Top industrial cover versions

OK I'm going to run through a few great industrial covers. And no I'm not going to talk about Johnny Cash's version of "Hurt". We've all heard it, we've all experienced it's power and we all know it's a lot better than NIN's version off The Downward Spiral, so I see no need to go over that ground again. Also it's a non-industrial cover of an industrial song, and this post is more about industrial covers of non-industrial songs. I'm also not going to talk about any chiptune stuff either, because that's generally a tedious road to go down (with some exceptions, like Mind.In.A.Box's amazing RETRO album).

Tankt: Passenger on the Menu (original by GBH)

Tankt are (were) a great underrated Australian electro/industrial band (though they always tried to deny it) from Melbourne. Their 2004 album Strip off the Gilt featured this great track, which is a cover of one of the original British punk bands, Charged GBH. I’m very familiar with the Tankt version, and I recently checked out the original. While it’s good, the Tankt version is a lot better, always a sign of a great cover. I miss Tankt. A lot. I can’t find their cover on the internet, I’m afraid, so you’ll have to go get the album!

Viral Millenium: Paparazzi (original by Lady Gaga)

Viral Millenium are another Aussie band, but these guys are from Newcastle and still around. I’ve seen them live a few times, and they always finish their sets with this baffling slab of madness and brilliance: an extreme industrial metal cover of pop queen Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi. Somehow… this works. It really, really works. There are surprisingly a few metal versions of this song kicking around, but none of them anywhere near as good as this. I frequently have it stuck in my head and I don’t mind that one tiny bit J

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaDjDJiYffk

Coptic Rain: Sweet home under white clouds (original by The Virgin Prunes)

Coptic Rain were a Slovenian industrial-metal band who put out some great and largely overlooked albums in the 90s. The best one of those is Eleven: Eleven, and it features this staggeringly good track. Covering a cult band like old-school gothic rockers The Virgin Prunes is never going to be easy, but Coptic Rain were smart enough to not try and imitate the original but rather turn it something quite thoroughly different. The first half is slow and atmospheric, and then when the double-time kicks in… well, it has to be heard to be believed. The original is good, but the Coptic Rain version is completely off all observable charts. Go listen if you don't believe me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFhTKszoiRI

What other great industrial cover versions can people think of? (Remixes don’t count!) Rammstein’s Cover of DM's “Stripped” comes to mind, but again, everyone’s heard it a million times… haven’t they? I also didn't mentioned Ministry's version of Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay" because well, it's a bit shit. Also although it's not in the tiniest bit industrial, I feel I really have to mention TV on the Radio's cover of the Pixies' "Mr Grieves". Trying to cover one of the very best songs by one of the very best rock bands of all time is just madness, but like Coptic Rain, TV on the Radio wisely turned it into something completely different. Of course it's not as good as the original (what is?), but it's fascinating, catchy, and essential.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1k6dD3WAP0