, post or otherwise, should.
One of the first things that hits you is how precise Industry sound. The serrated riffs will immediately recall, superficially at least, No Sanctuary-era Amebix or classic Killing Joke, but these references are tools, not destinations. Industry use repetition and groove as a framework for expression. Their songs are stripped back, relentless, and strangely danceable, leaving space for words that cut with surgical economy. Violence inflicted on the poor, industrialised slaughter, colonial ruin – the themes are bleak, sadly familiar, and unavoidable. As the band themselves admit, sometimes they “can’t even look” at the state of the world, yet these songs prove they nevertheless do no matter how it hurts, documenting a world in freefall with exasperated lucidity.
Industry’s politics are inseparable from their sound and presence. They fuse history into something that feels like an acute emergency, rather than peaceful reverence. As the band explained to us: “We make anarchist punk music that engages with the rich history of punk from early anarcho-punk, the Crass Records output and UK82, post-punk bands like Killing Joke and Siekiera as well as some aspects of goth, elements of industrial music and the aggression of hardcore punk. This wide range of influences and a shared desire to produce something new and forward thinking lead us to a sound that we think is quite refreshing while acknowledging the conditions that brought us to this point. We’re not interested in retro-cosplay, as Louis Harding puts it.” They also told us what to expect about the specifics of their Roadburn appearance: “In our live shows we are known for decorating the stage with political banners that serve as a visual backdrop and an accessible extension of the political content of our lyrics. Something for everyone to take away even if they’ve never seen the band before and a potential entry point to what we’re about. We predominantly play in underground venues so being able to share our music and ideas with a new audience at Roadburn is something we’re really looking forward to. Beyond the music, our goal is to engage or confront as many people as possible with anarchist, anti-capitalist politics.” A stage turned into a rallying point for both opposition and communication. Expect no nostalgia and no comfort from Industry – just a stark, disciplined reckoning with the times we’re living through.
– José Carlos Santos
