Test Dept

Test Dept (short for Test Department) is a pioneering industrial music group formed in South London in 1981. Known for their politically charged aesthetic and using scrap metal, machinery, and found objects as instruments, they helped define the UK's industrial and experimental sound throughout the 1980s. Their intense live performances, often incorporating multimedia elements and collaborations with dancers or theater groups, earned them a reputation for pushing boundaries and confronting social and political issues head-on.

Throughout their career, Test Dept have collaborated with artists from a wide spectrum of genres and disciplines, and their work often intersects with activism and cultural protest. After a period of relative quiet in the late '90s and early 2000s, the group re-emerged in the 2010s with new material and live shows, continuing their legacy of sonic experimentation and sharp political critique. Their recent releases, including "Disturbance" and the "Normal Never Was" series, reflect a renewed urgency, addressing contemporary crises with the same intensity that defined their early years.

Genres

Industrial

Ebm

Industrial Rock

Industrial Metal

Rock

Alternative

Electronic

British Industrial

Martial Industrial

Electro-industrial

Power Electronics

Techno

Experimental

British Experimental

Ambient

Avant-garde

Art Rock

Noise

Punk

Latest Release

Industrial Overture

Test Dept

Album - 42 Tracks - Released December 5, 2025