Wonderful Rainbow

This was definitely fun.

I always wanted to listen to them. Not my everyday listening type of album but I had a lot of fun listening to it

Wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. It's like early Smashing Pumpkins crossed with Butthole Surfers.

Wall of sound permeated with windows of wonder.

No idea what I’m getting into here, as I’ve never heard of this band or the album. My friend Wikipedia tells me they’re noise rock, which can be cool or horrible. I do love noise rock bands Boris and Melt Banana. I saw Melt Banana live, opening for Tool, years ago. It’s an acquired taste. There are 10 tracks on the album, and it’s 41 minutes long. I love mystery albums that are short. Track 1 is called Hello Morning and it’s morning, and I just woke up, so hopefully this starts off my day right. Holy moly! It started out kind of fine with what sounded like the band warming up, and then it got frantic. That’s the best way to describe it. Oh, I just noticed that Hello Morning was just 56 seconds of what sounded like the band kind of warming up. Track 2 is Assassin, and IT’S frantic. I hear lyrics, but there’s an effect on the vocals, and it’s buried in the mix quite a bit. It’s got a hard-driving beat pushed by the bass and drums. It’s not bad once you get used to it. But it is very repetitive. Oooh, we have a rhythm change near the end. I’m starting to dig this song now. Track 3 is Dracula Mountain, and I love that title. Okay, I see a pattern forming. The music is very bass-driven, whether by a bass guitar or a keyboard. The drums sound very free-form to me. Just all over the place with splashy cymbals. There are lyrics, but the same vocal effect is used, and they are low in the mix. I’m assuming the lyrics aren’t that important, otherwise we would hear them. They’ve broken the song down a bit with a nice groove in the middle. Oh, is this a guitar solo? It is, with the guitar now doubled. This is cool. Track 4 is 2 Towers, and it starts like the band is kind of tuning up, then a guitar solo right off the bat? It’s pretty good. No groove at all in these first opening seconds. It goes into a nice groove now. It sounds dirty and mean. I love this. It’s just a relentless riff over and over that sounds, at times, like it’s all going to fall apart. I think I hear vocals there, buried deep in the music. Re-lent-less. Damn, it’s getting faster at the end. How? Easily my favorite track on the album thus far. Track 5 is On Fire. I hope it’s a cover of Van Halen’s song of the same title. That would rule. It’s clearly not. There are some vocals, not sure if they are words though. This song is a bit more song-like, at least for a noise rock band. Track 6 is Crown of Storms, and it starts out with a guitar solo of sorts. Sounds very 80s hair metal, but I’m sure that won’t last. Oooh, a heavy beat comes in under the guitar as it keeps wanking. I love this song. Again, there are lyrics, but good luck deciphering them. Wow, this kind of sounds like a real song. The groove reminds me of a CKY song. I really dug this song. Track 7 is Longstockings, and it seems like the longer this album goes, the more the songs sound like songs. They’re still wild and weird, but there’s a basic structure there. This may be the most song-like track on the album. You can even almost understand the lyrics. Oh, it totally devolves in the end into noise. Cool song. Track 8 is the title track, Wonderful Rainbow. The song starts off very low and slow. I’m convinced the guitarist is a fan of Eddie Van Halen. Oh, that’s it. I kept waiting for something to explode, and when it did, it was the next track. Track 9 is 30,000 Monkies, and it’s noisy to start out. It actually begins to sound like a bunch of English cop car sirens, but it’s done with guitars. Speaking of guitars, the guitar playing on this album is great. The guitarist is playing his butt off right now as the drums begin to rise up in the mix. Now the song is devolving back into noise at the end. Track 10 is Duel in the Deep, and it’s over six minutes long. It starts like how Gene Simmons begins his bass solo at a KISS show, just bass strikes here and there. Here come the drums, they seem to alway be coming, though they aren’t as loud as you would expect them to be. Now this was what I expected the whole album to sound like. This is just noise. It’s also the hardest song for me to really get into. After consulting with my good buddy, Wikipedia, it seems Lighting Bolt is comprised of two band members, Brian Chippendale on drums and vocals, and Brian Gibson on bass guitar. No wonder it’s so heavy, the guitar is all bass? Even the EVH licks? That’s wild. I actually enjoyed this album, though I like weird and different music. I can definitely see how people would think this album is junk, but I thought there were some nice grooves buried amongst the noise. Wikipedia says this album is considered to be the band's most accessible album. I can see that, but I wonder what the rest of their catalog sounds like. I’d love for everyone to listen to it, just to see what people thought, but unless you’re an adventurous sort, you probably won’t dig it. Is it a must-listen album? In my eyes, no, but it sure is fun.

Do I understand why they are on the list? Yes Are they good? Absolutely no

One of the rare albums where I'm honestly not sure whether I liked it or not. It feels like a stretch to say I enjoyed it, but I did find it interesting and I definitely don't think it was noise for noise's sake. I was also genuinely surprised when it finished - I've had shorter, more tuneful albums that I found more of a slog. So, three stars, I guess?

This album asks us to question "What is the purpose of music?" Mostly because on it's surface this album is not enjoyable and it's not danceable. So many of our reactions to and enjoyment of music comes from when we were teenagers. Then we come to this project confident in our belief that we know what music is and rate these albums accordingly. This album has its moments and is full of frenetic energy. No, I'm not going to put this on when I'm in the mood for love or a dance party, but it challenges my assumptions of what is "listenable." That said, the drummer often seems to be playing a different song than the rest of the band, and many of the songs sound like extended versions of the endings of rock songs where the instruments are on a collision course with each other.

It's like shoegazing for punk fans.

"It is considered to be their most accessible album" lol, lmao

Like a root canal but pleasant. I don't often like noise but it's not as bad as the chaos in my head. Solid effort, don't want more.

Sounds like a band from Scott pilgrim or something

This is the kind of music where the more fun it is to play it, the less fun it is to listen to it. Also feels more like it should be a live thing than a recorded thing.

depending on what kind of listener you are, you might want to turn up or turn down your volume for this entry. this is... well, pretty noisy noise rock. distorted, nails-on-a-chalkboard guitars paired with big crunchy drumbeats that sometimes play time signatures that haven't been documented. normally i don't like noise rock at all, but while this is loud as hell... it's not overtly surreal, irritating and pretentious. it's actually....okay? maybe it's me but i actually tolerated it more compared to the other people on this platform.

This is noise rock! More of a sonic experiment than actual music. Worth a listen just to say you tried!

super frenetic and abrasive, but really neat and has really good musicianship. it kind of blew my mind that this was a duo of a drummer and a bassist? there's stuff on here that doesn't even sound like bass, which i love. it's definitely not a pleasant listen and i don't blame anyone for listening to this and hating it, but there's something in the noise that i found appealing. on the other hand, it is wholly difficult to listen to. it's not something i would go out of my way to listen to ever again, but the noise is cathartic, in a way.

the headspace i was in while listening to this matched the music shockingly well. not a great thing unfortunately! i don’t know why it’s on this list, the band has less than 30k monthly spotify listeners and it’s not like this album shaped the course of music history. but honestly i didn’t hate it. i didn’t like it, it’s very noisy. but i didn’t hate it. a classic 3

It's a great album to listen to first thing in the morning as you're getting up over an hour earlier than usual as you're heading to catch a train for a business trip you're semi-enthused about. Thankfully, don't find myself in that situation very often. That said... I now have something to fall back on the next time I do.

Fun wall of noise- kind of chaotic but with massive bass riffs, frenzy drumming, the whole thing hanging together by a great sense of mischief. The bass has the lead quality of a guitar and h is SHREDDING my god. Chaotic but the whole thing is coherent and also just fun, even if a bit of an assaulkt on the senses. Very mood dependent how this hits

Noisy, aggressive, and chaotic but not without rhythm and melody. Much more accessible than other noise artists I've heard and would be a good introduction to the genre. 3.5 stars

Garage band-esque noise rock with some BEAUTIFUL melodic harmonies. Listened to title track twice on first listen

Wild start. Glad I listened to the whole album.

This was interesting, more than exciting. Sort of thing I would have liked in the 90s, but got a bit monotonous to these jaded ears after a few tracks. Reminds me a bit of Battles in places, the song construction rather than the sound, and the percussive approach to each track. It got a bit more interesting again right at the end with the more industrial / feedback track. If this is (apparently) their most accessible album, I may well check out some of the others, and hope for a bit more variation in style and tone.

I told myself this isn't a metal album. I liked it all the more with this way of thinking. You need to listen to this through a powerful pair of headphones.

First time I heard Lightning Bolt, I didn't get it. It might be more accurate to say I didn't get noise rock. But now, I do get noise rock, at least some of it, but I still don't get Lightning Bolt. A song or two here or there, nice, yeah, great, but overall I don't think they're really doing anything someone else isn't doing better. I'd rather listen to Hella for something technical, or Melt Banana for some full on noise, or hell, Boredoms. I dunno, I don't dislike it, I just don't like it the way other people do. This isn't really a review of the album, but what is there to say about it? it's loud, brash, aggressive (and maybe progressive in 2003, I can't contextualize this appropriately) and some decent fun with more talent than a lot of these 1 star reviews are suggesting, but it is, for me, not something I can't find elsewhere that I prefer. Bummed I never saw 'em live, though - that would be a blast no matter what.

Happy to have something like this on the list.

This sounds like something I would have made on GarageBand when I was 12 by cranking all the instrument settings to max

This album felt like an anxiety attack but I kinda liked it. Dracula Mountain was my favorite song.

I hated this album through the first part of Assassins. Then at some point, I got lost in the repetitive, yet catchy, music. I found this to be the case for many songs. There are also several passages that are hard to take. Honestly, this also sounds like something that could be played at high volume intermittently to torture a prisoner. Torture only if you play 5 seconds at a time. Leave it on long enough and you start to feel the groove.

This was.... interesting. Not something I would listen to on my own, but the instrumentation and manipulation of sound is intriguing. Not necessarily my cup of superdupercaffeinated tea... but ... interesting. I definitely didn't hate it.

IT'S VERY NOISY ISN'T IT?! I DID need to hear this before I died. Not sure if a quiet Sunday morning outside was the right time, but I hear you Lightening Bolt.

Insane that this is just bass guitar and drums. There were some cool ideas here, but the charm kinda wears off quick. It's not bad, it just seems very one-dimensional. Worth checking out, though!

I think calling this noise rock is a bit unfair. The first time I heard this, I started thinking of this as just noise. Now, there are some moments where it does get very repetitive, and a BIT more melody would be more helpful. But as a whole, it's pretty good. A whole album does get a little... on the nerves. A song or two on shuffle is a nice palate cleanser, but 45 minutes worth? Nope.

Was not expecting to see Lightning Bolt, of all bands, on this list. Occasionally locks into a groove that doesn't really go anywhere. It's like if Death From Above 1979 decided to go as un-commercial as possible. When it hits, it's a massive burst of energy in static colors. Favorite tracks: "Dracula Mountain", "Crown of Storms"

Kann man das performen ohne die erste Reihe den Genuss eines Amphetamin-Schweiß-Sprinklers zu schenken? Raw 2.5

This kind of noise rock not my cup of tea, but these guys not bad. “2 Towers” was the standout for me.

Pretty good & heavy. Some rocking tunes but got pretty annoying at times

I do not care for this but I see what it's doing and can imagine a person it is working for

I tried….its just noise

A bit tooooooooooo frenetic. Nothing ever resolved...

Wonderful Rainbow is an album that seems designed to overwhelm rather than engage. It is loud, relentless, and intentionally abrasive, throwing distortion, speed, and volume at you with almost no variation or pause. That commitment to extremity is clearly the point, but for me it turns the listening experience into endurance rather than excitement. There is energy here, and plenty of it, but very little shape. Tracks blur into one another in a constant barrage of fuzzed-out bass and hyperactive drumming, with almost no sense of dynamics or progression. What might feel chaotic and liberating to some just feels exhausting to me, like the album is stuck permanently in its most intense gear and refuses to acknowledge that contrast exists. By the time it ends, Wonderful Rainbow leaves me more relieved than impressed. I can respect the intent and the raw physicality of it, but as an album experience it offers very little beyond sheer noise and stamina

#803. I guarantee this would be an awesome show to go to, but just like I've said with a lot of the electronic/techno type shit on this playlist, that doesn't translate to an album that is good to sit down and listen to cover to cover (despite the fact that it has a great album cover). 2/5: meh

This album showed musical talent. Not in the vocals, but I think those were basically just there for aesthetics. This was another one where the algorithm generated playlist after the album ended was better than the actual album.

I'm not afraid of loud and noisy things. This is just not very good in my opinion. The most interesting aspect here are some beats. The riffs are unfortunately not musicaly interesting enough. Textures are a bit colorless. Some beats are interesting. Even very impressive at point ls. But the album as a complete piece.... Some tracks try a different approach. I appreciate it but- Let me say it in the simplest way possible- . It's not a nice thing to listen to. Not interesting enough aswell. And something i would like to avoid if possible. (I realize through this game that I am much more generous on giving 5's than mean to give 1's. I like to credit albums that I enjoy and surprised me. But I keep 1 for a prestige group of albums. This one didn't make the cut). 2

I was initially excited because I've been enjoying a lot of the lower rated albums on this list and thought this might be another underrated gem, but after listening to it I can definitely understand where the hate comes from. This is just not enjoyable man. Fleeting moments of it are kinda interesting but for the most part its just harsh noise. It didn't help that I listened to this while working on some extremely mundane homework so it made me feel like I was gonna lose my mind. Like I said, I really wanted to like it but I just can't defend this one... that would be unfair to ears and brain. Favorite track: Assassins

Take the concept of jazz then apply it to industrial rock and this is what you get. I don't know how much I enjoy listening to it. But I get it. Bonus point for being unique. Crown of Storms was a standout track for me.

Yeah, I wasn't really a fan of Wonderful Rainbow. This is such a shame because i feel like i should like this album. Its got a very punkish and heavy sound and i really do enjoy albums like that. The main things that hold this album back though are just how utterly noisy and repetitive most of the songs here are. And look, there are some noisy albums here that can be enjoyable (Penance Soiree by The Icarus Line being one of them) but i don't think that these should be so repetitive. It also feels like the heaviness has very little weight to it which does drag the album down further. I wanted to like this album but i just don't think i can. Best Song: Crown Of Storms Worst Song: Dracula Mountain

This one goes upto 11

From track one I hated it. From track three I thought, hang on, there is something very interesting in here. From track six I was exhausted and over it. I'd probably enjoy it played live, though.

I was hesitant going in, but this was interesting. Not an everyday listen, but well-done. There's some creative and nuanced uses of feedback and dissonance that are really appealing to me. It's fast paced, full of great energy, and even oddly pretty at moments. What really ultimately gets me though is that, although I enjoy a certain amount of noise in my music, this one really pushes the line into physically unpleasant to hear. One listen was enough. Fave Songs: Dracula Mountain, Assassins, Hello Morning, Crown of Storms, Longstockings

Starting my morning with this, and I just can't. Wiki lists this album as "noise rock," and it's a fitting term. This is noise, with vocals that are barely audible, let alone decipherable. If you ever thought to yourself "Hey, I wonder what it would sound like if the noise a 56k modem makes became sentient and made an album?", then you now have your answer.

2.4 - challenging album to get through. “Crown of Storms” was a standout for me. That said, the album’s heavy, dissonant and lack of melodic sound made it a tough listen. I like bitterness in the right time and place - but I couldn’t eat a whole meal of it. Similarly, I could enjoy one or two of these songs to upend my palate, but I think less is more works best for me here.

yikes not for me 1 star

This album is proof that just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should. Awful.

A bottom-ten experience so far on the tour of 1001 albums.

I don't think I like noise rock. There are some decents riffs throughout this album, and in a different genre I think they'd make for some great songs, but as it is, nothing about this really worked for me. It was hard to decide whether I would give this one star or two, but I realised that this is one of the only albums where I checked how long was left, multiple times. There have only been a handful of albums that have had that effect on me so far, so I feel like I have to give this one star. I'm hard pressed to pick a favourite track from the album, so I guess I'll go with Assassins, because for a moment at the start it felt like I was listening to a regular song. Favourite track: Assassins

Dimery’s review needs a slight tweak - a mix of sheer abuse and unwelcomed lack of diversity, for a truly challenging listening experience.

i’d rather a lightning bolt to the face than relisten to this.

Fucking hell. They really stretched the meaning of the term music on this one. This is noise. This is not joyful noise. This is noise.

I've heard foxes shagging in a skip that sounded more pleasant than this 1 ⭐️

This is some noisy stuff. I don't understand how anyone can enjoy this but apparently people do. Art rock. Like how people look at a high end painting and think, my 4 year old could do that. This, at least, required a modicum more talent than your typical 4yo, I suppose. I did not like it though, so, 1 star.

This album would get a five if we were reading music used during interrogations at Guantánamo Bay. But we’re not.

Just checked and seen that these critters are currently 9th bottom on the list. This is a gross injustice and outrage. Should be firmly at the bottom. 1/5 9/10/25

I've been warned about this album. It's better than I expected though. I don't understand why the vocals are so muted. Is that their thing? These songs are so repetitive it's almost like white noise or a record skipping. Ok, this is getting annoying. And there's a change! One of these songs is enough. Who are the people who enjoy the high-pitched squealing noise? Every second of this that ticks by gets me closer to completion and sweet relief. Many of these songs sound like the noisy interlude in the middle of or at the end of some an actual song.

WHO IS MAKING THIS LIST?

not my style

Yeah instrumental hard rock. Ok I'll just be over here waiting for tomorrow

Unintelligible lyrics, some extremely derivative guitar work - and the rest sounds like you handed some 3 year olds some instruments.

Well, this is super fucking annoying. Between the feed back, the repetitiveness, and the vocals, I’m just going to judge the fuck out of this compiler, Again.

So for some reason, I thought that a 10-day vacation in The Cayman Islands might be a good time to catch-up on the 1,001 Albums assignment… Just sayin’ that vacation is an absolutely terrible time to try and catch-up on these… You know what else is fucking terrible, “Wonderful Rainbow”… So there is a genre known as “noise rock” huh – what utter, and complete BS… There is nothing catchy about this album, and there is not a single redeeming quality anywhere on it… I’ve only given a handful of 1’s – and would love to have given this a 0, but they won’t let me… A complete waste of time, and there is NO reason this album should be on this list… And as a footnote, “30,000 Monkies” is in the running for the worst song that I have ever listened to…

When the Wikipedia only notes the album is on this list, to you know it's going to stink

What the heck is this. Sounds like a two year old got hold of instruments. Not good music.

Lot of reviews saying, “wow you can kind of hear some elements of songs in here” and I agree. “Crown of Storms” is playing now and it sounds like the band knows what songs are and are kind of making a song-esque thing out of static and noise. But what I’m wondering is, why are we grading this band on a curve? Is this band some kind of human interest story about two people with a mental disability that prevents them from understanding what sounds good? Is it a triumph of the human spirit that these two goofy bastards (https://youtu.be/OkzaOwAmDmA?si=5i18tm3SvrobZWkF) made ten “songs” that almost sound like music? Is GMA going to do a feel good story about how the members of this band bravely overcame adversity to make something so close to real music? Because if not, I’m wondering why - if these guys know what music is - why they don’t just make that and not this?

Ooft! Let’s not bother with this one again

Nr. 126/1001 Hello Morning NR Assassins 1/5 (2x) Dracula Mountain 1/5 (2x) 2 Towers 1/5 (3x) On Fire 1/5 (2x) Crown of Storms 1/5 (2x) Longstockings 1/5 (2x) Wonderful Rainbow 2/5 30,000 Monkies 1/5 (2x) Duel in the Deep 1/5 (3x) Average: 1,05 Don't understand what's supposed to be artistic in this sound barrage. I didn't enjoy anything about this. This is now my worst rated album so far, taking over from Junkyard - Birtday Party (1,39). I hope it will stay the worst for some time.

Very clever to make it sound like a CD skipping, but an absolute noisy racket. A few times I thought it was going to break into Van Halen-style guitar tapping, but it remained awful. Totally rubbish sounds.

I usually hate this type of music but much to my surprise I found 'Wonderful Rainbow' to be an exceptional album and much better than Radiohead's 'In Rainbows' but I like Rainbow better than either band mentioned above.

5/5. This album being rated as low on here as it is just proves that the median 1001 album generator user is a coward. Lightning Bolt are peak noise rock and this album may very well be their best (though I also really love their follow up to this record “Hypermagic Mountain.”) It is an album that pummels you for 42 minutes straight with some LOUD bass and drum playing. which begins with the all out assault of “Assassins.” Which then leads into my favorite on the album “Dracula Mountain”, when the bass fully kicks in near the end of the song I ascend. And the whole album keeps at that pace, the closes thing to a reprieve from the harshness is the opening stretch of “Longstockings.” The most insane thing to me about this band though is that they are just a duo and yet are able to make music that sounds this full and intense. they’re also quite famous for their live shows where if you look at any images you’ll see they often play in the middle of the crowd instead of on stage.

I loved every damn minute of this. It's weird and repetitive, they take you right the brink of insanity... but then hit you with a groovy little bass lick or something. It's noisy and raw and abrasive and relentless... but there's still rhythm and melody in there. This sounds like speed metal on meth. Wonderful Rainbow: brought to you by unmedicated adhd. This feels like what happens if you take pcp and then get an analog TV set stuck between channels.

hey i love this one! didn't know 1001 album generator knew ball like this

I’ve tried to find the iconic noise and crash metal album for several weeks (yes, i’m not really a searcher) so this album is a jackpot. I bet if i’ve still had an mp3 i downloaded those tracks immediately. Well if you’re not a metal lover or smth alike just try and forget. It’s not a shame just different preferences. Btw, maybe you’ll like Wonderful Rainbow (mean track of the same name in the album)

Loved it, harsh noise and exactly my vibe

Introduced me to a whole new genre which I love and have been digging into more. Listened in the British library while GSD.

popped some headache pillies before listening to this.. i think it made the experience far more enjoyable. i did want to rage dance. perfectly summed up the vibe, right album at the right time.

Fucking awesome. Why have I never heard this?

Seems to boil piss, so 5/5 for that, alone.

i loved loved loved itttt

Wonderfull

Love this same way as Boards of Canada - like they're doing the same anti-structure thing but out of different taps, chill and not-chill, soft and ultra-violent, minimal and minimal-but-maximal. And I can verify it works just fine with hearing aids and full crank on the system, though weirdly I like it a lot better through the ear pods, this sound seems to work best for me cradled right in close around my skull like it's crawling around inside.

This album is described as "a truly challenging listening experience," and while it may be noise rock, I have to say that I enjoyed it more than I was challenged by it. For one thing, all of the tracks are mostly tonal (as opposed to atonal). This doesn't necessarily make them easier on the ear, because there is still a lot of noise to contend with, but I find it does make them easier on the brain. There is something comforting about having a tonal centre that feels like "home" and I think that's something Lightning Bolt does well to make this album more palatable. On top of that, there's some wicked lead guitar playing that gives tracks like "On Fire" and especially "Crown of Storms" a stand-out melodic line to latch onto. Even without any kind of higher melodic lead line from the guitar, there's virtually always some kind of repeated series of notes (or ostinato) in the lower guitar/bass that keeps the ear engaged and entertained. A third things that largely kept me on board with this album was the use of rhythm — honestly, just the fact that there was a pulse throughout nearly all of the tracks. "Longstockings" starts and ends without a real rhythmic pulse, but that also makes the moments with the rhythmic ostinato in the bass much more enjoyable by contrast. "30,000 Monkies" shows that, despite the drums just sort of going nuts, all it takes it consistent repetition to create a pulse: the guitars' constant chatter of repeated groups of 7 notes gives the track its metronome and therefore its pulse, albeit a bit of an irregular one. A lot of this album feels like something Brahm, Christian, James, Karen and I could create if we just came to a jam session pissed off and vengeful. I hope Lightning Bolt had fun recording this album, because I think it must have been a blast to make. This album showed me that you can make some really neat, interesting and largely enjoyable music with some pretty ugly sounds, as long as you keep a thread of rhythm and/or melody going throughout. As a final note: if your ears are particularly sensitive to high frequencies or if you use hearing aids – it's probably best to skip this one. 4.5 / 5

An easy 5 stars Lightning Bolt are masters of noise rock and I listened to this 3 times in a row Now I just need to see them live again to see the madness go up to 11

Woah! Never heard of this one before, and I listened to this three times in the last 24 hours.

I listened to this on a DAP that allowed me to push the volume until my headphones were literally (literally!) vibrating

So I just listened to Lightning Bolt and it low key blew my mind, this is what I wanted Death From Above 1979 to sound like, this is what people who love Royal Blood think Royal Blood sounds like This music suits my brain so well, low 5 and easily my favourite noise rock record I’ve ever heard, not sure how I’d missed it all these years

Absolutely wonderful. It scratches an itch for sure. I need driving chaos and this delivers in every way. Amazing drummer!

I can understand why many people would dislike this album. However, for the genre, it is a really accessible and all-around enjoyable listen.

This some decent distortion.

viimeinen päivä ja verottaja kolkuttaa oveen. rääh rääh ei user albumia.. maksakaa maksakaa... rahaa lisää rahaa lisää ensittifcationb of indernded. no ainakaan ei tarvitse kuunnella blind channelia näillä näkymillä heh. okei eli tosiaan viimeistä viedään ja aivan vitun kovahan se on siis kovaäänine noise.. noise pelottaa monia mutta ei minua pää kylmänä pidetään ja annetaan korvien vaan helistä. tätä se mussiikki on parhaimmillaan ei mitään vittuilua melodia pling plong. no dynamic. just loud. jos haluaa hiljaisuutta niin voi olla perkele kuuntelematta musiikkia kokonaan! ja noo haluan hiljaisuutta fuck this shit en enää arvostele albumeja. 2 tlwers

Well i already love this

This is sick. Sorry haters but technical guitar is awesome

So abrasive and in your face,honestly js a horror movie in music form

Noisetalgia

This was incredible. Must be played with volume up.

Id rate it higher if I could

Noisy, fuzzy, songs featuring multiple time signatures, and fun basslines. I have been into rock on the noisier side fairly recently so this is hitting. I bet this is insane to see live. They probably get some crazy sounding reverberations in the venues they played this in. Especially 2 Towers. 2 Towers was nuts the way that they kept changing the rhythm under the bassline. We need more albums like this on this list and fewer britpop records.

Hell, yes. Something interesting, loud, abrasive, and I love it....

You can take the weird bitch out of Providence and move her eccentricities more toward the center in NYC, but you can’t take Providence out of a weird bitch who grew up in a scene that looked at Lightening Bolt as icons.

Possibly the most surprising album I’ve heard on here yet. I knew of the band, but I hadn’t listened to them because the categorization as “noise rock” was a turn off. The energy and unique sound they bring with this album is far from mere “noise”. The expressionist soundscapes combined with the song titles made listening to the album feel like walking through an art museum, reading the placards and being washed over by art. My hobby as a bass player may have also contributed to my enjoyment. The sound had so much texture that I could feel what he was playing in my own hands.

ah fuck it i'll give it a five, I'm definitely putting in the rotation

Full of energy like Ministry on steroids

I had literally never heard of this band before. The album cover didn't give me any idea of what to expect. After about the 3rd track I realized this is mostly an instrumental album and that's when I really came on board with this album. This is why I love this project. Some wild albums I never would have known to listen to otherwise.

Knew nothing about it. Loved it from about 15 seconds in. Listened to it three times in a row. Formidable noise.

Sugar coated noise.

Groovy noise-rock should be more of a thing. 4.5/5.0: Excellent

i didn’t expect to like this after seeing the genre was noise rock and hearing the first track but at some point in the second song I really started getting into it. underneath all the noise , they had some really great grooves on this album.

Knew the 1st 2 songs. Rest wasn’t what I expected, but very good. Need further listens. Love Karen O’s voice!

Ezt fáj hallgatni, garantált 5 csillag.

Hell yeah. A unique punk and noise rock sound. Shame on this site rating is so low

Some wonderful noise in here. Will need to check out more of this lot. Last couple of tracks were melt your face off heavy in all the right ways.

Absolute powerhouse of noise to blast your puny physical brains out to.

Sorry the review is so short. I spent my writing time hauling the largest speaker possible up to my room to assault my ears with clamorous drums, frantic yelps, and distorted bass in an exploration of texture, rhythm and volume. Got struck by a Lightning Bolt on the way.

Robotomy was a show that aired for about 2-ish months on Cartoon Network in 2010-2011. it's best known for being the show Christy Karacas produced (not created) before the network picked up Superjail! -- from this angle, you would expect a cartoon that looks like this and has this pedigree and history to be wild, too wild for television, and unfortunately it's mostly just kinda mild? there's flashes of unhinged energy, but instead of being this crazy cartoon about two robots who live in a junkyard and try to kill each other with hammers while wearing bloody Halloween costumes, it's basically just Superbad for 13 year olds. and that's fiiiine. but like, i kinda wish it was the former? no plot, no talking, just beautiful murder? this is a roundabout way of saying that if the former cartoon existed and was able to be watched, i would like for the soundtrack to sound like this. never has music sounded so primitive and brutal while also probably being really technically difficult to play. i want to play air bass to this, only because i know i'd break my hands on any object near me if i played air drums to it instead. Lightning Bolt are simple enough for you to understand that it's just two guys, but virtuosic enough for you to still be highly impressed that a sound like this can come from people in general. although, who knows. maybe they are robots wearing Halloween costumes? has anyone checked?

na 130+ albums de eerste grote verrassing! Band was mij totaal onbekend, maar heeft me letterlijk van mijn sokken geblazen... fan voor het leven nu!

Grindy

This is very much in my range and one I would defend with, “Yes, this is still music.” Reminded me of And You Will Know… or Hella (who I used to love). Might be giving this is a defensive five star against the average low.

Probably both the best and most accessible Lightning Bolt album. Love it forever.

Amazing Revolutionary changed music! love this aesthetic... best of the east coast art collective warehouse auteurs of the early oughts.

Never heard anything like this, first listen, LOVE!! 5 stars

Of course the noise rock album has a super low score and I love it

Here's an esoteric album if I've ever heard one. Musically this is pretty adventurous. I'll bet the energy at a live show is wild. 5 stars for being unique.

Scary but interesting. Like that manly looking girl you find strangely hot, you know? What's wrong with me

One of the greate4st noise bands ever, they rarely if ever miss

look sometimes noise rock just has the juice

Lightning Bolt motherfucker!!! To all the boomers giving this a 1: Sorry you can’t handle the thunder 🌩️🤘😎

High energy aggressive noise. Excellent

It’s barely classified as music, I loved it

Almost optimal chaos for my brain. Half of the tracks are perfect, the other half stray into noise, but barely. Still five stars.

AAARRRRGHHHHH MY EARS!!!!

This album, which I listened to for the first time yesterday, is a fun, cohesive and really experimental record. I do not really have anything to say, except that I've been mind-blown the whole time, and I definitely will be checking out the rest of their discography. Noise rock is a genre i never really got into before, but this is so vast and rich, that it came to me as a real discovery.

chaotic and succinct. great representation of the noise rock genre

Really nice piece of sound art, well delivered! Active and focused listening required.

I think my music taste is broken.

Just an absolute triumph. Chaotic and beautiful all at once

i don't care for this genre...

This being in the bottom 20 overall is insane, as soon as Led Zeppelin or The Rolling Stones shows up you're all like "oh we love rock music, this rocks!". But then when you get an album like this that ACTUALLY rocks, now you're crying about headaches and "it's too experimental and noisy for me" just because the music actually has some urgency to it for a change. bunch of fucking babies you people

The Art of Noise by Lightning Bolt. It is perfect!

Noisy

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Assassins, Dracula mountain, 2 towers, On fire

шумное безумие

This was so much fun. It was the perfect intersection of noise rock, party music, and the vibes of an old nintendo game soundtrack.

Aloin kuuntelee heh siinä työtä tehdessä.. ensimmäiset biisit siinä tossaja... sanoin että vai..VAI ON SEMMOINEN SOUNDI... oikein mielekäs siis heh.. Siinä sitten jahas.. niin vahvaa nelosta tekee albumi.. Vituttaahan se ei tällästä paskaa viiteen voi laittaa.. noh se loppuu kohta tokaisi meikäpoika.. heh ei loppunut.. monta biisiä soi iloksi vielä ja silloin kun biisit soivat iloksi... silloin kyseessä uskomaton albumi... ainakin työntekoon sopi niin PERKELEEN HYVIn... heh..työtä tekevälle.. Vaan Vei Väinö kissalta HÄNNÄN!! HÄNNÄN!!! HAHAHAHAH!!!!HAHA!! heh tuli siinä en jakanu yhtä rappua siinä olin epävarma kysyin miesherralta.. onkos saitko postinnupsukkaa.. noh mentiin katsomana siinä sitten oliko saanut.. heh.. sanoi... SANOI enkö muista ootko rappua jakanu!... Sanoin.. mutta hän ehti sanoa... Oletko juovuksissa! noh sanoin.. en kun musiikkia heh ja aivoja kaltoin kohdeltana muista enää.. ja sydäntä myös siellä häikkää sano lääkäri ei saa urheilla heh.. Noh sanoi hän.. EIKAI TSAA TSAA TSAATA.. heh snaoin ei...... Aaalbumeja yleensähän sitä tossanoin.......... Noise rockista sen verran vielä että tämä ei kyllä mitään parasta noisea ole mutta saatana sipilä ei perkele ylläpidosta päästä läpi niitä parempia...Hallitus jahas.. Protesti vitonen.. ei paljoa ole noisea saada kuuneltana... Ihan hyvä ja uniikki albuni tämäkin sen puoleen ole ihan pelkkä protesti vitonen.......Heh

What can I say, I'm a sucker for noise. Loved this.

Two-piece Drummer and bassist. Like a wildly aggressive White Stripes. Punk AF.

Funny how this album is called Wonderful Rainbow because it is a rather apt description of it's neverending barrage of pummeling velocity that summons you into submission. Yet, for all of its abrasiveness, it is at least mindful enough to not only be headbanging but groovy in its own way. A very 21st Century sort of Sturm und Drang.

A very light five out of five very cool

Very enjoyable, haven't heard of them before, but enough pop hooks in the noise landscape to keep me entertained. A few surprises, a few good crescendos, a few lingering questions, the most pressing one: why does Dracula Mountain sound like Shellac's squirrels are chasing me? Too noise: 30'000 Monkies; Best Song: Crown of Storms; Fun Song: Dracula Mountain; worth a mention: Duel in the Deep. Production 4/5 Songwriting 2/5 Musicality 3.5/5 Fun Factor 5/5 Nostalgia 5/5 (reminds me of Dÿse)

Ich würde gerne 4 Sterne geben, habe aber irgendwie nichts konkretes an dem Album auszusetzen. Es ist, was es zu sein versucht und sehr gut darin.

Strap on your seatbelts, this one rocks!

Never heard of them but what a brilliant band! The mindblowing noise they make with just the two of them. Saw the once brilliant Editors live yesterday and it was boring. only light effects and bombastic stuff. This is the real.deal reminding me.of the dutch noise duo ZZZ.

One of my favorite band, One of my favorite album. What's good ? It is pure energy. Also try Thumper, a rythm-game made by Brian Chippendale. it's good! Appreciate that it is one of the 1001 best albums.

classoicccccc

Like that part on an album when the band are tuning up or something gets unplugged, but thats the entire album... Superb

In Apple Music unter „Punk“ geführt, rechnete ich bereits wieder mit dem üblichen Schlimmsten. Weit gefehlt. Das ist geil! Und ich bin erst beim vierten Song. Es bleibt auch nach dem zehnten Song dabei. Das ist geil! 2 x laut (!) durchgehört, meine Ohren fiepen. Das ist geil! Wie soll ich heute Nacht pennen?

Interesting noise rock album here, liked this more than I thought I would. And arguably it is an album you should listen to because the chances are you mightn't have listened to this type of music before. Very loud, very fast but melodic in some parts and unsettling in others. 4 stars from me.

Nyt oli hyvää mähinää!!! En suosittele syömään samalla. Tuli kiireinen ruokailu. Toimii junassa. Erittäin maukas. Sanosin että niinku oisit olkkarissa kun joku yläkerrassa soittaa kitaraa jonkun levyn päälle mitä se kuuntelee kajareista. Slurpa.

Rating: 8/10 I love when chaotic avant noise shows up on the list, like that's just the type of shit I listen to for fun, put it directly into my veins. There's almost nothing like Lightning Bolt, they really deliver such a unique surge of manic aggression with just a bass guitar and drum kit. So yeah, this music is obviously for very few people and I am one of them. It's not totally perfect for me as 41 minutes is maybe a long ask for music of this nature, and the best songs are found in the front half. If I were picking a favorite it would be 2 Towers, absolutely sick

I liked the music, apparently there were words.

Nice

Another album from the 2000s that neither you nor I have heard of, although it seems to be in the always fun 'experimental noise rock' genre. So basically, anti-music. I've made a few songs in this genre which, quite simply, must never be heard lest the world come crumbling to an end. This is cool. Noisy and chaotic enough to annoy people, but with some technical proficiency. Yeah the songs don't need to be as long as they are and I never need to hear it again, but it was fun.

this is totally up my alley haha. excited to see the global rating

Sort of a tough one to evaluate. It’s a bit too dork metal for me, and a bit too dork dance music. So it ends up coming down to “how much does a guy going psycho on a guitar make up for stuff I don’t like so much” and in this case I guess it actually made up for it quite a lot.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this album...but it wasn't that. It was fun & energetic with a generous helping of chaos.

What in the Kinsella?! Ok so I knew about this just never heard it. This one fell through the cracks. Also, VERY niche.

I was totally unfamiliar with this album but it's great

Yeah, this was *great*! What the fuck is wrong with other reviews. Not liking a bit of unconventional shredding? Think we need another generic indie album or even some more acoustic shit?

I'm not joking when I'm saying that this was the album I was the most excited for from this list. It is sad to see it sitting with the 15 worst ranked albums of the generator, but I understand why this might be so unappealing for people in general. For me, this was a blast. I was a bit afraid at the first time when listening to the intro "Hello Morning", but as soon "Assassins" starts with its incredibly loud and distorted sound, I knew I was going to love this thing, as it is an absolute monster of relentless rhythms and chaotic melodies. From "Assassins" to "On Fire", this part is non-stopping madness and energy. As mentioned, "Assassins" is an incredible opener that perfectly sets up what is to come. Then comes "Dracula Mountain", which starts with a sudden change of rhythms from its little opening that adds to the overall chaos. The two halves of this song are very distinct from each other, with the first one having a bass riff very focused on rhythm, while in the second one is more based in melody. Both of these parts go absolutely hard. The next song, "2 Towers", is the longest track of the album and also the most repetitive. Most of its time, the bass is just playing a very groovy riff, and they are the drums the responsible element of adding little changes here and there. For a track that is so repetitive, I absolutely loved its groove and energy. The last song of this sections is "On Fire", having probably some of the fastest bass playing while keeping the speed throughout the whole track, giving it a lot of energy. The next three songs, "Crown of Storms", "Longstockings" and "Wonderful Rainbow", can be considered as the most "peaceful" moments (if "peaceful" is a word that can even be used in such context). The thing about these tracks is that they are way more melodic, have some of the slowest rhythms and the overall sensation is not as chaotic as the previous songs. In addition, "Longstockings" and "Wonderful Rainbow" have a very clear sound, dropping all the distortion on the bass. I do need to clarify that "Longstockings" ending might be one of the most abrasive and noisiest moments of the whole project, but the first half is still one of the calmest parts, so I think it is fair to still classify it as one of the most "relaxed" moments. The second to last song, "30,000 Monkies", jumps right back to the chaos with probably some of the most unorthodox bass riffs the album has to offer, combined with also the most frenetic drum playing. The last song, "Duel In the Deep" ends this album in the most punishing way possible. Instead of riffs, the bass focused on creating just as much noise as possible with a tremendous amount of feedback. The rhythm of the song is also very slowed down in comparison to the fastest tracks, making it a more punishing and heavy experience. In the end, I absolutely loved the harshness, madness and energy of the album. I want to say that it feels like a breath of fresh air coming from this list, except that, considering the nature of it, it is more like a shot of adrenaline.

Math rock meets Buckethead and I'm 1700% here for it.

That was a trip, feels like the music was being shoved into my brain forcefully most of the time. I liked it.

Goes insanely hard. Gets a little bit unfocused and too rough around edges in the second half, at least for my liking, but the first couple of tracks are amazing. It starts as fun and groovy noise-rock and then slowly descends into more and more of a repetitive mess, not entirely for me but I will definitely return to those first few tracks.

Incredible melodies and production for a noise rock genre. Wonderful Rainbow absolutely tickles parts of my brain that other records can't reach. The frenetic pace and repetition make listening to the record a bit of an exercise in meditation. It's not something you could listen to on repeat certainly but I enjoyed the 41 minutes I spent in the fuzz with Lightning Bolt.

I listened to this album while bleaching my hair I believe which the music made me feel very supported in my decision. I liked it. I like the album name, cover, and the band name. It all fits a certain vibe of person that I enjoy. Another aspect of the person is that they like Of Montreal which is not really similar music but you know it's that weird quirked up person I guess.

Maybe it’s just nice to hear some music from my fellow Rhode Islanders (a rare thing), but I thought this rocked.

Surprisingly great. I think noise rock is my jam!

I enjoyed that more than I thought. I love how most tracks eventually devolve into a chaotic rhythmic storm. It reminds me of the Fall in that way yet they have their own unique texture. The first half especially was great. RISD delivers some great talents. Really good music to workout to. Rating: 3.8

Wow... It's listed as noise rock, but it has more melodies and arrangements than half of the albums on this list... Nice discovery in a genre where I didn't expected it. Probably will grow further towards 5. 2 Towers is epic

This is not what I expected to hear from the cover and title. I enjoyed it so much I accidentally listened to more songs. Sad that I had to find it on youtube though.

I'll have to listen to this sometime when my dog's not around. 4 stars for Rhode Island pride.

Delightfully hard hitting, really punchy without devolving into chaos.

An extremely approachable entry to noise rock. Could see this sliding into the @work playlist for sure.

Really fucking cool! Super intense and pretty relentless, you definitely know you've experienced something when it ends. It sounds like the soundtrack to a movie with a plot that you can't follow

These guys were awesome! I really liked them and it was crazy how much they could sound like a big band

pretty sick, never heard of this before so thanks

Unusual album

"Wonderful Rainbow" is the third studio album by American noise rock band Lightning Bolt. Noise rock is the sole Wiki-listed genre. Well, it is noise. A decent description of their music is "heavy but catchy bass guitar riffs and frenetic drums." The band consists of Brian Chippendale (drums, vocals) and Brian Gibson (bass). The album had favorable reviews. The album opens with the short instrumental "Hello Morning." A distorted bass with some drum noodling. This leads into "Assassins." Aggressive. A thundering bass with distortion and rattling drums. Muffled, distorted, low-volume vocals. With "Dracula Mountain," we find the band firmly in the hardcore punk realm. Drums, Chippendale screaming, an overwhelming bass. Gibson gets his bass high pitched and a melody is actually sensed. The song nicely builds dramatically. "2 Towers" is the most straight-forward song on the album. This is the first time I've heard something sound like Eddie Van Halen on the bass. Quite impressive. The band settles into a prog-rock type of groove. "Longstockings" sees Gibson continue to develop that weirdly-sounding melodic bass riff. A slower pace with more of a rock beat. The only song that I could make out with a vocal chorus is the self-titled "Wonderful Rainbow." A high-pitch bass going up and down the scales and no drums. And, of the course, the background chorus of "da-da-da-da." Wow, if I needed a wake-up call this morning, I got it. Loud, aggressive, distorted and driving. Noise rock for sure but there are elements of hardcore punk, prog and rock. A thundering, distorted and at times melodic bass. I don't think I've ever heard some of the sounds out of a bass that Gibson gets. The drums matched the intensity. The vocals are incomprehensible, mumbling, screaming, pretty much just part of the noise. I liked this album to some extent and they probably would put on a memorable show. As far as recommendations, I guess if you're into extreme music and/or hardcore punk, this might be right up your alley.

This should be totally up my alley but just didn't end up clicking

I disagree with Karen and Kerri on this one. Missed this one last week due to HDS. But this morning while recovering from a cold and parenting Callie from couch. We were vibing to it and causing chaos(Callie not me) in the house. While Kerri sat in a meeting.

You know for Noise rock, it doesn't just sound like straight noise! I've seen my fair share of terrible noise rock in DIY venues in basements and garages and warehouses. But this actually has elements of jazz and each song sounds distinct. They're talented at what they do. It's not grating, it's energizing and makes me want to mosh (and I NEVER want to mosh) so I'm pleasantly surprised but not actually surprised because it's Lightning Bolt. Better seen live, but best listened to while on a high speed chase, drugs, or preferably both at once.

I don't usually like noise rock type stuff, but for some reason this one worked for me. I'm not sure why but I really was enjoying the pure chaos of it, maybe because it sounded like they were having fun making it. I can picture them just going absolutely bonkers while playing these songs. Surprisingly fun album, but definitely not for everyone

Obvs, LB are very much a live band and it is a cause of disappointment that I've never caught them, despite being exactly in my zone of interest, and plenty of my pals have played with them, etc. So, the records are never quite going to be "the thing". Seem to remember feeling underwhelmed by this album when it came out, but on this re-listen am struck by the sheer energy and excitement of the whole thing.

I found it fun at times and hypnotic at others. After 3 listens, the abrasiveness of the first listen became much more mellow and the rhythms started to shine through.

what a racket

Wonderful Rainbow from Lightning Bolt is really the second album in the 49 albums that I have listened to so far that I have said that I needed to hear this before I died. This album is amazing. I’m not sure why. It first started with a bunch of noise but if you listen to it, you realize that it’s actually good. It’s intense and a bit much to take in but sometimes music should be a bit much.

The irony of getting two Christina Aguilera albums with lightning bolt in between. One artist made millions by showing up st the studio and singing whatever polished shit a team of writers and producers came up with. Slap on some glitter and a sexy outfit and ready for a world tour. The other sleeps in a van, plays basements and bars and make little financially for the love of making art and making music. Lightning Bolt isn't most people's cup of tea, but its real art.

Noise rock for the Millennial masses.

Gillar det!

I’ve never heard of this before but I must have heard of this before as it is so adjacent to the kind of pretentious noise self onanism that I was listening to when I was 16-20. Really good - would listen again especially in the gym.

Interesting instrumental fuzz noise, can't say it's going into rotation was was certainly an experience

For those who don't know, Lightning Bolt is a noise rock duo out of Rhode Island, consisting of drummer/vocalist Brian Chippendale and bassist Brian Gibson. For decades, the two of them have recorded some of the most aggressive, fervently chaotic music imaginable, largely through just drum and bass. Just a listen through Wonderful Rainbow gave me a solid idea of what their sound is like, and I am admittedly here for it. Chippendale's frenetic drumming, coupled with Gibson's heavily distorted, complex yet catchy bass lines, made for some truly engaging sonic mayhem that stayed relatively tuneful. There were some monstrous, thumping riffs and tremolo picking from Gibson that I was not expecting from a bass guitar. Tracks like "Assassins", "Dracula Mountain", "2 Towers", "Longstockings", "Duel in the Deep", and especially "Crown of Storms" became unorthodox earworms, chock-full of memorable motifs despite the idiosyncratic jam nature of both members' work. Honestly, the only aspect of this sound that I haven't quite warmed up to is the vocals. Chippendale typically used a microphone built into a household telephone receiver, placing it right up to his mouth, and later running the recorded vocals through an effects processor, further altering the sound. As a result, what he sang was largely incomprehensible, and when I did make out a few words, they were presumably ad-libbed in the studio. It could be argued that the deliberate obfuscation of the vocals adds to the extremity of the noise rock on display, simplifying them into yet another instrument to be improvised, and perhaps I'm inclined to agree on that sentiment. I just don't feel like the vocals gripped me in the same manner that the bass and drums did throughout this record. I could imagine that the vocals aren't as needed, and maybe could have been dropped altogether. It really is fascinating how split I am on the vocals for an otherwise chaotic record. It is weird to say, but I feel Wonderful Rainbow could grow on me. There is an inherent mastery in the raw, intensive sound that Lightning Bolt delivers on drums and bass alone.

DFA wishes they were this math-y

This is really interesting stuff. Avant garde noise, combined with ear orgasmic buzzing, which sounds like it's been produced with analogic synthesizers, but apparently it's just bass guitar and drums! It's 20 years old, but still sounds really good and at the day and age of AI it's really refreshing that someone can come up with this kind of wacky stuff that doesn't give a s%¤t about any commercial values. I bet this would be amazing live band.

After long set of not so interesting albums this was like a fresh air.

Once again, after suffering through a long stretch of pretty underwhelming albums, this one felt like being hit over the head with something loud and alive. I’d never listened to this before, and honestly I didn’t know what I was getting into, but it worked. It’s noisy, chaotic, and kind of unhinged in a way that made the previous listens feel even more lifeless by comparison. Not exactly relaxing, but definitely a welcome shock to the system, and yeah, I liked it.

A very wild record but that’s how I like it. It does take some effort to fully understand their intention but it’s worth it!

banger, crazy songs.

I would’ve given this spot to “Hypermagic Mountain”, but “Wonderful Rainbow” certainly delivers the beautiful chaos that Lightning Bolt is known for. It’s not their best, but it’s still a jaw dropping album, and one of the most insane things that one can listen to! The thick bass pounds deep into your skull while the drums pummel away in complete pandemonium. In spite of this chaos, the band manages to find eccentric grooves and make the whole thing sound tight as hell. Most people will find this album obnoxious, but that’s what I love most about it. Crank it to 10 and drown out anyone who complains :)

Great focus music

Uniquely demented badassery. Does grate on the nerves a bit after awhile though.

Wonderful Rainbow is a low 4 for me. It took me a while to sync into it (two minutes in I was not enjoying!). But weirdly I ended up finding it relaxing. At times it’s like noise ambiant (if such a genre can exist)

Loud loud loud

Never heard this .A pleasant surprise .

I saw the rating distribution and already knew i would dig this.

Liked how noisy it was. Cool and energetic

I haven’t listened to any noise rock before, can’t say I like it, but this one is interesting, indeed.

This was fun, very noisy music that was cacophonous but also anthemic in a way? Enjoyed it quite a bit!

I loved this! Very experimental and noisy. (Though I will admit it I couldn’t listen to it all of it in one sitting and had to divide it into two.)

yeah makes sense that one of these guys made a rhythm game

This was a wonderful discovery and perfect for my mood when I listened. I can see how most would hate this though.

These guys know exactly what they’re doing. It’s not inspirational or amazing but it’s solid noise.

This is like art noise chaos - except whereas other musicians tend to conflict and it becomes dischordent - this bleeds together, feeling like you're locked in a chair, watching Liquid Television/Heavy Metal, just subjected to chaos. I fully recognize this is out-there and not for everyone, but fuck, if it doesn't hit the notes for me.

First track made me wonder if I was going to like it. Insane drumming, loved it by the end of the track.

Really unique album. So noisy yet groovy at the same time. Gets a little stale towards the end and the first half is definitely better. Still good album.

this incredibly combination of noise rock, technical musicality, and just overall bright and vibrant noises is awesome - i loved it.

They are extremely skilled from a technical perspective. Really reminds me of the high school garage bands that tended toward just noise and then tossed in some technical rifts and then flipped back to noise.

stor positiv overraskelse, jeg ved ikke hvad jeg forventede. Kan godt forestille mig at de er vanvittige live

Zero chill. Magisk plade, vildt nok at den er på den her liste

This still rocks. Bangers

Highlight Song/s: Dracula Mountain and 2 Towers This was an enjoyable experience. Love how the band just consists of 2 members, a bassist and a drummer; keeping it minimalist. Even though are only 2 members, the sound is really huge as if the band was an orchestra. Definitely not a bad one.

When I saw the 'Noise' tags I initially rolled my eyes, but this was actually super enjoyable background music. 2 Towers slapped

mal luege wie 41 min noise rock sind wenns "accessible" isch hahaha mann das wird mier wieder gfalle, zumindest scratcht de ahfang vo assassins schomal en spot für mich ich lieb d snare aaaaaaber es hetmi scho es biizli verlore lol hahaha ich han nöd cheggt, dass das nur bass isch?? die sind nur z zweite, denn macht de ener reduzierti sound au sinn UHHH RIESE GROOVE bi dracula mountain aso d drums findi echt geil, de gsang macht I guess sinn, dasser so isch aber ich find er bringt de lieder wenig bis jz findi d längi vode lieder e rechti schwächi 2 TOWERS GAHT JA DUMMMM BONKERS hans gliebt hmm jaa iwie findis na spannend, wiener d stimm meh als zuesätzlichs instrument als suscht öppis brucht, aber ich find sie bis jz entweder egal oder störend - vlt chunnt na öppis schlaus us dem rache usse ÖÖHHHHHCROWN OF STORMS?? thunderstruck uf steroide? BÖM BÖM BÖM BÖM hahahaha 30000 monkies tönt au öppe wie de titel iwie stimulierts mich aber na geil NOMAL ja ich find die instrumentale lieder um einiges besser als mit "gsang" duel in the deep het wieder insane vill distortion aber wieder...ich fühls iwie? ich wird jz selte denke "omg ich wetts wieder lose" aber iwie stimulierts eifach, ich chans gad nöd besser beschriebe mann ich wett eig nöd pretentious würke aber es hetmer recht gfalle. han paar lieder mehrmals müsse lose wird ich in zuekunft das album aktiv welle lose? nöd ständig, aber glaub hii und daa wird ich wieder lust druff haa. muss mal anderi albe vo ihne lose

i like this because i'm a contrarian but also i saw them live some years ago and it was very cool

joyful noise

This is definitely my style. I never heard them before. It sounds chaotic even though it's repetitive. The weirdness reminds me of Primus, who somehow didn't make it into the book. It doesn't sound very much like them. Favorite song: 2 towers.

Pretty cool album Will I listen to again: 75%

I actually really enjoyed this one. Sure it's mostly noise, but it's actually really good to program to. Sort of like an electronica/dance album with no electronic and all real music. I would've never thought before listening to this, but I'll listen to this one again.

pretty unique album - might be one you need to be "in the mood" for, but I liked it.

If you fed the concept of punk music into an AI program and removed all cultural comtext this is what would come out. It's a wild juxtaposition to.say daft punk which is built completely with computer technology and precision beats yet somehow manages to maintain a certain humanity through humor and context, this is humans playing physical instruments (at least it sounds like it?) but seems devoid of all human attachments. I'm not sure I like it per se, but it's definitely interesting. I didn't loose interest listening to it that's for sure!

Surprisingly vibrant and melodic for a noise rock record. Unsurprisingly colorful, given the title, though. The vocals are completely drowned in distortion and unintelligible, they may as well not even be there? Anyway, that aside, this is pretty cool little album, and for what I've heard since, their best. Key tracks: Assassin Dracula Mountain

Noisy, but I kinda liked it. It had driving, punching drums throughout which kept me listening. The throbbing guitar/synth got a little repetitive but it felt like modern take on 70s German Prog. Can’s Tago Mago meets MBV meets Death Grips meets The Fall. This feels somewhat legendary and I need to know more.

Undeniably artistic. Not easy listening but a lot of fun.

tes yes eys yes very cool

It was quite mental in a good way. The drummer is great

Любопытно как шум инструментов можно превратить в настолько драйвовый альбом. Хоть к сожалению под конец он становится скрипучим и скучноватым

that surprised me, i feel like it got me on the day that i was in the mood for unintelligible words and jumbled guitar/drums

Gear: Aür Audio Aurora Artwork: ✏️🌈 Production: 🫢🤔💩 Music: 🔊🌪️🤯 Rating: ⚡⚡⚡⚡/5

## In-Depth Review of *Wonderful Rainbow* by Lightning Bolt Lightning Bolt’s *Wonderful Rainbow* (2003) is a landmark album in noise rock, celebrated for its raw energy, innovative instrumentation, and chaotic yet structured compositions. As their third studio album, it represents a pivotal moment in their career, balancing accessibility with the abrasive qualities that define their sound. Below is a detailed exploration of the album's **lyrics**, **music**, **production**, **themes**, and **influence**, along with its **pros and cons**. --- ### **Lyrics** Lyrics are not the focal point of *Wonderful Rainbow*. Brian Chippendale’s vocals are often buried beneath layers of distortion and frenetic instrumentation, functioning more as an additional texture than as a vehicle for storytelling. The lyrics are largely indecipherable, with fragmented phrases like "All the world's in flames" barely surfacing amidst the sonic chaos[8]. This approach aligns with the album's emphasis on visceral emotion over narrative clarity. While this lack of lyrical prominence might alienate some listeners, it complements the album's anarchic ethos. --- ### **Music** The music on *Wonderful Rainbow* is a relentless assault of bass-heavy riffs and hyperactive drumming. Lightning Bolt, composed of Brian Gibson (bass) and Brian Chippendale (drums/vocals), achieves a massive sound despite their minimalist setup. - **Instrumentation**: Gibson’s bass guitar is heavily distorted and often functions as both rhythm and lead, creating dense, multi-layered textures. Tracks like "Dracula Mountain" feature riffs that oscillate between melody and noise, while "Assassins" delivers immediate impact with its aggressive tempo[1][2]. Chippendale’s drumming is equally intense, characterized by rapid-fire rhythms and unpredictable shifts. - **Dynamics**: The album balances moments of sheer aggression with surprising melodic hooks. For instance, "Crown of Storms" juxtaposes chaotic drumming with a hypnotic bassline[7]. The title track, "Wonderful Rainbow," offers a brief respite with its subdued tone before plunging back into the cacophony. - **Standout Tracks**: - "Dracula Mountain": A fan favorite for its intricate riffing and explosive energy[6]. - "30,000 Monkies": Builds tension through endless crescendos, showcasing the band’s ability to craft dramatic compositions[8]. - "Duel in the Deep": Closes the album with a sprawling, almost cinematic quality. While the music is undeniably innovative, some critics argue that it can feel repetitive. Tracks like "2 Towers" stretch single riffs over extended durations, which may test listeners’ patience[3][6]. --- ### **Production** The production on *Wonderful Rainbow* is raw and unpolished, amplifying its visceral impact. Recorded live in a studio setting, the album captures Lightning Bolt’s ferocious energy without sacrificing clarity. Each instrument occupies its own space despite the overwhelming density of sound. - **Bass Tones**: Gibson’s bass is processed through an array of effects pedals to achieve its signature growl. This production choice ensures that the bass remains prominent even amidst Chippendale’s frenetic drumming. - **Drums**: Chippendale’s drums are recorded with minimal processing, emphasizing their organic power. His use of unconventional rhythms adds to the album’s unpredictability. Some listeners may find the production overwhelming or abrasive, but this rawness is integral to Lightning Bolt’s aesthetic. --- ### **Themes** While *Wonderful Rainbow* lacks explicit thematic content due to its obscured lyrics, its sonic palette evokes themes of chaos, intensity, and euphoria. - **Anarchy and Freedom**: The album embodies a sense of unrestrained creativity. Its unpredictable structures challenge conventional song formats. - **Ecstasy Amid Chaos**: Beneath the noise lies an undercurrent of joy and exuberance. Critics have described the album as “blissful” despite its aggressive exterior[1]. - **Nature vs. Mechanization**: The organic drumming contrasts with the mechanical repetition of riffs, creating a tension that mirrors modern life’s dualities. --- ### **Influence** *Wonderful Rainbow* has had a profound impact on noise rock and experimental music. It introduced Lightning Bolt to a broader audience without compromising their avant-garde roots. - The album is frequently cited as one of the most accessible entries into noise rock[2][8]. - It has inspired countless bands to explore unconventional instrumentation and live performance setups. - Its inclusion in *1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die* underscores its cultural significance[2]. Despite its influence within underground circles, *Wonderful Rainbow* remains polarizing due to its abrasive style. --- ### **Pros** 1. **Innovative Sound Design**: Lightning Bolt pushes the boundaries of what can be achieved with just bass and drums. 2. **Raw Energy**: The album captures the intensity of their live performances. 3. **Dynamic Compositions**: Tracks like "Dracula Mountain" and "30,000 Monkies" showcase their ability to blend chaos with structure. 4. **Cultural Impact**: Its inclusion in critical lists highlights its importance in modern music history. 5. **Accessibility Within Noise Rock**: Compared to earlier releases, this album offers more melodic hooks while retaining their signature aggression[2][7]. --- ### **Cons** 1. **Repetitiveness**: Some tracks overextend single riffs or ideas ("2 Towers"), which can feel monotonous[3][6]. 2. **Lack of Lyrical Clarity**: The buried vocals may alienate listeners seeking lyrical depth. 3. **Overwhelming Production**: While integral to their style, the relentless noise can be exhausting for some audiences[5][6]. 4. **Niche Appeal**: Despite being more accessible than previous albums, it remains challenging for those unfamiliar with noise rock. --- ### Conclusion *Wonderful Rainbow* is a triumph of controlled chaos—a visceral exploration of sound that challenges traditional notions of music while remaining oddly accessible within its genre. It is not without flaws; its repetitiveness and abrasive style may deter casual listeners. However, for fans of experimental music or those seeking an adrenaline-fueled auditory experience, it stands as a landmark release in noise rock history. Its enduring influence on underground music scenes ensures that *Wonderful Rainbow* will continue to resonate with adventurous listeners for years to come—a testament to Lightning Bolt’s uncompromising vision.

82/100. Wonderful Rainbow by Lightning Bolt is a strong noise rock album, packed with chaotic energy and raw intensity. The instrumentals are relentless and engaging, though the vocals felt a bit weird to me. Despite that, it’s a solid album overall.

This is the musical embodiment of that meme pic of the Sickos t shirt man looking through a window going: Yes... Hahahhahhah...yessss! Getting this a day after describing Big Black as like a pneumatic drill to the face (in a good way) this turns up to make me look a chump. I love it. I do need a lie down at some point during On Fire. Reminds me of Atari Teenage Riot in places. Yet another act of self-sabotage to remove this from the book but leave a second White Stripes record in.

Unexpected!

é extremamente cabuloso q os cara tenham feito esse álbum com 1 baixo, 1 bateria e um sonho

ABSURDÍSSIMO nada além do necessário, só uma bateria e um baixo. noise rock bem acessível até!! agora to mto triste de ter perdido o show deles em bh ano passado vsf.

First time listening to a lightning bolt record end to end. Had some good riffs.

Jesus fuck, what a wild ride!!! This album sounds like it's barely held together by duct tape and shoe laces and I love it!

Das war eine Überraschung :-D

Dipped in and out of these years ago as my mate was a huge fan, totally forgot how insane they are. This is how noise rock should be for me: scuzzy, a bit incomprehensible, unpredictable, and mint. In fact all music should be like that really. Can hear a lot of influence from these in a tonne of Big Scary Monsters / Holy Roar type bands of the late 00s. Very good, will be back 4.5

Been aware of lightning bolt for a long time but never actually listened to them, glad they came up! Most of the actual music on here was class, really inventive noisey post punk. I really struggle with the very under-produced approach, though I get that it's intentional. Why would you make music this good sound this tinny!? I will listen again to see if I can get used to it, maybe try other albums, but as it stands 3.5.

Lovely noise. Only one or two songs were irritating, the rest I appreciated the construction. Nothing stood out, but a good listen that. 3.5, I'll round up. I'd be interested in hearing more.

Never heard of these and reading the public reviews worried me and made me think it was going to be completely incoherent noise..... Really was not this at all. I enjoyed it mostly. I would say I was far more onboard for the first half of the album than the latter. But it is very punk sounding and there is a melody. We've had far more disjointed offerings on this list. Assassins, Dracula mountain, and 2 towers were the best tracks. Not sure I'll be rushing back but it's at least 3.5

Punk album if ever I heard one. I did enjoy this on a few levels though.

This was nice.

Haven't heard this before so pleasantly surprised I like it

Uhhh, my perfect metal album, i.e., no frontman?

This is refreshing… in small doses.

Vissi ekkert. Ekkert mikið nær en heilmikil tilþrif. Aftur

Je ne m'attentais pas à du noise avec une instrumentation aussi complexe que ça. Vraiment un album impressionnant. C'est évidemment un exemple d'album qui teste la patience, mais ça en vaut la peine. 8/10

Loved the amount of energy and uniqueness of it, even if it got punishing at times.

I fuck with this shit HEAVY. A 40-minute instrumental noise-rock album that's utterly relentless is the type of music that excites me. There's obviously a sweet spot, anything too abrasive or long won't work for me, not on a first listen at least. Something too short and melodic on the other hand isn't nearly potent enough to have the inebriating effect an album like this had on me. I'd say 'Wonderful Rainbow' hits that sweet spot for the most part. There's rhythmic cohesion here, and even the occasional melodic riff - but for the most part, you're just getting this headbang-inducing dissonant cluster of noises. '2 Towers' may be my favorite song, that distorted riff matched with that simplistic drum pattern and occasionally drum fill is something I can listen to for literal hours. I love how tribal the openings of both 'On Fire' and 'Longstrockings' are - the latter of which, despite devolving into absolute chaos in its final minute, may be the most accessible piece here going in an almost post-hardcore direction. I don't really know how this album made me feel by the end of it, it's almost dreamlike but at the same time very much based in reality. All I know is that I enjoyed it...it's raw as hell. Lightning Bolt really is a fitting name for this group.

Anything other than nineties Brit pop

7/10 This is what the lair is for: a good album by an artist I’d never heard of in a genre I do t tend to like When I saw the punk/noise description I was worried, but this is much more than that Yes, it is punky industrial and noisy, but it is hypnotic looping and arpeggiated guitar too, clearly influenced by industrial, Glass, classical, techno Vocals are so distorted and indistinct that they become just another instrument Really interesting Best: 2 Towers

Track 1: Hello Morning (N/A) This is my first exposure to noise rock. I'm considering this an intro instead of an actual song. Track 2: Assassins (7/10) I'm shocked at how weirdly normal this song is? It definitley wasn't what I was expecting, it almost just sounds like a strangely atmospheric version of dance punk. I wouldn't say I love it but I dig it's vibe and I wouldn't mind it if the rest of the album was similar. Track 3: Dracula Mountain (9/10) I'm not aware of what a crowd at a noise rock show would be like but I could see myself having a life changing experience in a moshpit to this song lol it's just straight up hardcore punk to me and love that stuff. Track 4: 2 Towers (6/10) This is the first song so far that mostly just sounds like "noise", but I still think it would be great to see live. It's bursting with energy and it's almost hypnotic. Track 5: On Fire (8/10) The drumming is insane here! I'm really impressed by this honestly. It's got me headbanging hardcore. Track 6: Crown of Storms (9/10) This song is so cool. It reminds me of other genres yet feels completely new to me at the same time. That makes it hard to describe lol Track 7: Longstockings (5/10) Again this song is creative, though it wasn't as pleasant a listen as the other ones so far. Track 8: Wonderful Rainbow (N/A) I'm counting this as an interlude. Track 9: 30,000 Monkies (6/10) Tracks like this are more along the lines of what I imagined the entire album to be. I don't hate it but it's not something I see myself listening to again. Track 10: Duel in the Deep (6/10) I still really love the energy and I would love to experience music like this live, but this one ain't for me. Overall: 7/10 I'm incredibly conflicted over this one. On one hand, some of the songs sound so familiar in style that they don't sound unpleasant. On the other hand, a lot of it really is just "noise", but it's a noise that I've never heard before and I respect it for making me experience a new form of music that I wasn't at all familiar with. I almost think it belongs in the list for that reason alone, cause I wouldn't have gotten to experience this otherwise. Not at all surprised it's rated so low. Fav Song: Dracula Mountain Least Fav Song: Longstockings

Oof. Enjoyable punky noise

Excellent

Like somone took all your random obscure and tansient thoughts and turned them into songs. Flipping great noises

enjoyed it a lot, interesting sounds from a bass guitar, would like to listen some more, but not for the feint of heart. Probably 4.5

Много вопросов и мало ответов

Exactly what I needed this morning. Good noise rock

actually sick

Like, what? Apple Music says this is punk, so I was prepared to be annoyed by nasal yelling, bad instrumentation and cliched riffs. What I got was…not that. The musicality is shockingly good (maybe only “shockingly” because of my own personal punk rock biases), and overall quite catchy. Make no mistake - it’s a mess. At points it sounds like a mic check, or a pre-show warmup. But then they morph into something fun, energetic, and downright catchy. The vocals are fuzzy and mixed back quite low, so there aren’t really any lyrics to speak of. I was so intrigued that I googled them, and Wikipedia has them listed as “noise rock,” which sound about right. I’m going to give this a 3.5. I’m sure it’s partly influenced by it being better than I anticipated - i.e. not punk - but I also think it’s pretty good, and it’s very different, and I’d totally listen to it again.

This is the first album that I've had where I've never heard of the artist. There's a lot to like about this one. It's punchy, aggressive, wall of noise. However, it also does feel relentless. I'd have liked a few contrasting quieter parts to provide more texture and variation to the album. All in all, I'm going to have to give this a few more listens to properly make up my mind, but I think this is a pretty good album, that I'll only want to listen to when I'm in a certain mood or frame of mind.

If your favorite bands/artists are Bob Dylan and The Who and aren't open to anything past 1975 you can skip listening to this one give it a 1 and just say it sounds like white noise. I discovered this band somewhat recently, and have been meaning to give them a listen, so I am glad they are on this list. This album has some surprisingly groovy noise rock played by some really great musicians. I am definitely a fan now and will check out their other albums. Pushing the boundaries of Rock music. High 4

À mi-chemin entre le drum & bass et le progressif, avec des thèmes épiques caractéristiques. À la fois excité et un peu hostile

Fuck you. Lightning Bolt is a pummeling, unrelenting excess of sound. It pushes limits while still remaining within the realm of "rock" or, better yet, "music". Brian Chippendale's frenzied drumming and vocals drives much of Wonderful Rainbow with his concentrated energy, attacking each beat with purpose. All the while, Brian Gibson fills in the space needed to qualify some sort of "melody" with this razor-sharp basslines. The result is uninhibited, playful noise rock that exists in a childlike state of chaos. But for a whole lot chaos, it sure is tight! Gibson and Chippendale are in lockstep, maintaining a steady stream of Kill while keeping it accessible. This is music for dogs, so you need to increase the volume and bark in order to Get It. I understand not a lot of people are prone to doing that, and that's fine, not everyone can mentally adjust themselves to being a dog. It's probably best to conceptualize Lightning Bolt as Animal from the Muppets if he had full creative control over his band. Do you fw Animal? Do you really fw him? There's nothing really to "get" about Wonderful Rainbow; it's just for people who need the noise to scratch their brain just so. Some people don't need the scratching, which ends up feeling more like a terrible and unnecessary scraping if you lack the itch. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go drop large rocks from a significant height to see if they break open.

Bloody hell. This album is hardly essential to listen to before you die - unless you consider that this may be the album to finish the job for many. It's not even music, just mindless noise. Especially that song 30,000 Monkies (which is not how you spell monkeys.) Will not be listening again. ... Alright, I think anyone who would've enjoyed that review has gone off to listen to Guns n' Roses instead, or something of the sort. I can justify getting pretentious for a bit looking at how low the score is for something I genuinely like a lot. So here's why this album is excellent - it's fun. It really is just that simple. Just sit back, enjoy the seemingly endless wave of feedback, wild drumming, fuzzy bass, and, in one word, chaos. I've listened to a lot of noise rock, and also a fair bit of straight up noise, and there isn't much that matches Lightning Bolt for me. Genuinely, the first time I heard this and their superior 2005 album, Hypermagic Mountain (seriously, if you enjoyed this, at least check out the track Dead Cowboy), I couldn't believe for a second when I found out that it's just two people - a bass player and drummer at that. At times the bass produces tones similar to that of a guitar, while also performing the job of a bass. It just sounds so full of life and energy. Trying to find any deeper meaning in this is a pointless activity. It's just two people who, similarly to The Velvet Underground on Sister Ray, just wanted to make as much noise as possible. And really, at the end of the day, isn't that just the ethos of rock music? 8.5/10

What is wrong with me? Alternate yet very similar question: What is wrong with YOU? This album contains a bunch of infectious grooves hidden under ten tons of sludge, with bass riffs that shut you up as soon as they start, the playing being something that will rock your ear drums out of your head, and drums that force you to listen to its racing heartbeat, Sometimes too noisy for its own sanity, Wonderful Rainbow is an album that is perfectly exemplified by its album cover: a landfill of nonsense barely blocking that rainbow you long to see, but when you do catch a glimpse, it is extraordinary. Songs make you sit and wait for the payoff. You will appreciate the purely technical instrumentation presented to you, and if you've been a good boy, you get one sick climax that makes the whole song something to just sit and be astonished of. Perhaps it is self-indulgent, and this feels like something you would kill your grandma with only a note in, but letting yourself sink into it is truly something to get pumped about. My ears are ringing and I love it.

This album was fucked up, but in kind of a good way. Surprised by how much I liked it.

4/5. Driving drums and bass, not sure how this is just two guys. Just heavy hitter after another. First half is better than second half but really beating down those instruments. Vocals are nothing which prevents it from being a 5 but I thoroughly enjoyed my listen. Listen to it when you do not have a headache otherwise it will make it worse but otherwise please do, it's awesome. Best Song: Assassins, Dracula Mountain, 2 Towers

I remember trying this album back in the late 00's and not making it more than one and a half songs in because whew laddie, was noise not my scene. I've since grown into it and while this isn't quite my type of noise, I do think this is a good starting point to get into a harsher sound than I usually do with noise.

Killer

Would I listen to it again: yes Is it a no-skip album: yes Do I like it: yes

RAHHHHHH

Two people frantically trying to make as much noise as possible, as though their lives depended on it. This feels like being in the middle of a storm. But unlike noise artists like Merzbow, Lightning Bolt achieve this without relying on cheap tricks and synthesizers. They're just a rock band with as much adrenaline as they can muster. Rough as hell and certainly not destined for any radio airplay off of college campuses. I would have picked 'Hypermagic Mountain' over this album personally. While you still get a sense of their style here, 'Wonderful Rainbow' is a weaker album. It's saved largely by '2 Towers', one of the band's best songs.