I Against I

What a sick album. The riffs were insane while and there was clear inspiration from The Big 4 of metal, who were blowing up at the time. I love hardcore music and I’m super impressed with this band. Definitely gonna check out some of their other stuff. Favorite track was Re-Ignition. Added to my Spotify library.

Did not listen

Very much 80s punk. One song was from Tony Hawk pro skater and its clear that skaters are the ones who like this type of music. Twas a low 3 for me but I did enjoy it as it was a very different vibe than what I'm usually listening to and it brought about the "screw the system" feeling I infrequently dabble with

1986 Hardcore Punk Never heard of them before and all songs are new to me. It's kind of right up my alley - what I usually gravitate to. First listen - I think this one will get better the more I get used to it, but for now it's a 3/5

Pretty good. Not my typical listen but I though it was good.

At first I viscerally hated this but it actually started to grow on me. This was an all-black thrash punk band from the 80s DC scene. A lot of the beats/rhythms have funk and reggae vibes. And the vocals are all over the place but in kind of a cool way, I guess?

I liked this album generally. Starred 1 song. Good classic punk.

Not a hard-core fan, but better than I expected.

didn't hate it.

It’s clear why they are cited as influential by so many artists. It is a miracle I hadn’t listened before but glad I did.

Strangely enough, the lyrics and vocals are best in slow songs like Secret 77. Let Me Help is my favourite track.

I like the music. The playing is good. The attitude of punk is there. But the production is a miss. It can't decide whether it wants to be a hardcore punk album or an 80s metal album. It's a shame because this influenced two bands I really like in Rage Against The Machine and Faith No More. Overall good but it could have been great.

Fun listen, not super hardcore like i expected.

Foundational record for hardcore punk! I know why it's important but it's a little too chaotic for my personal tastes.

Nice chill 30 min album Didn’t expect rock when I listened to this but it was nice, between hard and regular rock but in a nice interesting area Return to heaven gives it nice Motley Crue vibes while I against I keeps it in a lighter tone 3.1/5

Ok plade, sjovere historier omkring den

A solid hard hitting metal/rock/punk album from a band I always felt was a little overlooked at the time. Hard to define, but for the most part it was enjoyable, intense and it ended all too soon. Not for all tastes, but it was better than I expected.

begon goed, werd iets minder

Fun enough. Will have to give this a second listen at some point.

Not terrible. Not great. Kind of boring.

Decent

Tone zone

Gut, pero no me engancha

An interesting album of its genre. Nerd point is that I particularly like the production/snare drum sound. Enjoyed it in a good but not great way.

I'm not feeling the vocals. Musically, I can see how it might have influenced other acts. I also noted they were on the SST label.. so they were labelmates with Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr. So I appreciated the listen for it's connection to history, but I'm still not okay with with the vocalist

Listened Before? N Great hard-rocker and punk album. These guys are big pioneers and influencers. I enjoyed this one but it's not consistent enough for me to listen to it a lot. The title track is a great standout here. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: I Against I

Punk metal. Interesting concept.

This album was ok

Dope. I like the more rocky tracks on the second side too. Should’ve been their debut though!

Ja inte är det deras första!!!!

Oli kiva yllätys ja kolme kertaa pyörittelin läpi. En ole ihan varma onko tätä koskaan ennen tullut kuultua, mutta ainakin Re-Ignitionin riffit kuulosti tutuilta.

You can definitely hear their influence in lots of the bands that followed.

hardcore punk isch meh für de sevi als für mich aber bi gspannt. ok sie singed meeega clean au für 1986? aber sust, jo so tönt hardcore punk. aber d gitarre verzerrig isch seehr 80er glam metal. irgendwie ischs nöd so heavy? s tönt meh als wäreds chli poser. ok luut begleittext sinds wie die erst harcore ounk band. fair. ok und luut wikipedia ischs au insaaane iflussriich für alli härtere bands ide 90er wo au nur bitz punk sind. ich glaub da album mues mer mit dem hintergrund lose well die buebe de shit erfunde hend. uf secret 77 hemmer e slap bassline. zimli funky aber au easy dark? let me help isch wieder meh hardcore, goht no los. shes calling you au weirdi kombi vo genres? s isch bitz talking heads bitz hardcore bitz prince? sacred love isch rehr geil, irgendwie funky? uf hired gun isch patois time. uuh und fetts gitarre solo?

3/5. Totally interesting as the album instrumentation was more of a punk style while the singing was very 80s almost like Morrissey. Definitely an interesting listen.

Accidentally had Alexa play this. She didn’t play the album, just the song and then about 15 of their punk songs following it. I didn’t think the album was ever going to end. Once I actually realized I didn’t listen to to the album, I tried it and enjoyed it much more. I prefer this sound over the straight, aggressive punk.

A pretty fun fusion of metal and punk.

I know I listened to it, but I don't remember it at all. I'm going to guess nothing good or bad stood out to me.

Cool music, unsettling vocals. Stand-out: Let Me Help

Short and sweet 3.5!

3.75

Not a bad listen.

This is solid, its a pretty creative punk album... but why isnt their self titled debut here instead of this? That would have been an easy 5, cuz its both quite a bit better and more influential then this album.

Not what I expected at all. In a good way.

Bad Brains have a robust, muscular sound on this album with just the slightest hint of reggae/dub. It’s like a hidden spice in the music; you almost don’t notice it until you get a song where it’s more pronounced. Metal riffs with clean, spacious production. A good listen for the morning workout today.

Bad Brains are great. This isn't the album I would have on here though- it would be their self titled. I've listened to them over the years but from a distance, which I think is what a lot of metal people have done. Always had respect for them but they weren't frequently someone's #1. They have a fun sound and brought some much-needed diversity to the metal genre at the time. Definite trailblazers. Not my favorite metal music but I like to listen to them from time to time.

Decent heavy metal album

Better than i expected.

Wrong bad brains album for this list.

It was alright, better than I expected! I think I’m just not as into rap as I was before. Either that or I just in the completely wrong vibes when i was listening to this album

3.5

I struggled to enjoy this, it just was lacking the it factor for me. Not awful just not what I’m into.

I'd heard most of this album before. Bad brains are unique. The fuse punk/hardcore with progressive metal elements in terms of structural complexity. They also have the tiniest bit of reggae to their sound, but in an almost imperceptible way, kinda just in spirit. They remind me a little of Fear and NoMeansNo in that added level of musicianship and heady songwriting in a genre not usually known for it. That said, this album really suffers from dated production choices. Gunshot gates reverb snares and the most overbearing of 80's mixing staples. It's an interesting and they're obviously considered pioneers and influential for a reason, but I don't find myself coming back to them, and this album doesn't do anything to change that.

I think this is a good album and you can definatly see the influence this album had on a more hardcore scene but also punk in general and apparantly even Jeff Buckley and Denzel Curry. But that does not mean that it is a perfect one: Especially the second half is much more 'boring' and 'plain' than the start. While songs like House of Suffering or the title track just express pure punk-energy with a sprinkle of reggae, are songs like Hired Gun just wannabe and urgh... For example Let Me Help has really potential but it's just not used at all and so it just fades into a forgotten state right after listening. Still it is pretty short so there is no big problem and I think it's still worthy to be on this list. favourites: I Against I, House of Suffering, Re-Ignition, Secret 77, Return to Heaven least favs: Let Me Help, Hired Gun, Sacred Love rating: strong 6

Interesting album, the sound is ahead of its times for the late 80’s.

I can see how it was influential, but to me it just sounds like lackluster pop-punk with 80s production.

I have never done a deep dive into Bad Brains. Other than just the ubiquitous S/T debut, I haven’t heard much of them. So I was surprised to see something other than that record come up on this list. This is a tight and succinct listen. Earlier punk with this energy has both a looseness and ferocity that is tough to really pin down. Decent listen for sure.

It's a genre that I often enjoy, but this doesn't have many stand out moments.

It's fine, more melodic than most hardcore. Return to Heaven is a real stinker though.

Plus les albums de métal sont courts, moins je suis durs avec eux. Je m'abstiendrai donc de faire le moindre commentaire sur un quelconque clébard.

Je pense que cet album se passe de commentaires.

You know how sometimes you can hear how influential an album is, while not necessarily loving the album? It's one of those. It's clearly brilliant, just, aside from I against I, it didn't really connect with me.

I’m not a fan of punk usually but this was quite enjoyable. Genuinely might be my second favourite album from the genre I’ve heard. I think it being only 30 minutes helps.

i didnt hate it

I’ve always liked this album, but never loved it. It’s a solid multi genre effort packaged as punk, with pretty good songs, unique vocals, and solid playing. Everything I’ve read about Bad Brains leads me to believe they were probably a better live band than album band. The fact that H.R. rushed his vocals before heading to prison and then phoned in some afterwards is impressive, and very punk, but doesn’t mean it sounds good. The production on this album has always sounded poor to me and doesn’t seem to capture what I imagine was a pretty powerful live band.

Interesting band I never heard before, but not my favorite.

Liked it better than I anticipated, but still was looking forward to it being over by the end. Definitely an interesting sound. 3/5

It's okay. That's it. Some tracks are better, some worse.

Better than most 80s rock.

Makes for an interesting punk album with it's distinctive 80s vibe in several songs

It was a very different-sounding punk album for sure. I did enjoy the listen through but don't need to come back to it.

Interesting and accessible metal album. Not really my taste but nice to listen to.

I can hear a lot of what people like about other more famous bands in this and I couldn't really tell you the difference between either one.

Not really my shit but I definitely felt myself bobbing my head to a bunch of songs. Can see definite influences with this one.

Most of this album did not sound like what I expected from Bad Brains. Like they'd been listening to a bunch of metal and/or Duran Duran.

Better than I remembered it. Caught myself bobbing my head and grinning a few times.

Classic punk/hardcore album. If you’re into that kinda stuff (I am) then you’ll probably love it. Has a couple of their hits on it. I tend to forget this album was released in the 80s but some of these songs definitely remind you.

Starts strong, ends a little weak.

Good one to hear. I’ve always know of Bad Brains but never really explored. Happy I have now.

If you're going to listen to a Bad Brains album, this wouldn't even be in the top 3. They have some great albums, but this isn't one of them.

I've only heard the name Bad Brains, but I was unfamiliar with all of the music from I Against I. The music sounded like it would come from a band called Bad Brains - metal, but… not typical metal. The vocals slipped between a more typical metal delivery, to mellow melodies. The music was not really something I might choose for myself, but there was enough there for me to be willing to listen to something else from the band. It was an interesting (and generally enjoyable) listening experience. Rounding up to 3 stars because the listen was something different than usual. ("I Against I" almost sinks the album below 3).

A band on my radar but can't say I know them that well. Was pretty cool though

Something lovely about speed metal. Will listen to again

3.5

This is two separate albums. Side 1 is a very hardcore sound with ska and punk influences (or a sound that influenced punk and ska, as the case may be). Side 2 feels more a traditional hard rock sound, which I enjoyed more.

HL: "Secret 77", "Sacred Love", title track Moderately enjoyed it- actually listened to the whole thing twice today (short album), but got stuck appreciating it as a genre-bender without really getting moved or riled up. Having vaguely heard of Bad Brains as a hardcore punk band, it did exceed expectations. May 2, 2023

5/10. Not bad, I don't see myself returning to this, though.

Heard it before?: Yes Enjoy it?: Yeah it’s quite raw and has immense sounding drums Favourite song: Track 8 - Sacred Love

This is what I would listen to if I were cooler. Alas, I am lame as fuck, so I must give this a 3/5. Recording vocals over the phone from prison? That's crazy.

This really bounces between being kinda cool and being kinda ridiculous. The closer 'Return to Heaven' definitely swings this more towards the latter.

My favorite jazz fusion turned hardcore punk band. There’s some really great songs on I Against I. There’s some really weird and borderline terrible stuff on it as well. This is just all over the place. But it never fails to entertain.

Enjoyed this. Ten years ago I’d have given it a 4 but I’m not as much of a fan of this sort of thing now. But a good album nonetheless. Another that has obvious long reaching influence. The singer recorded the vocals to Sacred Love over the phone when in prison. Unique, if anything!

Thought this album was alright, short enough that it didn't overstay its welcome. It had an interesting heavy punk reggae style to the songs which I enjoyed. Although the production sounds a little rough compared to modern standards. Highlights I Against I House of Suffering

Not what I was expecting. Thought bad brains were much more hardcore punk than this? Apparently that was the case, but this album wasn't so much. I enjoyed some of it though. I against I and house of suffering were the best tracks. Maybe there will be other albums on the list

It's pretty good. Straight ahead thrashy punk for several songs, gets interesting at Reignition. I think I missed the boat with these, I'm not that into it now I'm older. Then you read about all the homophobia and shit, which further dampens my enthusiasm. But it's not bad.

Not bad, but other than "Re-Ignition" and the odd guitar riff, nothing really stood out for me.

I was hoping for more from this band, but the album was mediocre.

3/5. Really appreciate the mix of genres but it’s not a repeat listen to me. Not lower for the obvious infuence and innovation this album provides.

Decent

Mix between punk and reggae

This grew on me as it went on, but not something I’d return to.

I feel this album was completely mediocre. Nothing totally amazing but it was nice while listening to it. Not much to say!

Definitely a precursor to / contemporary of a lot of bands I liked (Living Colour, Rage). I remember hearing these guys 30yrs (!) ago while I was in "guitar hero" mode and being impressed by the playing. And although it's no longer the kind of music I particularly enjoy much, this album is a nice example where the old/dated production makes it very listenable (think about if this exact band/record were recorded today - the loudness/compression would be mind-drilling). There's actually a bit of air and space amidst the punk/metal sound. I wasn't sure how to feel while first re-listening, but actually I liked the album more as it went along - overall a nice surprise in that it was more enjoyable than I'd remembered/expected - some unexpected variety in pacing and I love the guitar sounds - with the downside being that the songwriting wasn't quite there overall. Still a fun hard rock - punk listen (and I don't like punk). 6/10 3 stars.

Spikey US heavy rock/punk with an edge of funk (but not in a shit RHCP way) It didn't do much for me but it was an interesting listen.

Funky but repetitive

3 stars or maybe more. Not something I really wanna listen to, but its easy listening when I'm thinking about other stuff.

I didn’t listen very closely but nothing snapped me out of ‘this is some 80s era rock musics’

Not nearly as good as their first 2 records. I’d be interested to know why this is the one that was selected for 1001. There are some good tracks on here still, but lacks the speed and energy of earlier BB.

An album that's great for driving, with high energy and the vocals not really mattering. However, once you actually sit down and listen, it does seem to lack any nuance that was on similar albums from the era. Certainly good if you just wanna jam, but runs out of steam quick on an already short album.

Weird- seen the T shirts so many more times than heard the band. Interesting sounds

Perhaps the most metal sounding punk album that I've ever heard.

punk isn't my bag but this is good stuff

Didn’t have an amazing time, but I didn’t have an un-fun time either. And I’m starting to dig hardcore, and dig this album the more I listen to it. Bad Brains may be a band who requires several, orthogonal exposures to it before it settles in your brain. I’m coming around to it. Some of the grooves are seriously cool, and I like the proggy hardcore sound. The guitar sound is pretty amazing. I had a big moment with 90s metal bands like Megadeath… this seems like it shares some lineage. There are parts I like a lot. However, nothing getting around the fact that some of the songs are a little meandering or hard to follow. I know of Bad Brains from their other, self-titled album, which I just think is more fun sounding and maybe showcases them better. Also the mixing feels kind of… boring? Not “fun,” like their last record. More scooped and a little empty, which to me doesn’t suit the record.

My conflicted feelings about Bad Brains aside (detailed below), this is an excellent rock record. I've deliberately called it rock because I Against I shifts the overall focus from punk to rock. There's no denying that the threads of rock, metal, funk, punk and reggae are intertwined and interlocked in their sound. But both this album and With a Quickness are free of the genre constraints of typical punk. Despite my love of their S/T and Rock for Light records, I Against I and Quickness are sonically more interesting for leaving the punk cliches behind. Shame about the casual homophobia and other lyrical missteps typically brushed aside with "HR was a product of his time and place" not only because it mars the legacy of a great band overall but also because it makes certain songs irritating. It's worth asking though if Bad Brains are given the same amount of latitude when it comes to this kind of thing as other bands of their era. It seems to me that folks like to come at Bad Brains a little extra for it. The conflicted feelings remain.

3.5

Wow! Another band that I wasn’t aware of. I do love a punk band with a driving guitar. I also love that these are a bunch of black guys pushing the punk boundaries. It’s not just three chords and shouting – it’s a fusion of styles with great tunes and fantastic energy. I couldn’t always understand the words but loving the feel of it. ‘Sacred Love’ and ‘Return to Heaven’ were standouts for me.

I remember this band and album but never listen to it until today. This would have been my jam back in the day. Today, it's a bit all over the place. I like HR's vocals most of time but they don't seem to fit over the music. He leans toward a whiny and nasal sound that may have been popular (or accessible to us whiny, nasal dudes) but it's rather annoying. I think the musician are great but don't think this the producer's best work. Ron Saint Germain numerous artists with success but this album doesn't make it for me. It could have been better. I'm still surprised that I never listened to them before... my friends have failed me.

The singer’s voice gets on my nerves - is it an accent, an affectation? The music, the speed, the volume, is fantastic. I really like the genre and if I had time, I would probably investigate this band more.

This is pretty cool stuff. I never listened to Bad Brains, not sure why. I always liked the name. I guess I was expecting this to be a bit more straight-ahead punk, so I was pleased to hear there was quite a bit more going on in terms of influences and genres. After the over-the-top production of Def Leppard, this was a 180º turn to a much more streamlined recording. Still sounded good, it wasn't raw, but didn't sound like there were many overdubs. I bet this is just what this band sounded like in the studio. I let the album spin twice, but neither listen was super intensive. I liked what I heard, but this is generally a little too frenetic and noisy to hit my sweet spot. An easy three+, could be a higher rating with more listens, but I guess it won't get there as I don't see me seeking this out again. Glad I got to hear this, though. Good brains says i.

This was my first exposure to Bad Brains, though I've certainly heard of them. Frankly, I don't know that I've ever heard any of the DC hardcore bands. I wasn't sure what to expect but I certainly wasn't expecting this. I think it's probably great, though I was having a hard time wrapping my head around what I was hearing exactly. The music kept changing and the singer was all over the place, stylistically and also range-wise. Plus, I couldn't understand 80% of what he was saying. But the band was tight and they were doing some interesting thing. I don't know that the production quite served the music, though I'm not sure I can put my finger on why or how. So I'm giving this a 3 because I don't know what else to give it. (Afterwards, i went and checked out a couple of tracks from their first album. That was a little more what I expected. Not sure I could have stood a whole album of that but whatever.)

Interesting.

I don’t know what I expected but it wasn’t this. Interesting and pleasantly short.

Metal alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.

I read "hardcore" and thought "on no haven't we suffered enough...". But gee willikers its just a good rock and roll album, thank Lennon for that. Sydney indie scene throwback; this reminded me of Drop Bears and early Spy v Spy v, if anyone is out there floating through the cyberspace and gets those references. Solid rhythm section, good vocalist who uses his range to good effect, and a great guitarist, not quite Gang of Four but worthy. There's nothing "punk" or whatever about this, they are just a good solid rock combo, what's not to like? Good tracks: House of Suffering/Re-Ignition/I Against I/Sacred Love. Good stuff.

Wish I’d heard this in the late 80s or early 90s!

Really enjoyed this. Never boring. A variety of musical approaches. Not stale after all these years.

Soild punk album with a good mix of met and some reggae. Hadn’t listen to bad brains before but this deserves a place on the list.

It was alright. It was pretty much what I expected. I feel like hardcore punk always sounds pleasant enough, but not enough for me to really enjoy it. Although this wasn’t actually that hard.

Bad Brains is a unique hardcore punk band that has a lot of unique history. This album highlights their unique forays into other genres as they tried Reggae and harder Metal sounds, but it doesn't stand out from the rest of their discography. Instead it makes you want some of the more genre specific Punk records where they are at their best.

A fun punk rock album that I would certainly listen to again.

Better than I expected

Favourite song: Sacred Love

good but repetitive

Metal alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.

Fine. Nothing special. Middle of the road. Not long which helped it a lot.

Surprised that this is the bad brains album selected for 1001. Not one that I'd listened to before. 3.5 stars

Para conhecer mais de hardcore.

An interesting listen, if a bit rough around the edges. Seems like they would have been amazing to see live back in the early to mid 80s. 3.5/5

Pretty decent backing but the vocalist tends to get annoying. Spotify played The Cramps after this album. My head started banging and my body got moving which tells me that Bad Brains are just missing out on some life.

This album took me by suprise. Its not a genre i would normally listen to but it was good. Great guitarwork and amazing songwriting

I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. It’s probably 3.5 for me, but rounding up because for the genre I liked it more. Every song didn’t sound exactly the same which was cool.

I had never heard this before but quite enjoyed it. It's fun and very fast-paced - they start with a quick tease as the intro, but then get right to it. For basically a punk rock CD this has a fair amount of diversity of sound - witness how much the mood changes between the "closed" and "open" sections (sonically) of the title track, which is probably the strongest. And they can get heavy and sludgy on "Re-Ignition" or light and fun on "Secret 77", depending on what's required. Make no mistake, this is still punk rock - but it's fairly sophisticated punk rock. To me this really sounds most like Fugazi, but I think it compares well, certainly against early Fugazi, and probably against their overall catalog. I also think they're better instrumentalists than most of their contemporaries - their singer is good (not a world-beater, but good), with a very solid voice and decent range - and they actually have a couple nice instrumental solos, e.g. on "She's Calling You" especially, and also on "Hired Gun" (none that are going to make you forget Van Halen, but capable and fitting the sound well). Nothing is super-catchy, but I was nodding along the entire time. You can definitely hear their sound on the early Seattle stuff - in particular Mother Love Bone and early Soundgarden.

More varied than I recall but the lumbering stop/start riffage can get repetitive. Reaches towards texture at the end and front-loaded with more dynamic numbers.

I've always struggled with Bad Brains even though people I deeply respect love this group. So, I always try to dip in and try them periodically. So glad I did. This was way better than previous engagements. She's Calling you was the highlight. Lots of very tight timing changes.

I dunno, maybe this benefited from being short and fast after a couple very long and slow albums. At least this wasn’t boring.

Solid rock, if unmelodious. Not something I’d listen to again, but not terrible.

2.5/5

This particular record is akin to a train of anger that is progressively slowing down to the station in a moody town. Enjoyable, but a little much in some cases.

I liked a few songs off this like she's calling you and I Against I. Maybe after a few more listens it would grow on me more. Gonna have to give it 3 stars bc I didn't dig it too much.

Above-average punk album.

Another one of those bands on here who I've heard of forever but never listened to. This album is interesting, if you had told me this was some mid-80s proto grunge band from Seattle I would have believed it, based on some of the guitars and vocals. I didn't particularly love the vocals on this one and thought this seemed pretty weak compared to some of their contemporaries. But then I went further back and listened to their first couple albums and realized this one just marked a shift in their sound. It was good but I prefer the earlier stuff a bit better.

Not for everyone, but I enjoyed it

The music itself was good but the singing style is not what I would like

Never heard of these guys before. Great guitar parts, and tone... sounds way ahead of its time. Leaning towards punk in some songs.

Dit begon als een behoorlijk niet te harden metal album maar na een paar nummers werd het een stuk toegankelijker en melodieuzer.

Raw

Fav songs: - I Against I - She's Calling You

There’s elements of punk and metal throughout. They’ve absorbed a lot here.

Really was not what I was expecting...like palatable cross between metal and punk...but was expecting a lot more raunchy underbelly punk...

Okay not sure I get why it's on this list

Not bad. Fairly simple production. This album/group are completely unfamiliar to me. Would listen again.

Wasn't a fan of the especially shouty songs, but generally not as bad as I thought it might have been. Was sometimes difficult to tell where one tune ended and another began. Not really my thing.

Quand même pour un album punk ca sonne vraiment bien selon mes goûts. Je m'Attendais pas quelque chose du genre. Un bon style 3.85

Not bad

This was probably a big influence on the Red Hot Chili Peppers and other similar groups but I did not love it. No great melodies on here.

Una altra bona descoberta de la llista. Coneixia el grup, però no havia sentit res en detall. Hardcore embrutat i original d'una banda que, salvant les diferències, recorda als Fishbone de la década següent. Van influenciar, obrir portes, i deixar uns quants discos per recordar, però mai van aconseguir el favor del gran públic

I loved the guitars and drums, but the vocals were atrocious. Done with absolutely no concept for the songs.

Unremarkable album without any highlights or anything. Textbook 3 stars that is quickly forgotten again

Found some tracks pretty interesting, and others uninspired. A blend of punk/rock/hardcore that kind of worked. I don't see myself revisiting.

This must be how Def Leppard sounds to someone who doesn't like Def Leppard. Some sick guitar riffs but the vocals were just too harsh for me and something about the songwriting didn't click with me

I can see why it's influential and why people like it but it's not really for me.

Solid punk that grew into the 80s. Not as exciting as their first few albums.

Of all the Bad Brains albums, I Against I is not the one to list as 'must listen'. But since it's here, let's talk. This album is one of Bad Brains weaker sets, combining elements of pop, disco and some elements of DC Bounce. This is a good selection of a the punk genre in transition, too late for the great punk scene and a precursor of the 90s pop-punk that will be prevalent. 3/5.

Not my cup of tea

Another heavy one, but enjoyed this more than I expected. Guilty pleasure. Sets up the scene for a lot of nu-metal/post-punk bands.

Generic Punk

Not my thing, but not bad. 6.5/10.

Not exactly my taste ^^

A fusion of a few genres, mostly hardcore punk and metal. Not bad

The Bad Brains is among my favorite hardcore punk bands. They shift away from reggae into a thrash metal influence that suits their style very well. Not just metal though: there's New Wave mixed in "Secret 77" and "She's Calling You" among others. This album, in particular, has been cited as a major influence on 90s artists to fuse different genres together, including Sublime and Rage Against the Machine. It's pretty short overall so nothing drags on, but that only helped me pin down the weak tracks. The first few tracks are amazing, I can't believe they're able to incorporate 80s thrash metal riffs so well with such an abrasive vocal style (oh wait, that's how I'd describe half of thrash metal vocalists). And there are other highlights tracks, but the rest of them are mostly duds. If you like the style, no problem, but they don't stick out that much. For me, the biggest examples were "Let Me Help," "Hired Gun," and "Return to Heaven." But I still enjoyed it from start to finish, and was short enough to bear through any shortcomings.

I wanted to like this more than I did. The different stylistic elements just didn’t come together for me, though I certainly didn’t hate it.

Tunes were good without being special. The blend of genres was kinda interesting though, especially mixing metal-style shredding guitar with more primitive punk. Can hear the influence on a lot of 90s rock bands.

The reggae twist was subtler than expected but added a lot to the overall product. Delivers a lot in a single listen

RIOTTTTT

had no idea what to expect when hitting play, but enjoyed this from start to finish.

I have never heard of Bad Brains before. I ended up listening to this album a few times...mostly because it was short and my settings have me on auto-repeat. After 4 or so listens, I thought it wasn't the worst thing, but there is not much there for me...at least nothing to bring me back to the album again.

Another album that lands in the "well, it's not _bad_ but why is it here exactly?" category. Thought it lacked pizzazz.

Pretty standard punk album here, not as much reggae influence as I expected. Nothing exceptionally stood out either way.

6/10 not a big punk fun, this was pretty good tho I mean at the very least it’s impressive an album like this came out in 1986, so yeah, not bad but not amazing for my tastes

No es su mejor momento.

I didn't know this band: not bad. The best song of this album for me is "She's calling you".

Not to bad

A fun listen. Rocks hard, but not hard on the ears at all. Nice, compact, well-composed songs with a variety of musical influences. Fave Songs: She's Calling You, Re-Ignition, I Against I, Sacred Love

3/5 Not really exceptional, average

Unexpected hard rock album

It was alright, quite upbeat and listenable. 3*

I've never heard of this bank before, but I liked this album quite a bit, especially considering its from the 80's. Hearing it without knowing the release and I would have guessed it to have come out ten years later.

Likovi su mi dost dobri ovako, dok glazba kao taj žanr, općenito ne sjeda toliko koliko sam mislio. Sve u svemu veliki respect imaju, međutim nije toliko sad da bi ih slušao na dnevnoj bazi.

Not too shabby.

Pleasant surprise. I thought it was gonna be a full metal album after the first minute but was nothing of the sort. Have connections I never knew to Re-Ignition! What a jam.

This was a fun mix of hardcore with plenty of other genres like reggae and classic heavy metal. While I prefer their self titled release (cause I'm a hardcore punk simp) this was an interesting experience. Somewhere between a 3-4 can't tell so rounding down

fun energy, and sounds ahead of its time. not sure I'll dig into their other discography, but glad I've heard about them now

Pretty alright. I don’t find it amazing, just okay.

I actually listened to this for the first time a few weeks ago! Looking forward to revisiting it. UPDATE: Okay I like Bad Brains, but sometimes the vocals have zero power behind them and just feel a little weak. But the guy has power, just weird where he chooses to reel it in. UPDATE: "Re-Ignition" is the perfect example of this vocal thing. The drums are driving, the guitars chunky, yet the vocals are half whispered and just don't bring the same vibe as the instrumentals.

cool mix of reggae and rock. best songs: re-ignition & secret 77. 3/5

Noisy punk rock.

I Against I was for Bad Brains what London Calling was for the Clash -- the band's first fully mature work, one which successfully brought together all of its diverse influences while at the same time showcasing a singular vision. Also like London Calling, it was to be the band's masterpiece, in the original sense of that term -- a creative pinnacle which they would not reach again...this is music-making of an order not usually seen in rock & roll.

kind of a hybrid album: a mix of both 80s and 90s meme vocal styles and guitar riffs. not sure if there's more here than just a passing sideshow attraction, but not bad

Mayormente rock con abundancia de guitarreo y de algún solo improvisado. Tampoco excesivamente novedoso. No me ha sorprendido. Mucha temática parecida

“I Against I” by Bad Brains (1986) Hard driving punk rock setting for Rastafarian edification, this album is extraordinarily interesting. Very good musical performances of compositions that are melodically spare and sometimes repetitive. Lead vocals by “H.R.” have an exquisite variety of textures, with powerful vibrato that sometimes becomes an instrument on its own. Excellent recording of drums, with a lot of depth and separation. Fine power chord electric guitar work by Dr. Know, featuring a wide range of effects and competent solos. Songs, however, lack a groove, reducing their popular appeal, and thus requiring concentration, but this can be a plus for serious listeners. Lyrics are thoughtful and surprisingly compassionate and uplifting, if the listener is willing to enter into Rastafarian spirituality. This is a good album, well worth a listen if one has the time. 3/5

Rock. Potente. Interesante.

cool album some good songs

Love Bad Brains, not my favorite record of theirs though.

Definitely high energy, angry, loud and really solid record. The last two songs peter out and end up holding it back from a 4.

Ummm pretty cool I guess?

Not my kind of music.

Very interesting mashup of punk, 80s hair metal, and pop. Secret 77 is kinda Duran Duran-y? Had no idea there was a seminal black punk band! 2.5 rounded up

Pretty polished based on what I knew of the band before

Really competent musicianship gave me an album I did not expect. Felt newer than when it was made.

Somewhere between a 3 3.5, will need repeated listens

Definitely a cool sound and something I could see myself returning to. It was a little repetitive, so i'm gonna give it 3.5 with the caveat that my score could very well increase upon future listens.

This needs another couple of listens… sounds like there’s a good album in there!

I feel like the potential for me to like this album was there but i just really, really did not vibe with the lead singer's voice unfortunately.

They probably sounded much better live.

Bad album for me. Didn’t enjoy this - very non descript.

The first Bad Brains album I ever had, got in on cassette during a trip to NYC on my first time back in the States after a while. I knew them primarily as the catalyst for a lot of Dischord and also as the fastest band alive. So this was a bit of a tough sell as I just didn’t vibe to metal all that much, funk metal even less.

Yup

a ver tiene buenas guitarras, me gusta lo que hace, pero nada me mata. aunque habla bastante bien que no me irrite de fondo. pero bueno 2.5

Might be good if totally wasted and in the mood.

- Once again, my love of the mantra underlying punk (particularly with a punk band starring so many POC) clashes with my desire for a more cohesive sound. Some of these tracks just make my finger hover over the "skip" button. - H. R. Hudson's voice is just not doing it for me. It is all over the place. - The slower tracks, often with a more metal or funk vibe (such as "Secret 77," "She's Calling You," and "Sacred Love") are the only ones I would seek out again...and I doubt I would do that? - Having your singer record the vocals for a song over the phone as he serves time is admittedly as punk as something can get.

4.0/10

Great music but nasty voice.

Why is this on here?

This was short, but not sweet. I thought the vocals were particularly underwhelming and while there were a few moments of promise, there wasn’t enough to merit a 3 star rating. Overall, pretty 80s hard rock.

Just nothing special

This wasn't my cup of tea, at all. Some of the guitar work was ok; then they started singing, and lost me totally at that irreversible point.

Punk is absolutely not my genre. Why does he say "re-ignition" like that? Nah, I'm done here.

Just sounds confused. It's not hardcore, it's just average metal with a bit of average funk. There must be better albums by this band.

Very wierd but no in a good way. Strange singing voice over some ok guitar rhythms. Won’t be returning to this one anytime soon

Ég hafði aldrei heyrt um Bad Brains en varð frekar spenntur að heyra í þeim af því að þeir áttu að blanda rokki og reggí saman. Svo varð ég bara vonsvikinn að heyra að þetta var bara ekkert spes og bara bílskúrsbyrjendarokk

Cool

I see now how this album, which I can't say I enjoyed, paved the way for a multitude of later music that I enjoy marginally more. However, its academic importance does not make it something I need to revisit.

Not really my style. Had some ok songs in the middle but na. 4/10

Forgettable

hmm.. pretty good. very good, actually, but idk im js not feeling it.

I hated the first half, and then I enjoyed the second half. But I'm feeling a bit critical today. 2/5

Not for me. Not unbearable but pretty annoying overall and very forgettable.

It was a hardcore album with horrible production

😪

No, thank you.

🤷🏿‍♀️

I liked quite abit of the guitar work on this album I just didn’t enjoy the vocals which I struggled to get past.

Not sure what this album was trying to be. At times it felt like metal, and other times it was almost pop. Regardless of whatever niche it was trying to fit into, it was never anything more than just mildly interesting.

I dunno

On I Against I, Bad Brains smash together thrash, metal, and funk with the kind of precision and volatility that made them legends in the hardcore underground—even if the results here feel more like a stylistic tug-of-war than a fully locked-in statement. The band’s chops are undeniable: the guitars lurch and churn with metallic force while the rhythm section slips into rubbery, funk-inflected grooves, giving the record a restless, shape-shifting energy. But the vocals—elastic, unpredictable, and occasionally jarring—can be an acquired taste, cutting against the grain of the music rather than elevating it. Still, when it hits, it hits hard: “Re-Ignition” rides a punishing, chug-heavy riff that barrels forward with purpose, while “She’s Calling You” finds a tighter pocket, its groove hinting at a more cohesive hybrid. Elsewhere, the band’s genre-hopping instincts are both a strength and a liability—“Secret 77” veers from proto-grunge murk into twitchy New Wave rhythms, and “Hired Gun” flirts with hair metal theatrics without the melodic payoff. It’s a restless, energetic record that demands respect, even if it doesn’t always demand a return listen.

этот панк мне не интересен, пас)

Some nice guitar, but the vocals are off-putting, and there's nothing I'd revisit. 2.5

This was pretty standard U.S. punk fare. I wonder why America carried the torch for this genre for so long. This does not bring anything new either. The vocals o. Some songs were ok and on others, I wondered if he was having a fight with a steroid ridden cat. Not ideal.

Raw and definitely needed to be hashed out further. Also the concept of having the singer do a verse from a prison phone isn't interesting enough to actually do.

A punk rock album I disliked less than plenty of others. The music here, particularly the guitar, is too 80s "rockin'" and the vocals were sort of atonal and annoying for me.

Bad brain stopped the album halfway through. Not their best. Too subpar metal.

Ass

Ganska konstigt, och även om det är ganska fräscht så flyger det mesta förbi rätt intetsägande. Men kul grej att ha hört!

Inte så intressant att lyssna på

Sounds like really generic 80's rock to me that I don't vibe with. It wasn't a horrible listen and at times caught my attention but I don't think I would return any time soon 4/10

Ok...derivative....novelty....whatever

Rasta punks! I was never a huge fan of the vocals, but they do have a few catchy songs

I listened to the twice and reading through the Wikipedia and other reviews it feels like it should be in my wheelhouse but it didn't really stick with me. I'm not familiar with Bad Brains at all but I think all the shred is a turn off.

I was hopeful but ultimately unfulfilled.

Underwhelming production, average record...

Не знаю, в чём оригинальность этой группы. Они такие же панки тех времён, как и и куча других. Только лишь то, что они чёрные и играли рок-музыку? Разве таких мало было?

Average

I didn't mind this, but I also forgot I was listening to it, so perhaps not the best review.

I recognize that many may find this as an essential album, but it wasn’t something that I enjoyed. Doesn’t mean it’s bad, just not my choice.

Dit had ik veel beter verwacht... eerste songs gingen er nog mee door maar toen viel alles in elkaar als een pudding

Kannen perusteella ei pitäis tehdä päätelmiä. Erilainen mitä odotin. Tällaista metallin ja ehkä punkin sekoitusta. Välillä tulee niin Metallicaa kuin muutakin

Another new artist for me. Vocals didn't really do much for me. Instrumentation was decent but didn't really elevate anything into the realm of, I absolutely want to hear this again.

Not terrible, but this seems pretty basic and lacks very much in the way of interest. Just not enough wow factor here.

In the immortal lyrics of another alliterative British punk-ster, Adam Ant : can’t sing, can’t play, what can you do.

I found it to be just ok.

Punk and Reggae, and I hate it. Weird.

No

No, this was not enjoyable

Nice to have something a little more modern for a change, but not particularly good.

Stop screaming sweetie, you're gonna hurt your throat

Not my bailiwick. I respect the band for their history and influence, but this ain’t my cup of tea.

I thought I would like this but it doesn't click with me. I can hear the influence it's had on other bands that I do like. But I hate this style of production. Drums and guitar tone I don't like. Don't like the vocal style either. From what I hear this was a bit of a departure from their usual sound so I would be intrigued to listen to more from them.

It's not that it's bad, per say, it's just that listening to this type of music makes me not want to listen to this type of music. 2/5

It was ok

This was ok, just a little too heavy for my liking. This has been a week full of stinkers.

Even though it is a hard rock punk band, man, it just goes way too much into being noise. I'm sure if I saw them live, it would be just so cool, but I'm sure they aren't meant for the modern way people listen to music. I'm not against this albums inclusion on the list but it is not for me!

de vocals irriteerde me heel hard in het begin maar hoe meer ik luisterde hoe leuker het werd kinda, nog steeds hebben de instrumentals gecarried

Not my favorite

I’ll have to take your word for it on this alternative metal.

No thanks!

Not aggressive enough to make up for how tuneless the songs are, even though the reverb-y shredding was pretty sick

See punk kuidagi kõlab, nagu oleks pärit 90ndatest, aga tegelt on see 1986. a väljalase. Plaat on kehvasti mixitud ja looda pole meeldejäävad ega mingi vokaali meloodiaga, ega ta parim kuulamiskogemus ole. Ta saab plusspunkte selle eest, et mulle tundub ta edasiviiv ning uuenduslik, mõni kitarrrikäik on ka päris asjalik. Aga see muusika ikka pole minu tassike teed. 2.5/5

On paper I should really like this album. I certainly don't mind it, but I fail to see why one must hear it before they die.

heavy metal, 1986 -> 2

I had heard of the name I guess, more 80s than I thought it would be.

Was it bad? Yes! Was it really bad? Yes! Was it 1-star bad? Not quite there.