1. "The Dancer" by Visage (1980)
As the initial momentum of the Punk movement began to fade, the British music scene spawned a plethora of then-new styles. One of these was the "New Romantic" movement, a collection of self-described poseurs who liked to get all dolled up and go out "clubbing." Many of the "Romo" bands slathered on the synthesizers, sequencers, and vocal gimmicks to mask a lack of original ideas and/or talent; however, that wasn't the case with the posterboys of the movement, Visage. A legitimate "new wave" supergroup that included members of Ultravox and Magazine, among others, they were judged by the world at large on the merits of their one U.S. single, a wispy synth-and-vocals piece called "Fade To Grey." And that was unfortunate, because the majority of their work was a lot more involving and a lot less wussy. The instrumental piece "The Dancer" is a perfect example: while the rhythm section lays down a muscular dance beat that is punctuated by some squalling, powerful sax work, guitarist John McGeoch winds his unique way from start to finish, his processed riffing providing a blueprint for a whole generation of "new wave" guitarists. Just don't look at the album art -- it's pretty sissified…

2. "Pure II" by Godflesh (1992)
About as far from "The Dancer" as you can get in the musical spectrum is this magnum opus by San Francisco-based duo Godflesh, who laid claim to the title "the heaviest band on Earth" in the late 1980s and early 1990s, making fellow "Industrialists" such as Ministry and Nine Inch Nails look like A-Ha by comparison. Consisting of drummer-turned-guitarist Justin Broadrick, bassist G.C. Green, and a drum machine that doubtless caused earthquakes in Uruguay every time it was used, Godflesh created harsh, metallic soundscapes at various tempos that suggested the Nine Circles of Hell more than anything else. "Pure II" took the concept about as far as it could go: clocking in at over 21 minutes in length, "Pure II" is a true howl from the abyss, with layer upon layer of feedback guitar punctuated by rim shots that sound like cannon volleys, as well as the odd bit of found industrial sound. Will have you hailing Satan as your new master by minute fifteen…

3. "sexthinkone" by Shriekback (1981)
Contrary to popular belief, Techno/Electronica didn't begin with Moby. Hell, Shriekback was doing its own funky take on the genre about the same time as Moby was entering kindergarten. Formed in 1980, this British trio drew inspiration from disparate sources -- the members had come from power popsters XTC, punk urban guerillas Gang of Four, and the tough-to-categorize Out On Blue Six -- to come up with something that not only didn't sound like any of those bands, but also didn't sound like anything ever heard on vinyl before. Though they lightened up on later releases, Shriekback's early EP's absolutely oozed cool malevolence, with slinky bass lines providing the backbone for deadpan vocals, shards of guitar, and keyboards that slithered snakelike through the mix. "sexthinkone" is off Shriekback's second EP, "Tench": one reviewer described it as "sex music for cyborgs…funk as exact science and coitus reduced to a series of quadratic equations," which pretty much sums it up. Of course, if you prefer your coitus the old-fashioned way, this might not be the best choice…

4. "Stand Up, Stand Out" by Specimen (1981)
Though the "New Romantics" were the musical offshoot of Punk most associated with getting dolled up in women's clothes and makeup, they weren't the only ones. Early Goth bands, such as Specimen, were just as likely to be wearing lipstick and pantyhose, though at least they had the good sense to wear lots of black. Sartorial choices aside, Specimen -- formed as the "house band" for London's big Goth club, the Batcave -- were actually a lot more lighthearted than most of their gloomy ilk, throwing a bit of pop sensibility into their musical mix. "Stand Up, Stand Out" might be their best moment, even though I have no idea whatsoever what the song is about. But then, with lyrics like "Call me a dog/Give me a bite," who really cares? The bass and drums are so clean and punchy that they sound like dub, the synths have a dramatic, Grand Guignol sweep, and the sneering guitar work runs the gamut from crunchy chording to feedback-driven swan dives to electrocution solos. On the negative side, Specimen were cited as a key influence by no less a band -- and I MEAN less -- than Motley Crue. No word on whether that same opinion was held by Ratt…

5. "TV Set" by The Cramps (1979)
If the Addams Family had grown up in the bayous of Louisiana and played guitars instead of harpsichord, this is what the results would have sounded like. Formed way back in 1976 by a pair of kids from Cleveland who were encouraged by the DIY efforts of The Ramones to give music a try themselves, The Cramps put out a dozen albums over the next 20 years, and in doing so established themselves as America's First Family of Psychobilly. While sharing the same wealth of enthusiasm and dearth of talent as the band that inspired them, The Cramps created their own distinctive identity out of their love of junk culture, bad horror movies, and rockabilly. "TV Set" is a thundering little nugget of joy that summarizes The Cramps in less than three minutes: singer Lux Interior croons, moans and wails lyrics concerning body parts placed in household appliances, while barely-competent (yet utterly enthralling) guitarist Poison Ivy works her whammy bar like there's no tomorrow and drummer Nick Knox calmly keeps the beat behind the mayhem. Would make Gene Vincent roll over in his grave and dance…