If RoboCop and a leather-clad guitar shredder had a baby in a neon-drenched alleyway of Stockholm, you’d probably get something like Irving Force. With a sound that feels like the lovechild of a synthwave nightmare and a post-apocalyptic action flick, this artist isn’t just pushing buttons — he’s smashing through genre walls like a pixelated wrecking ball.
Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, the real man behind the machine is Adam Skog, a musician who started making waves in the synth scene around 2015. Before he was lacing synths with industrial venom, he was knee-deep in the world of black metal with bands like Vanhävd and Vapenlicens. And while that might seem like a complete genre 180, it actually makes perfect sense — Irving Force is just as aggressive and unrelenting, but now he’s bringing cyberpunk chaos to the party.
Let’s break it down. Because let’s be honest: synthwave fans, retro enthusiasts, and dark alleyway music lovers deserve a proper introduction to this electronic renegade.
Welcome to the Cyberpunk Jungle
Irving Force isn’t here to lull you into 1980s nostalgia with soft pastel dreams and Miami Beach sunsets. No, he’s dropping you straight into a sweaty underground parking garage with a synth shotgun in hand. Think of his sound as:
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Industrial darksynth meets cinematic warfare
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John Carpenter soundscapes meets metalhead aggression
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And a bit of “I hope you brought backup, this track bites” energy
His style is unapologetically intense. Imagine if Snake Plissken DJed at a club in the Blade Runner universe — that’s what listening to Irving Force feels like. And in case you haven’t noticed, that kind of sound pairs ridiculously well with a slick retro denim jacket, the kind you can snag over at Newretro.Net. Just saying. Fight the future — but do it in style.
From Metal Mayhem to Synth Supremacy
Before he was crafting cybernetic beats and industrial soundscapes, Adam Skog was wielding guitars in Sweden’s black metal underground. That influence lingers — not just in his aggression, but in the structure of his tracks. They’re not just loops and drops; they tell stories. Violent ones. Cinematic ones. Sometimes both.
His 2015 debut EP, Undercover, dropped like a body off a high-rise. Gritty, raw, and soaked in synth grime, it was followed quickly by The Violence Suppressor the same year — a title that could easily double as a cyberpunk action flick starring a grizzled, one-liner-spitting anti-hero (we’re looking at you, 80s Arnold).
Key tracks to blast at unsafe volumes:
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Corporate Killer – Think “Die Hard” meets digital homicide.
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Sewer Wars – It’s like descending into the neon underworld, armed with only your wits and a synth bassline.
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Violence Suppressor – It doesn’t suppress much. Except maybe silence.
It’s music for city chases, last stands, or just late-night coding sessions where your only companions are a CRT glow and caffeine.
Godmode Activated
By 2018, Irving Force leveled up — big time — with his full-length album Godmode. If Undercover and The Violence Suppressor were warning shots, Godmode was a declaration of war.
Every track is loaded with cinematic tension, industrial grit, and apocalyptic atmosphere. It’s darksynth on steroids — which, ironically, might be what those robo-enforcers in the artwork are running on.
This album didn’t just sound like the future; it sounded like a future that already collapsed.
Oh, and side note: ever wonder what the soundtrack would be for a cyberpunk martial law scenario where leather jackets are mandatory uniform? Yeah, Godmode would probably be on repeat — and our Newretro.Net leather jackets would be selling out in that timeline. Just sayin’.
2020 Vision: Awaken Alone
Two years later, Irving Force turned his cinematic energy toward the gaming world with the game soundtrack Awaken Alone. And if you’re picturing a pixelated hellscape where you battle your inner demons with synthesizers and strategy, you’re on the right track.
The soundtrack plays like a descent — into code, into chaos, into yourself. It’s dark, but not hopeless. Heavy, but beautifully produced. It shows a side of Irving Force that’s less “bash-your-face-in” and more “haunt-your-hard-drive.” An emotional depth wrapped in mechanical skin.
Deep Clean Subdivision – No One Gets Out Clean
His most recent album, Deep Clean Subdivision (2022), cemented Irving Force as more than just a darksynth heavyweight — he’s a world-builder. These tracks don’t just play in your ears; they create environments. Environments filled with danger, cybernetic paranoia, and a very real sense that someone’s watching you through a flickering security camera.
Every beat in this album seems calculated — like a surveillance drone flying low over your thoughts. Paranoia? Maybe. But Irving Force makes it sound really cool.
And while you’re mentally dodging drone strikes and digital phantoms, don’t forget: style is your last defense. A pair of retro-futuristic sunglasses from Newretro.Net won’t block cyberattacks, but hey — you’ll look like you could.
Synthwave’s Antihero
While many synthwave artists celebrate the bright side of retro, Irving Force digs deep into its darker corners — the VHS tapes you weren’t allowed to watch, the video games with cheat codes scrawled on notebook paper, the movie scenes you paused because they were just that intense.
But don’t get it twisted — this isn’t just about aggression for aggression’s sake. There’s structure here. Narrative. A kind of post-industrial storytelling that blends perfectly with the grit of a cyber-noir universe. Irving Force doesn’t just make music — he scores universes. Ones you want to live in… or survive in.
Stay tuned for what happens when this sonic juggernaut keeps evolving.
So you’ve survived Godmode, dodged synth-fueled death traps in Awaken Alone, and escaped the grime-covered labyrinth of Deep Clean Subdivision. First of all—respect. Second of all—you’re probably hooked. And third? There’s more to the world of Irving Force than basslines and boss battles. In fact, the story behind the music might just be as wild as the tracks themselves.
Skog’s Cinematic Obsession
To really understand Irving Force, you have to peek behind the synth curtain and look at Adam Skog’s obsessions—and they’re glorious.
His inspirations are straight out of an 80s fever dream:
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John Carpenter: The godfather of synth-infused horror. The DNA of Escape from New York, The Thing, and They Live courses through every beat.
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Snake Plissken: Not just a name-drop; a lifestyle. The “I don’t care but I still save the day” attitude bleeds into Irving Force’s antihero soundscapes.
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Cyberpunk: Grit, neon, surveillance. Aesthetics and ethos collide in a soundtrack for resisting the system (or at least rage-driving through it).
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Tangerine Dream: The synth pioneers of cinematic bliss. Their ambient textures echo through Irving Force’s more atmospheric cuts, especially in his soundtrack work.
It’s not just nostalgia — it’s weaponized nostalgia. A sonic blueprint for surviving in a world that looks a little more dystopian every year.
Darksynth Done Differently
Let’s be real for a second. There’s a LOT of synthwave out there. From pastel beach vibes to robotic retro club anthems, the genre is wide and sometimes… a little same-y.
Irving Force? He brings a metalhead’s attitude to a synthesizer’s playground.
Instead of falling into the trap of sounding like a soundtrack to a driving montage, he makes tracks that feel like:
He doesn’t flirt with darkness — he waltzes into it, kicks the door down, and rearranges the furniture.
And speaking of rearranging—ever think your wardrobe could use a little retro-infused rebellion? Something with just the right amount of edge? That’s where Newretro.Net steps in. Our gear won’t help you survive an underground synth battle, but you’ll look like the kind of guy who could.
Why the Fans Love Him (Besides the Obvious)
Sure, Irving Force delivers on heavy beats, savage synths, and glitchy aggression. But there’s more going on. His fans aren’t just vibing to his music — they’re following a vision. He’s one of the few synthwave artists out there who:
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Makes albums that feel like sagas
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Doesn’t sanitize the genre — he corrupts it beautifully
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Builds sonic worlds where every track adds to the lore
In a sense, he’s like the graphic novel version of synthwave. You don’t just listen — you read between the lines. There are stories here. Maybe not with words, but with texture. Mood. Dissonance. Rising action. Climaxes. You know, like all the good movies you stayed up too late watching when you were a kid.
Irving Force in the Synthwave Ecosystem
While some synthwave acts take you to the neon beaches of imagined 1984s, Irving Force is the underground resistance. The overlooked tunnel system beneath those glittering towers.
He’s part of a growing family of artists pushing the genre’s boundaries:
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Perturbator and Carpenter Brut bring similar energy, but where they go for horror opera, Irving Force leans toward gritty cinema.
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Mega Drive and Dan Terminus deliver a digital wallop, but Irving Force has that punk-flavored unpredictability.
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And where others go for precision, Irving Force isn’t afraid to be raw, loud, and a little ugly — in the best possible way.
He doesn’t polish his sound too much. Why would he? Dirty synths sound better in a dirty future.
What’s Next for the Force?
So where does Irving Force go from here? Honestly, the possibilities are wild. He could…
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Score a full cyberpunk film (someone get this man in a Blade Runner spin-off, stat)
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Collaborate with game devs on a narrative cyber-noir epic
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Drop a VR concert in a digital dystopia
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Or, just keep releasing synth bangers that make your heart race like you’re being chased by rogue androids
Whichever path he chooses, one thing is clear: Irving Force is only just getting started. There’s a rebellion brewing in the shadows of the retro-future — and he’s soundtracking it one menacing drop at a time.
Final Thought (Before You Disappear Into a Neon Tunnel)
If you haven’t yet, dive into his discography. Start with Corporate Killer. Put on headphones. Close your eyes. Suddenly, you’re in a rain-soaked alley, flipping your trench coat collar up, lighting a cigarette with a spark from a malfunctioning power conduit. Or, you know, stuck in traffic. But it’ll feel epic.
And while you’re stepping into that digital dreamscape, why not match your soundtrack with the threads to go with it? At Newretro.Net, we’ve got the leather jackets, the retro sneakers, and the cyber-styled shades that would make even Snake Plissken raise an eyebrow.
After all, if you’re going to dance with the darksynth devil, you better look like you belong on the poster.
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
