You know how sometimes you find a band that just perfectly captures a moment in time? Pitchshifter were one of those bands for me, formed in Nottingham back in 1989 and spending most of the ’90s perfecting this weird blend of industrial metal, punk attitude, and electronic beats. These guys weren’t trying to be the next Black Sabbath, they were doing something completely different, mixing heavy guitars with drum machines and later diving headfirst into drum’n’bass territory. The Clayden brothers (JS on vocals and Mark on bass) alongside Johnny Carter basically created their own little corner of the metal world where breakbeats met power chords.
Their 1998 album www.pitchshifter.com is probably their best shot at mainstream success, and honestly, it still holds up today. This was their major label debut on Geffen, and you can tell they put everything they had into it, the production is crisp, the beats hit hard, and JS Clayden’s vocals have this sneering, Johnny Rotten-esque quality that just works perfectly with the electronic chaos. The album title itself was pretty forward-thinking for 1998, back when having a website was still kind of a big deal. Tracks like “Genius” became their biggest hit, ending up on the Mortal Kombat: Annihilation soundtrack and helping them get that platinum certification. “Microwaved” is another standout, it’s got this relentless energy that perfectly captures what they were about, mixing chunky guitar riffs with breakbeat programming that sounds like The Prodigy decided to start a metal band.
What makes this album special is how it sits right at this crossroads between industrial metal and the UK’s electronic music scene. They weren’t doing nu-metal like the Americans, this was something distinctly British, taking influence from rave culture, jungle, and hardcore punk all at once. The whole thing feels urgent and modern even now, probably because they were genuinely excited about technology and its possibilities rather than just jumping on whatever trend was hot. If you’re into bands that aren’t afraid to experiment and you want something that hits hard but keeps your brain engaged, this album is definitely worth your time. It’s one of those records that reminds you why the late ’90s were such an exciting time for heavy music.