Smersh, the innovative duo from Piscataway, New Jersey, comprised of Chris Shepard and Mike Mangino, emerged in 1981 as pioneers of industrial and proto-techno music. Recording weekly in their basement studio, they crafted a distinctive sound by blending harsh vocals and distorted guitars with experimental, danceable machine rhythms. Their prolific output, primarily self-released on limited cassettes through their Atlas King label, garnered an international underground following. Notable releases include "The Beat from 20,000 Fathoms" (1986) and "Emmanuelle Goes to Bangkok" (1990). Despite their studio-only approach, Smersh's influence resonates in the industrial and electronic music scenes. ([music.apple.com](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/smersh/421754101?utm_source=openai))