I Against I

A new favorite. Packed with aggressive vocals and interesting instrumentation. Will definitely be listening again and checking out more of their discography.

Pretty heavy album this one is. Loud rock

Hair metal and Reggae influenced Punk? I’ll listen to that any day.

I really like how groovy they are able to play these hardcore sounds. I quickly warmed up to the vocals, I appreciate how he can sing like a punk front man one second, and then do something very low-key and seducing with his voice the next. The combination of reggae, funk, and punk music stylings is so interesting to me. I suppose on paper, that sounds like ska, but these guys are able to do that and also set themselves very far apart from ska. Overall a fun one! 3.5

I lost my original review of this when I refreshed the page unfortunately. This was a pretty cool Bad Brains album. I still struggle a bit with the vocals but I really loved how melodic this record was. I feel like they pulled in a lot of different influence into the hardcore sound which is super cool. I feel like they could grow even more on me if I spent the time on it. I wouldn't be surprised if that happened at some point.

Legends. One of my favorites and objectively one of the best hardcore bands of all time. I love how they play with the hardcore sound. Very heavy, juggy bass lines with heavy guitar over it. They lean into classic bro yells and Oi! of hardcore / punk music, but then they also kind of do this post rock almost funk inspired vocals and psychy guitars. At times it almost feels like HR is tapping into Prince with his vocals and Dr. Know is leaning into thrash with his guitar solos. Its undoubted how much this band inspired bands of the next decade. You can hear Pearl Jam and Nirvana in this sound, you can definitely hear Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jane's Addiction. I've been a Bad Brains fan for a long time, and I never get sick of them. I probably listen to a few songs off this or the self titled every few months. This is the shit and its good.

This was weird but I liked it. Definitely not easy to listen to though. There's some pixies and almost grunge-ish sound in there, maybe a bit like RATM, and then also the guitars often venture into Metallica or Megadeth and sometimes sound like EVH! Wild stuff.

Really all over the place, but in a good way. Is a metal/punk hybrid a safe description? Maybe a 70/30 punk to metal. Either way, it’s unique.

Bad Brains fucking rock, I don’t listen to them nearly enough. You forget how dripping with riffs their music is, this goes metal, jazz, funk, new wave, the lot. The current wave of post-punk bands owe a ton to these lads. Not my Bad Brains album of choice, but really enjoyed listening to this.

3.5 stars

Honestly that was tough to listen to once the heavy drum and base kicked in. To. Each. Song. Some good vocal samples, but it felt like being stuck in a distortion loop at 3am. 2/5

OK.

Baustelle, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Solide Nummer.

Some solid tracks with great lyrics, but the vocals just don't do it for me

Rødder i reggae og rastafari. Harcore punk med reggae dub elementer og funk metal crossover. Det lyder rytmisk og spirituelt men har også den der aggressive og hurtige tempo med DIY energi. DEn har også groovy basslines til tider. Der er gået lang tid siden jeg hørte albummet til at jeg skriver det her review, så kan ikke rigtig huske præcist hvad jeg kunne lide ved det. Men sådan er det, jeg må revisit og jeg synes det var spændende så jeg giver det en 2'er til at jeg kan vende tilbage til det

Fun... but doesn't seem like much different/new.

Pretty interesting. I wouldn't say I loved it, but it's clearly very unique, especially for its vintage. Reading the Wikipedia article was also impressive, particularly their artist breadth.

i like it, but i wont lie im very intrigued by their earlier reggae punk albums. i got to check those out on my own time, if they aren't on this list already

Første tanke var Iron Maiden og Modly Crue, så gik den over i noget helt andet med slap bas.. Så var der lidt Guns´n Roses over det. Den får lige et fokuseret lyt mere en anden dag. Men umilbart en 4er for underholdnings værdien.

Punk/metal mash-up. Det gynger voldsomt og sejler rundt. Det ene øjeblik er det tonsetungt. Det næste er det lige på og rå punk. Så smider vi da lige en guitarsolo ind. Og en funky bass-line. Når jeg ser på hvilke bands/artister Bad Brains har haft indflydelse på, så er det mere eller mindre alt det musik jeg hørte som teenager. Ikke underligt at det her tiltaler mig.

I actually didn’t mind this. I’d play it when I needed some energy

Some good rock but a bit monotonous

The Spotify overview says that these guys mixed punk with reggae. I don't hear that at all. I hear grunge, which is surprising as this came out in 1986. So pioneering, maybe, but I don't really like listening to it.

Alright I guess. None of the energy of their debut and awful 80s production.

First few tracks sound way too obnoxious, later on this album gets to be a real gem!

My second favorite Bad Brains album. I tend to like their shift towards reggae more than just straight punk. Still a really unique album that doesn’t get trapped in the 80s. 8/10

I liked Return To Heaven and I against I. Nothing else really stood out amongst each other. But it’s good enough to reach three stars.

I loved Banned in DC and I hope it's on this list. This is a bit of a backslide from there

Not bad.

Interesting take on punk, might take another couple of listens for me to fully embrace but not bad. More melodic than I expected.

Uma das primeiras manifestações do Hardcore, mistura inusitada de Punk e Reggae. A sonoridade do disco evoca uma vibe bem underground, abafada. Os riffs de guitarra rápidos se misturam com uma linha de vocal crua, em algumas partes soa mais como falada do que cantada e conta com alguns gritos guturais aqui e ali. Olhando para o ano de 1986, deve ter soado inovador.

This is another album that, although I don’t have the same nostalgic attachment to it, objectively has influenced entire generations of artists to this day. Everyone from Sublime, Dillinger Escape Plan, Lamb of God and more who’ve risen from the underground all cite this and the Bad Brains cannon as gospel Aside from the hype or how you “should” feel about it. It’s a good album. For me it’s less about the individual songs and the entire vibe of the record. How can you not want to grab a longboard rip down the sidewalk at the beach listening to this? I can’t even stand on skateboard and I’m willing to risk breaking my neck. That’s how cool they are My biggest beef with this record is the production. Although crisper/clearer than their previous records, the big 80s gated drum sound is a bit much at times. That being said, I Against I, Secret 77 and She’s Calling You are all my favorites. Songs that push the musical boundaries of what they’ve done previously. Faith No More owes them some royalties

I didn't realize how influential this album was to some of the artists I grew up listening to or are currently fans of. I feel like I cannot single out any particular songs, but I really enjoyed how musical this punk record was. A lot of the time, I will listen to punk and feel deeply uninspired by how sloppy it is. This album is very careful, but tough! "Secret 77" rips. I think this album is a great case to point at whenever I hear lazy punk at this point. You can still take care in the way you deliver the message. H.R. has a super cool voice, and I really love how he uses it just like one of the other instruments in the band.

Unfortunately I'm not a punk fan. But that left me pleasantly surprised when i found out how melodic Bad Brains songs are after the intro. I liked i against i, house of suffering, and i think reignition after that it all started sounding very 80s. And i wish i could analyze what it is about 80s melodies i don't like but i just know i don't like it. After that, i thought sacred love was good. But as a personal preference thing, it's overall not for me. Shout out to my fellow dreadheads in genres where the demographic is unrepresented though.

I had no idea what this was going into it but it was an entertaining listen

Hardcore. Hardcore. Hardcore. I like the intro setting the tone for what’s coming. Secret 77 has a great groove. I don’t know a ton about Bad Brains. I just know they’re one of those “your favorite band’s favorite band.” I know Flea is a massive fan. Is this DC area hardcore punk? Turnstille is one of the biggest rock acts right now and I think they’d admit a huge influence from Bad Brains. I say that based on zero factual evidence just having been inundated with Turnstille this week, I Against I sounds like the foundation. It’s hardcore, it’s punk, but it’s also rhythmic. The vocals are inviting. This doesn’t feel like a band that’s spitting on the crowd (looking at you Black Flag). Some of these jams on Hired Gun get almost ethereal. This might be a two listen album. So I’ve listened to this album twice and I was going for a third when Laura said, “again?” Right now I’m feeling a hard 3.5. I’m excited To listen to this more.

Overall: 8/10 Pretty great punk album with hints of heavy metal and reggae! I've always heard of Bad Brains, they're one of those bands that is considered legendary but a lot of people don't listen to them. That's a shame cause I thought this was pretty great and I'm gonna be checking out the rest of their discography as well. Fav Song: Re-Ignition

Just awful

Ehh, very busy kind of music, not a fan

0 brain power

Interesting concept for musical notes, not something typical or that I already heard before. I like it.

geiler vibe von stimme und instrumentals, hört man selten. Gitarre ist krass

Bad. So bad.

Surprisingly good. There are shades of punk, hardcore, and metal. I think they’re generally considered a punk band, and I would say that they’re pretty amazing musically, for a punk band. I don’t think it’s going on my current rotation, but I enjoyed my time with it.

Fine

I liked more than yesterday

The first half was a bit of a rough start for me, but it continuously grew on me

At the time, I classified the album as "pop" because it was more open and not straight hardcore. Back then, I was more into Minor Threat, Fugazi, and Black Flag. But it was fun to listen to it again.

p559. 1986. 1 star. Tedious garage band with no tunes and vile lyrics. WTF decided this was essential listening?

Some of the band’s experiments that moved away from straight-up punk (to metal, to reggae) didn’t quite work. And there’s some silliness in the lyrics and themes. But the album is largely listenable, if nowhere near essential. I wish I could give the album 2.5 stars.

Wow! Totally unexpected. These musicians are so good and the music is so intense. Love it.

I quite like this. They call it hardcore punk but I think their sound is more than that. The abrasiveness of punk is tempered by a diverse combination of styles, almost metal riffs and solos.

Not bad - didn't care much for the writing or the vocals.

It’s okay, I just wouldn’t really listen to it - not totally my bag.

Leuke hardcore, maar ook niks aparts

Amazing album, really liked this one

There’s a few great songs on here but also some goofy shit that didn’t age well.

Not nearly as great as their earlier stuff.

9/19/25. Probably should give this a few more listens, but love the in-your-face approach and the songs punch you right in the mouth. The last portion is a little more relaxed, which I enjoyed the band showing their versatility.

I like it, but I can hear the parts that inspired stuff I don't like and that's kinda weird. It's not as good as Madvillainy.

It’s alright, but I doubt I’ll listen to it again.

6.5/10

Don’t love punk, but this wasn’t awful.

It was cool to hear the early reggae & soul influence on that generation of punk & the influence this album must have had on the upcoming generation of ska. I also appreciate the slower, heavy tones throughout the music. However, I found it a little too long & something about the tracks started losing me on the way.

Not a fan of the vocalist here, I couldn't really understand much. The instrumentations certainly carry this band to at least a decent sound. I feel as if the album could have been condensed so it wasn't as grating by the end.

Not terribly exciting late period punk.

Anstrengend

Feeling stupid I never listened to this banger before

Let’s fucking go, bad brains dialling up the guitar rock gives us this belter of an album. Brilliant songs, with some top positivity through hardcore lyrics. “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” Mint.

I bet this blew peoples minds when it came out. Fucking wicked mix of funk and punk seasoned with a bit of everything else. I listened to the Spotify radio for the rest of the day and it was great. Will be buying.

Рокешник, не зацепил,

Easiest review yet. It's just crap.

Okay.

Really liked this despite only really listening out of one ear whilst working. A very pleasant surprise, I thought it would be way more discordant and lacking musicality, happy that I was very wrong about that. Fave Tracks: Re-Ignition, She's Calling You, Hired Gun 4.3/5

Eh

"I Against I" is the third studio by American rock band Bad Brains. Alternative metal, hard core punk, funk rock and funk metal are the Wiki-listed genres. Yes! The album found the band broadening out from their early punk style into funk, soul, reggae and heavy metal. The album title "I Against I" is a Rastafarian phrase meaning "we" and signifying union of the speaker, audience and Jah (God) in love and peace. The bandmembers were H.R. (lead vocals), Dr. Know (guitar), Darryl Jeter (bass) and Earl Hudson (drums). The album had wide-spread critical acclaim and was very influential in the metal, ska and punk scenes. The album opens with the instrumental "Intro." Guitar riffs and a heavy bass and drums. Hmmmm...this album can go in a lot of different directions. And they start fast in the self-titled "I Against I." Fast drums. Lots of starts and stops and pace changes. Aspects of metal, punk and funk. H.R. vocals are all over the place including yodeling. They crank it up a notch in the next song "House of Suffering." Extremely fast drums and a thumping bass. They're back to their punk roots. Is H.R. in jail? Is he talking about the world? God? If you're' going to have a title like "House of Suffering" you better bring it and they do They slow it down a bit in "Re-Ignition." A grinding, chugging rhythm section. More of a heavy metal guitar riff. The world needs a new start otherwise, the world's fate is sealed. "Secret 77" starts out heavy. The rhythm changes funky and Dr. Know relies more on hard rock guitar slashes. I believe H.R. is singing about revolution and mercy on the poor. This album combines a lot of styles...punk, heavy metal, funk and hard rock. The band has no problem changing pace and styles between and within songs. The musicians can definitely play. You can hear the Eddie Van Halen influence in Dr. Know's guitar with the riffs and it also reminded me of Living Colour's Vernon Reid. There's a Rastafarian tilt to H.R.'s lyrical themes (at least to me) with revolution, love and change. Overall, this a very solid album where past influences are present in their music and they are laying down music influential to future bands.

3.5 but rounding up / I like punk music, but I have a hard time thinking that I'll come back to revisiting this album. It lacked any feeling of a wow factor. Listening to the first two Bad Brains albums before this I did find this album to be more succinct in its sound, though, and one of the reasons I rounded up instead of down for it felt like an exercise in reaching what might be their peak.

This wasn't really my thing, it was like art/alternative metal? At least it wasn't too long. 2/5

This rocks. I was a little meh on the first half but the b-side is awesome. Favorite: Let Me Help. I bet there's deeper layers to it all, but that's what I've got for this one. 4.5, rounding down.

Mildly aggro punk music that's decent. I can see why it's on the list, even if I don't fully appreciate it.

um, wow???? love it. so weird and fun. I wish I could understand literally anything they were saying.

i just get the bad brains the way i am supposed to i guess. they are just...fine?

"Have mercy on the poor" is my new motto for life

I like the style a bit, it feels agressive and raw. Still I think it's not my kind of style to really listen to it but the main song is good

its different from other rock albums but i wouldnt listen to this again

Not bad

Okay, so I finally got around to listening to Bad Brains. I've heard the name for years, mostly in hushed, reverent tones, like they're some sort of punk-rock deities. So I put on I Against I expecting to have my face melted off. The first few tracks? Man, they went so hard I thought my headphones were gonna disintegrate. Then a couple of songs came on and I was like, "Wait, what's happening here?" It was a little bit of a speed bump. It wasn't bad, just... a bit of a head-scratcher. I almost checked my phone to make sure I hadn't accidentally hit shuffle on a different album. But then, boom, they'd pull you right back in with another killer track. It's an album of extreme highs and a few moderate lows. I'm not going to run out and buy the vinyl and frame it, but I’m also not throwing it in the trash. I'll probably make a playlist with a few of the songs I really dug. It's a solid record, just maybe not a "listen from start to finish every time" kind of deal.

Solid album, but I definitely like their later stuff more. Rise should be here instead. 3.1 / 5 stars

Pretty hard edged punk. I liked som of the energy in this but it lacks some of the melody that is present in the first wave of British punk that I prefer

This is the most highly produced Bad Brains album I’ve heard. It comes through with way more clarity, weight, and density than anything they released before it. While it still has its aggressive moments, this one leans more into funk metal and melodic territory. H.R. still delivers some explosive yelling, but he’s way more soulful, and actually sings on many of the tracks. In some ways, this album reminds me of what bands like Faith No More and Red Hot Chili Peppers were doing in the late 80s and early 90s, but with a much sharper, and more hardcore punk edge.

Bad Brains are a band that I think got most hard done by the punk scene I was a part of as a youth. Their influence was underplayed and often only brought up to shut down any arguments about the racsim of the scene: "How can we be racsit we love Bad Brains?". What that ignores is the absolute power of the music East Coast Hardcore at its best and often better than the much more famous hardcore records like Black Flags "Damaged" and the Dead Kennedys "In God We Trust". For my money I sitll love the original cassette the most but the full album is such a pleasure to listen to. I often come to the end and just loop it over again. Favorite tracks: House of Suffering and Let Me Help

Top track: Secret 77

Not my thing, but I do appreciate the voice work

Great for mid-workout mindset, not good for music analysis. Most songs blended together, atleast in my passive experience of them while multitasking.

Never heard of Bad Brains before, but I'm glad I know them now! It's right up my alley of hardcore-adjacent music. It's a little aged, some bad moments, but I will be exploring this artist more.

Beetje Faith no More-achtig, of zoiets. Wel aardig.

Not my bag

I had never heard of Bad Brains before, so this one was a great surprise. It's such a punchy album. The guitars are intense in the best way, the vocals have a raw edge to them, and there's an interesting history behind the band and this album in particular. What's not to like? Favorite tracks: "Re-Ignition," "She's Calling You"

Short, unique, excellent guitar and drums. Vocals lack creativity.

What an underwhelming release from Bad Brains, really thought this project would be so much heavier after having the title track in my rotation for months now, but turns out this is a more Rock than Punk project. Even though that transition doesn’t sound too far from their original sound, this album really doesn’t make a good argument for the transition and feels like a different band entirely to the point I had to keep looking back to make sure I was hearing this project. If anything I am just glad this was one of if not Bad Brains' shortest album coming in at 31 minutes, but the ride to get through this entire project was quite stale in comparison to their last two albums. The dub elements are pretty much gone and replaced with some very light rock with a few little breaks in their style to have these little punk moments. Honestly really disappointed here and will probably only come back to this for the title track and nothing more.

Great punk album from that weird timeframe where DC was spinning off so much weird good stuff!

first day of classes today!! anyways i thought this album was so fire it rocked so hard and ill listen again for sure. a little sex pistols/germs but still has a nice less abrasive rock vibe its good and the sounds are relatively creative YAY

Un disco peculiar. No puedo decir que me haya gustado mucho. Tiene cambios interesantes de climas y ritmos. Por momentos hay temas que me agradan como "Re-Ignition" o "She Is Calling You". La voz es buena para el estilo, tiene mucha versatilidad, y el sonido general es muy ochentoso, pero no conecté mucho con este álbum.

Kind of amazing how much of the next 40 years of mostly American rock music you can hear in this 1986 album. I don't necessarily like everything they inspired but there's a rawness in their blend of sounds that appeals. Originals are usually the best.

Never even heard of the band before. Great angry punk music although no outstanding songs. Enjoyed the albums guitar and drum base.

Reminded me of Judas Priest a bit with more prog rock elements but then instead of expanding on the elements they just go for a few bars then stop. Songs were on the verge of OK until something in them just didn't click and it was like that for every song for me :( On to the next one.

This was more hard rock than punk, so I really didn’t enjoy it.

Zaskakująco dobre. Jakiś taki punk z lat 90-2000

Like the style and you can’t underestimate its influence, but the songs aren’t quite 5-standard

meh

This album sounds like it tries to be very aggressive, but it falls markedly short of that. And the way it's mastered makes both the instruments and the vocals sound so anemic. It’s still fine and has some fun riffs, but the production holds it back a lot.

Did not transcend me

Fine. Initially I thought I'd enjoy it more but as the album progressed I become less interested.

It’s creative and different. Unsophisticated. Feels forced in spots. Don’t know how this wasn’t bigger. Must have lacked mtv appeal

Whatever Bad Brains song I heard 20 years ago did not sound like most of this. I think. Who knows? Point is, this was different than what I was expecting, and I guess it was a little more interesting, but still not something I’m likely to come back to.

No one escapes the 80’s production! No one! Pretty good album otherwise. 3.5/ 5

Great album Guitars damn I enjoyed it

I've always meant to listen to Bad Brains, so I was happy this album popped up in the list. I guess I thought they were strictly a punk band, but this album has a lot of range, which was interesting to hear. I can definitely hear the Brains' influence on bands like Living Colour and Fishbone aka bands I really like.

Interesting mix of styles. Not on my daily playlist, but i'm glad to have heard this one.

This sounded refreshing after so many weak albums on the list. A very versatile record. I’m not sure if I’ll return to it in the future, but for now, it was a solid listen.

While this is not '82 HC-punk us Finns know and love, I can definitely hear and understand what Bad Brains did for underground music. Sadly I've never witnessed them playing live, but I'm told they were quite the powerhouse. I still prefer Terveet Kädet, Rattus, Kaaos and my personal favourite Lama, over Bad Brains. Oh! GBH and Cro-Mags are up there too.

Several songs felt a little more like "Band Against Me."

Pretty messy and unenjoyable, was perilously close to 1-star but a few tracks were decent enough

Clásico del Hardcore gringo de los años 80.

Was unfamiliar with this one until today. I love it when that happens. It's telling to me that the reviews on this make it seem a love it or hate it kind of thing. Were it not for the vocals I think this would be a 5/5 for me. I think the vocals really take away from the rest of what's going on. Some of the vocals aren't too bad - Secret 77 is a good example of how they could have at least improved the vocal lines a bit. But I think I just don't like H.R.'s voice. Sacred Love being recorded over the phone from jail is a cool story but it would have been better had the vocals been recorded in studio. It played like a backing track with shitty vocals layered over, which, I suppose, is exactly what it was. Aside from the vocals, brilliant playing all around. It's raw, edgy, tight, aggressive, erratic in a good way, well payed. Some of the guitars are very Vernon Reid-esque in playing and tone. And that's a pretty big compliment. I really liked it but I'm going to have to dock a star for the vocals. 4/5

brings me back to the ol' punk rock days. Seeing them live was a special treat!

This kicks ass

Too hard for me (I'm turning into a pussy). Highlight was the vocal delivery. Unlikley to return.

I Against I I’ve only heard of Bad Brains through the Beastie Boys. I know they are a hardcore band, so I wasn't expecting a great deal. And despite it being more funk rock with punk/hardcore elements, I was right not to expect much as it's a pretty unremarkable album, with nothing much interesting happening either melodically, vocally, lyrically or musically. Not woeful, and not as forcefully dull as Afghan Whigs but I cannot foresee any reason to ever listen to this again. 🧠🧠 Playlist submission: She’s Calling You

The biggest issue with it is, it can't make up its mind whether it's hard rock or soft rock and it flips mid song between the two without any attempt to blend them. It's far from a sophisticated fusion, rather cobbled together elements. And another thing - this album is described as a blend of jazz, of funk, or reggae. There is absolutely none of those elements present. Any attempt to characterise it as otherwise is wrong. Most importantly, there are no good songs. Which is something of a problem.

I love hardcore. This was excellent.

Ok I confess to not having listened to this album, and I respect the many great musicians who have cited this album as an influence. It's one of those albums that kind of needs to be situated in its time to be appreciated, as it was an early example of a hardcore punk band breaking out of the genre a bit to do some interesting things. As a fan of the hardcore stuff, I'm less drawn to it but still appreciate bangers like the title track and "House of Suffering".

Not sure if I had a headache before listening to this album. I do now though.

Yea man. Never heard them before that I know of. Into it.

Never heard of these guys before. Cool punk with some sick guitar playing

5/10

No, just no.

Not great, not terrible.

Eek. One song here that was surprisingly not terrible, the rest were not a fun time

Unlistenable

Wow. First time listening to these guys and I get why they're so influential. Much more musically talented than a lot of hardcore bands I'm familiar with. Love the funk elements!

Didn't enjoy it enough to listen again to the parts that were not so bad

It’s get 5 stars because HR recorded the vocals to Sacred Love in prison through the prison phone. His one call for the day.

Faith no more did it better. 3

A few good guitar solos but the guy's voice is hard to listen to

nothing stands out but its very good

4/5 - Fun riffs with some urgency - Solid precursor to hardcore punk - Some screaming, but those moments are fleeting - Unclear which "i" wins, but it appears to be a win-win scenario.

Decent metal. Not over the top. Not main stream.

Fine?

Forgettable

Too many musical genres. It did not feel cohesive to me though the musicianship was very good

The thing about I Against I is that is only nears the vicinity of essential once one comes to Bad Brains S/T debut. Regardless of which you hear first, S/T was like catching lightning in a bottle. I Against I was meditated. Even still, while the genre exploration is refreshing, the album is far too uneven in terms of quality to qualify as essential. Still an enjoyable listen, though.

2+ Stars (6/15)

Sometimes our greatest enemy ... is ourself. That doesn't really have much to do with this fun, little album. I had never heard of Bad Brains before. This was funky, short, and sweet--the mixture of George Clinton and Arrested Development. Top Tracks: "I Against I," "Intro"

this shit sucks. nerds trying to do punk in the year of our lord 1986. Shit wouldn't fly then, or now. Miss me. Go Guardos. I'm still listening to it and spending zero effort on it. and I hate it. what even is this. ok it's growing on me a little. Trying to figure out what this is or what i've heard like it. Lyrics and singing don't match the music. Yeah this sucks.

--Intro... --I Against I...already digging the rhythm section --House of Suffering...I like the speed but it's a little basic compared to the previous track --Re-Ignition...this is interesting. Not sure I like it. But it has something --Secret 77...another interesting sound and structure. But is it a good song? Where is the hook? --Let Me Help...when he sings it's good, but then he does this annoying talk-singing thing which is not as good --She's Calling You...feels like it keeps working its way up to a kick-ass chorus that never comes --Sacred Love...boring --Hired Gun...decent guitar solo, I guess --Return to Heaven...now we're getting a little weird. I like this

Nej tack. Intetsägande rockma. Tråkig sång, tråkiga riff. Inget sticker ut. Tur att det var en kort skiva.

På pappret gillar jag det här. Det är bra driv och energi, varierade produktioner och kompositioner och en sångare men en väldigt bred repertoar. Har lyssnat igenom den 4-5 gånger nu med förväntan om att betyget skulle bli högre än den trea som jag tyckte att den var vid första genomlyssningen. Dock lyfter det inte så mycket högre än så, låtarna är i de flesta fall helt enkelt treor eller starka treor och saknar det där lilla extra för högre betyg. Stabil skiva och kul lyssning i alla fall!

Not what I expected, but what I got was really cool.

FUCK YEAH BAD BRAINS YEAHHH LETS GO HARDCORE MUSIC FUCK YEAHHHHHHHH BITCH WOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Just really good, bro was cooking. Favourite Song: I Against I Honourable Mentions: She's Calling You

Woah woah woah, that’s good. Only thing I don’t like is when he does that gremlin voice (LMAO), but other than that this goes crazy. After some thought into it this just falls short of a 5, very good album tho

Definitely more HC than ROIR. Such good guitar and drums. So much goes on in the title song that you can tell it’s different from the earlier stuff. I wasn’t much of a fan in my teens but it’s clear that I was an idiot.

Not a fan

Good job

Never heard of this lot. Vocals a bit FNM. Guitars more hair metal

Solid, but feels it's age

I didn’t read any info on this and went into the listening experience completely blind. Honestly, so shocked at the release date as it sounds way more modern. Decent album, would return to listen again.

Never heard of the band before but this was bloody brilliant. I’m surprised it has such a low average rating. I’ll definitely be checking out some more of their stuff when I’m done with my Ozzy binge. Top Track - Re-Ignition

first listen meh

This wasn’t my kind of music at all.

68/100. Fusing punk, metal, funk, and a bit of soul into something heavier and more refined. The songs are tight, but some blur together without that one element to fully elevate them.

I didn't mind it, it had a great story behind it. It's got a good fact about the song recorded from prison. Deserves to be on the list.

Started off strong, but fizzled out in the middle.

Not for me

Bad Brains are a punk rock band I've heard of, but completely missed until now. Album has a sick intro! I against I is absolutely filthy. Fantastic tune. Instant addition to my punk playlists. This album makes my inner teen proud

Bad Brains are a fascinating band because of the combination of styles and, yes, also because they are four rastas making punk and metal where everyone would have them do reggae (clichés, eh?). I do like some of their songs but on the length of an album they never got me. "Re-Ignition" is a great song and I think the album is better on the second half. Still, I couldn't say I was blown away by it. So it's a solid 3 stars.

BOOOO

Ngl knowing the bad brains I know hearing the total 80s production was weird. They are super tight but I kinda prefer the grittier lofi shit

Unfortunately bored me a little bit.. and again I’m so behind rip.

Bad music, too.

Interesting better punk, but no standouts

It's good, with an interesting and clearly great mix of punk and reggae that was new to me. Still, it didn’t feel especially memorable.

Really not good

Not my scene.

Ugh

Let me know when Rock for Light is the choice of the day.

The guitars and bass are damn impressive. The whole package not so much to me. But glad this exists.

Surprised by how much I loved this as an adult. I remember listening to punk when I was 14 and the scene was still kind of a little bit alive in LA. I thought I was soooooo cool. Turns out, I was.

Interesting from a historical perspective of that era of hardcore music which I know very little about. Guitar and bass are off the chain. But can't get into the whole package.

Really? Why is this special? Seems pretty pedestrian to me.

My second favorite bad brains record

I also am a deeply closeted schizophrenic gay man

Don't know why I was expecting something else, but I like the guitars. Solid.

Have never heard this whole thing before outside of I Against I and this shit rules. Very weird that mainstream-adjacent punk didn’t take the funk influence from this until more recently.

Expected to like this less. Had a feeling it was going to be all screamy and punk and it surprised me that it wasn’t a punish to get through. My wife hated it. Probably won’t listen again.

Initial review: I liked this more than i expected but am i crazy for thinking this is generic asf? Get me off this FUCKING SITE REEEEEE Later review: kinda cool and important

Fun mix of reggae, hard core and punk. Vocals trend from irritating to excellent from song-to-song. Good energy and an enjoyable listen - 7/10

★★★½

Bad Brains, 4 gasten die eruit zijn als Reggae types die zoals ik het nu hoor een soort hard rock album maken. Apple omschrijft het als 'alternative', maar dit voelt echt wel heel rock-y. Heel interessant, maar best lekker wakker worden moet ik zeggen! Heerlijke solo in Let me Help Is het mooie muziek? Nee. Rockt het? Keihard. Echt wel leuk om een halfuur naar te luisteren. En laat het album precies een halfuur duren. 4 reten. FAV Re-Ignition, Let me Help, Return to Heaven

I'm not a huge fan of this style of punk and this isn't particularly well done.

++: Secret 77, Hired Gun +: I Against I, Re-Ignition, Let Me Help, Sacred Love +-: Intro, House of Suffering, She's Calling You, Return to Heaven 4,1/10

I dig this sound

Did not like this, but didn’t hate it enough to turn it off for 2 full album listens.

Fantastic

The singer reminded me a bit of Chuck Moseley, the original singer from Faith No More. That's pretty weird, since he DID sing for them for a brief stint (90-91). I have their first album, but keep meaning to get this one. Glad I was able to give it a listen, some good punk here. Top tracks: "I Against I," "Sacred Love," "Return To Heaven"

These guys feel like Faith No More meets Living Colour meets Megadeth. And I dug it. I actually listened to a few tracks from their debut album first and you can hear how they went from more hardcore punk to funk metal. I'm not surprised to learn that they were pioneers and major inspirations across a few genres. The bass and guitar are so good on this album. They absolutely slayed on the title track, Re-Ignition, and She's Calling You. Secret 77 and Sacred Love both had a darker sort of shadowy feel, which I also dug. Nice surprise with this album.

Where has this album been all my life?? One of the most fun things about the 1001 is hearing bands that influenced a ton of other great acts. The list of bands that Bad Brains influenced is crazy - according to Wikipedia, this includes the Beastie Boys, Guns 'n Roses, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane's Addiction, Rage Against the Machine, Green Day, and, of course, Living Colour - I say "of course" on the last, because if you didn't know any better you might think this is a Living Colour album, even though it came out three years before LC's debut album. I enjoyed the hell out of this album. It rocked and the musicianship was outstanding, especially Dr. Know on guitar - talented playing, fantastic sounds - occasionally sounds like he's channeling EVH, but plenty of originality - but also outstanding, funky, rocking bass and drums. Add in some occasionally insanity in H.R.'s singing (especially in Return to Heaven and I Against I) and it all adds up to an awesome album. Favorite tracks: I Against I (crazed but cool), Re-Ignition, She's Calling You, Sacred Love, Hired Gun. Heck, even the intro rocks!

I’d never heard of Bad Brains before so this was totally new and I didn’t know what to expect. At first I found the lead singer’s voice of putting, but it grew on me as the album went on. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Favorite track: Secret 77 4

estaba bien creo

It's fine but doesn't really hold up or interest me

Some good riffs but life is too short to engage with this artist's unhinged brand of homophobia

A magnitude down from the st and Rock for Light, but still mostly stands on its own

Not my favorite Brains album, but the front half rips! Lots of experimentation on that back half tough. Not all of it hits (looking at you She's Calling You). When they're on, they're ON, and the production here is slick but heavy.

Absolutely rocks hard

There should be an option to give zero or a minus rating; awful; patnful listening

Niets voor mij

Not for me

Undeniable talent and creativity

So so

Fun hard album to ride to.

Kinda crazy that their debut isn't the pick here, honestly. But I won't complain, because I don't actually care for their debut, and this one's new to me! Anyway, on to my thoughts about I Against I: I didn't expect it to be metal! I kinda like the bass here, but the guitar feels too clean. The vocals are pretty good and not what I'd usually expect for metal, but the songs don't really leave an impression on me. In all, it's one of those albums that I don't really care for, but getting to hear a whole new side of Bad Brains is something I really appreciate.

It was fine. I won’t relisten

Jsuis divisé devant cet album: d’un côté, j’aime l’énergie cru émanant des tracks, mais de l’autre côté, cet même énergie en transmise d’une manière qui me donne juste envie d’éteindre mes speakers. Vu que jme sens de bonne humeur, arrondissons sur un trois

Meh

H.R. has an interesting voice, but the album was kind of all over the place. The songs themselves were okay, but the tonal shift between could be a bit strange at times. It was nice to listen to something a bit different on this list though.

The only thing good about this album was that it ended.

Big classic 80s punk

Wow. There is a lot going on with this album. Apple calls it Alternative, but is more of a hardcore mashup of genres (Ska, Punk, Metal, etc.) I actually appreciate the punk side, and not all of the tracks are so overt. There are some more subtle tracks that are very interesting like Secret 77, that feel more traditionally alternative rock. I don't know much about the band, but you can feel them pushing themselves and blending genres in compelling ways. Interesting.

Listened to some Bad Brains before and they are pretty interesting. Need to listen to some more.

Don’t believe the hype. This album often gets cited for mixing genres. You have to search pretty hard to find evidence of this. There are a couple of track on side two, like She’s Calling You which have a somewhat glossy of the period dance pop sound but otherwise it’s straightforwardly hardcore rock album with little musical range. Fun fact: the vocal track to Sacred Love was recorded over the phone from gaol where the lead singer was doing time for distributing weed.

Enjoyed the production and metal feel. Original, fierce and tight. However, the voice didn’t quite land for me and ultimately not songs, or an album that I loved. It grabbed me, I enjoyed the grit and metal elements, punchy drums, great snare, but just didn’t ultimately hit the spot as a whole. Think the vocals probably took a lot away for me but still a good album (3.5)

Finally some lean punk rock that isn't bloodless or boring. This is dirty, no-bullshit, and ahead of its time. Moves fast and takes you with it. Unpolished but not at all sloppy. The bass guitar work goes crazy and I really enjoyed the lead vocal performance.

So good ole punk rock! I actually enjoyed this and loved the hard edge guitar and drums. Vocals were good, but not great, but didn’t detract enough to give a lower rating.

I really don’t like this band. Thank goodness it was only 30 minutes. It was a house of suffering for a while there.

As for the quality of this music I feel like it was not good. But also I didn’t hate it? It reminded me of some of the old rough blink 182. I don’t think I’d listen again but to have as background music while I work, it was fun.

I've never heard Bad Brains before but I liked this album quite a bit.

3.5 stars. Rasta alt-metal. Some Motorhead meets Collective Soul vibes? Interesting sound. Better than a lot of the stuff coming out of the 80's. No particular bad tracks but not standouts either.

Described as punk meets reggae, but I didn’t hear the reggae part? Sounds far closer to Nu Metal than reggae by my ears, and while I try to be open to all genres this one was a big nope for me. There’s some fast and furious playing here that I respect, but this isn’t one I care to return to.

Living Color did it better.

I am aware how influential Bad Brains are and know a bit of their history but have never really listened to them. The guitar work on the intro track set the scene, a bit too metal for my personal taste and it carried on much in that vein. I thought the back half of the record was better generally and I enjoyed a few of their slower, more brooding tracks like Secret 77, She's Calling You and Return to Heaven so I'm hovering between a 2 and a 3. I'll round up given it's quite a unique sound and fusion of styles I just don't particularly care for any of them.

loved it. great punk album. i slept on Bad Brains and i need more.

A more accessible Bad Brains album than some of their earlier stuff. Not terrible, but not great.

Not a bad album. I had heard of them before but never listened.

Not for me

The Smiths covering Metallica covering Duran Duran. I am too hungover for this shit

Going into this, I’d never heard of Bad Brains or their album I Against I, but I was intrigued by the talk of their punk roots mixed with funk, soul, and reggae. On paper, that sounds like a bold and exciting combination. In reality, I didn’t hear much of that fusion come through. I gave the album a couple of listens, it’s short and sharp, but I just couldn’t connect with it. The tracks felt quite forgettable, and the sound jumps around in a way that makes it hard to settle into anything. At no point did a song really grab me. Secret 77 was probably the only track that stood out slightly, with a bit of a cinematic, almost James Bond feel to it. Aside from that, nothing really landed. Favourite track: Secret 77 Least favourite tracks: Most of the rest didn’t leave much of an impression Album artwork: Very 80s, not bad, not amazing, just very of its time I’m honestly not sure how this made the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die list

Nice variety of styles, hard-cored a bit

There were a few songs I didn’t enjoy, but overall this was great

This just isn't for me. The music isn't bad, and there are some good guitar riffs, but the vocals are just bad.

Standout Songs: Johnaburg, Illinois Frank’s Wild Years Down, Down, Down

i will always have a soft spot for bad brains

The worst combo of punk, hair metal, reggae, and red hot chilli peppers sloppiness

"the vocals to "Sacred Love" were recorded over the phone from the prison where H.R. was serving time on a marijuana distribution charge." is quite possibly the most metal sentence ever written.

I really think it should have been banned in DC here instead. Better album, still like this one Will I listen to again: 75%

I didn’t expect to like this after reading the description, and early on I thought it sounded like a two star album for me. But as I continued, I found that I liked a few of the songs, so this felt more like a 2.5 star record. I will be rounding up to three stars, but I won’t be listening to it again.

I can appreciate it, but it’s not quite to the mid level for me.

reggae-punk. mahtavaa. tällästä paskaa juuri pystyy rehdisti kuuntelemaan. ja tämähän on paskaa, mutta ei haittaa sillä erikoisempi ja luovampi. Rauhallisesti, rauhoittukaa, mikä tekee teistä niin rajuja? Rauhallisesti, rauhoittukaa, olette liian rajuja ja liian kovat. Sanoin, että olette liian rajuja ja liian kovat. punkkialbumiksi tuntuu pistos aika pieneltä. aika lailla jalallalallalai ja jalalalallalai. joo emt konsepti on siellä mutta ei oikeen voi mistään muusta kirjottaa pahemmin, aika tylsää menoa kokopätkä. onneksi lyhyemmästä päästä koko albumi että tota ei vituta mutta ei myöskään ikävöidä re-ignition

Molón, siento la influencia que ha tenido en otros grupos posteriores. Me pongo inmediatamente a escuchar más discos suyos.

It was ok. Didn’t really stick

Tight, slick, agile and direct. Bass does some great work and the vocals have massive character. Way more varied an album than I expected.

Not their usual standard

I was not previously familiar with the artist or album. It's rock mostly leaning punk. It's a bit rough around the edges for me, and I don't really care for the vocals.

Listened to July 2020. Still sounds unlike any other punk band from that era. Sometimes a bit noisy and frenetic for me, but I get that it's part of the appeal.

I respect what they were going for, but the vocals were hit or miss. Cool riffs, good groove — just not as heavy or consistent as I expected.

3.75

Not very interesting.

I like me some bad brains but this one just did not resonate.

Nope

Nope! Not a way to start the day. I - say no to this.

Negative

It ends up being less horrible than you think

Not a big 80s rock fan

Niet lang geluisterd

I did not expect this album to be the genre it was Interesting blend of new wave and 80s metal. I enjoyed several tracks

Great album

Felt like a predecessor to Rage Against the Machine. Not my tempo

Not my style

Estuvo bueno, aunque el género no es mi gusto

Meh

Never heard of this band. Not bad, not too long and some great guitar!

Album 754 of 1089 Bad Brains - I Against I (1986) Rating : 3 / 5 Not bad. With elements of funk, soul, reggae, and heavy metal, they kept it interesting throughout. Good album. Quite diverse.

3/5

This is maybe my 3rd time trying to listen to Bad Brains and boy, do I not like it

This was, interesting mix of styles. They can definitely play

Olidliga trumljud. Annars ganska kul

I had never heard of Bad Brains before. It seems to be a very prescient album and seems to anticipate the Punk styles to come. I enjoyed it, but it didn't wow me.

Fav song: Re-Ignition I'm not a fan of hardcore or punk but I did like this album. I think the vocalist is what makes it.

Nothing good about this album, won’t be revisiting the bad brains sound anytime soon

Wow. Never heard of these guys but this was a great punk album. I really enjoyed the style and flavor and will listen again. Trying to be less stingy with my highs and lows so 5 stars.

Such an obvious influence on what would become the whole post hardcore genre plus bands like RATM. The guitar work is so ahead of its time.

Good

mi pare un mischione

Is this album good? No, not at all. BUT it was short so I don't care.

Not too bad.

This wash ok. I think if the sound quality/production would have been better, I'd rate this a bit higher as the songs weren't bad. Didn't feel like it was anything special though. 3.5/5

Caustic, vital, splenetic and I wish I'd heard it on rel

This one was a lot of fun. I'd listen to this again for sure.

Actually found myself enjoying this one, having never heard of Bad Brains before. I could see how this was influential to a lot of genres.

I listened to this whole album twice and did not care for it. It's not that good.