Back in the 80's when Depeche Mode was at its peak, little known German band Camouflage released "Methods of Silence" in 1989 that echoed well the DM sound, but was a fantastic effort in its own right.

 

The album is on youtube in separate songs, but to emphasize how they were DM.2 here is one track from the release.

 

Comouflage - Love is a Shield

 

Dixie Dregs album (Can't remember the title) from back in the day. Talented group.

What became popularly known as the Industrial sound with variations in electronic industrial gothic punk with Nine Inch Nails was brewing in the 80's with bands like Killing Joke, Bauhaus, Nitzer Ebb, Ministry, and Skinny Puppy.

 

Here is Nitzer Ebb with their fiery anthem "Join In The Chant"

 

Canadian industrial goth band Skinny Puppy in 1986 with "Gods Gift (Maggot)" from their freakier than can be release "Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse".

 

Formed in the late 70's and mostly underground popular in the early 80's by Peter Murphy and Daniel Ash, and most notably as the origins of goth industrial electronica, Bauhaus aimed to creep you out with a sound all their own.

 

Sorta what Bowie would've sounded like if he had gone darker.

 

Peter Murphy went on to have a fine solo career while Daniel Ash formed the band Love and Rockets who put out some pretty groovy stuff in their own right.

 

Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead

 

While Queensryche was inventing a progressive metal sound, lesser known followers of the genre "Crimson Glory" offered us their solid debut in 1986 with undeniable comparable sounds.

 

Most are familiar with the Bruce Springstein penned song "Blinded By The Light" made famous by Manfred Mann's Earth Band in 1976 on their release "The Roaring Silence" with the famous "Mouth in the Giant Ear" album cover, but the deeper cuts off this release reveal an interesting and unique sometimes experimental original timeless sound all its own.

 

After the brilliant BBTL kicks off the album, the 2nd track "Singing the Dolphin Through" immediately tells the listener to be prepared for sounds not so typical all the while eloquently masterful.

 

The 3rd track "Waiter There's a Yawn in my Ear" also treats us to an instrumental piece unlike no other.

 

The album continues on side two with the goose bumpy "The Road To Babylon", and then the groovy progressive keyboard sounds of the solid tune "This Side of Paradise".

 

Just when you can't imagine the record giving you anymore to chew on, comes the nifty keyboard driven progressiveness of "Starbird" with the album calmly coming to an emotional close with the beautiful "Questions".

 

A complete masterpiece

 

Manfred Mann's Earth Band - The Roaring Silence

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFR7YbcHfHs

I wish that there were more available videos of this Cincinnati band Sleep Theatre that were doing their thing around town during the early to mid-80's as this song, though fairly decent, doesn't even begin to display how groovy they were in their alternative atmospheric psychedelic sound.

 

Take notice of the taller dude with the short dark hair in the video as he is Chris Sherman, otherwise now known as Freekbass, the funk master of bass driven grooviness.

 

In 1985 I happened upon a little known British project called "Far Corporation" who is best known for their ambitious attempt at covering "Stairway To Heaven".

 

I have this album and tend to believe that in its obscurity could be worth something. Since I'm not one to give up my collection, whoever inherits it after I die will likely net some good bucks if they seek to sell some or all of it.

 

Though it wasn't at the time typical for what I was seeking musically, my fingers landed on this 1987 Alan Parson's release that intrigued me named Gaudi inspired after Antonio Gaudi the architect of the La Sagrada Familia never fully completed to this day intricately detailed cathedral in Barcelona Spain.

 

The song "La Sagrada Familia" is powerful, and still to this day gives me goose bumps.

 

The vocalist on it is John Miles who had a top 3 single in the UK with the song "Music"

 

The vocalist on the also moving 4th track "Standing On Higher Ground" is Geoff Barradale who had a minor hit as lead singer of the band Vitamin Z with their very nice emotional song "Burning Flame" during the MTV era.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBYkGEmYwf4

John Miles - Music

 

[video=youtube;lAsvjVx-Mg4]

Geoff Barradale lead singer of Vitamin Z

 

"Burning Flame"

 

In 1985 I happened upon a little known British project called "Far Corporation" who is best known for their ambitious attempt at covering "Stairway To Heaven".

 

I have this album and tend to believe that in its obscurity could be worth something. Since I'm not one to give up my collection, whoever inherits it after I die will likely net some good bucks if they seek to sell some or all of it.

 

 

I might be your cousin.

I might be your cousin.

 

Nice try. :laugh:

While Queensryche was inventing a progressive metal sound, lesser known followers of the genre "Crimson Glory" offered us their solid debut in 1986 with undeniable comparable sounds.

 

I had their "Transcendence" record, good stuff. Coincidentally, current Queensryche vocalist Todd La Torre was in Crimson Glory from 2010-2013.