Legendary New York City based Hardcore label owned by Lenny Dee. Formed in 1991 this label helped to put New York City on the map and to define the emerging Hardcore Techno sound of the early 90's.
djfrankiebones, Jul 28, 2004
Industrial Strength Records was Lenny Dee's vision realized in 1991 with strong releases by The Mover & A Homeboy, Hippie & A Funki Dred. Lenny was on a quest to release the hardest Techno records and with backing by Watts Distribution, there was quick & visible results. The first three to five years was a serious release schedule and in the space of a few years Industrial Strength became the most respected Hardcore label in America with a steady stream of licensed material turning up on Holland's Thunderdome CD's. IST was the sub-label that was Industrial Strength Trance, and sometimes it had seemed to just be an extention of its parent company, with releases that were just as hard & loud. When Lenny broke free from his partnership with Watts the label started to fade from view, then Earache records put out several comp cd's and that helped revive the label for a moment, only to slip from view shortly after 2000. This label however still remains to be sought out by collectors around the world.
