Atomizer

the instrumentals are SICK

Be less comfortable

Blew my socks off. Can't believe they've never been on my radar, nor can I believe this was recorded in 1985...I can hear bits of other bands who came later throughout this album...so they were clearly groundbreaking. Also didn't realise Steve Albini was the founder and guitarist, though makes complete sense listening to it!! Yeah, will be listening to this again, I'm only 40 years late to the party...might even dance a bit if my knees allow...

I was more familiar with songs about fucking before this but what an album. First and foremost, rip and shout out Steve Albini. So righteously pretentious and had so much to back it up. This album continues that solidification of he can back up his own talk, it’s so well done. Very proto nine inch nails and if someone was doing loud punk over drum machines this well before this I sure haven’t heard it yet. Really impressed with this, production writing and everything about it.

kicks ass!

I hadn't heard Big Black and now I'm a big fan. Thanks!

When Big Black put out their follow up to Atomizer out (The Headach EP) they out a sticker on the record that read. "Not as good as Atomizer, so don't get your hopes up, cheese!". In 1988, when Sonic Youth put out their Master-Dik EP, the album had a sticker that read: "Not as good as Atomizer, so don't get your hopes up, cheese!".

Great listen, beginning to end

Did not expect to like this this much. Enjoyable from start to finish, great energy, great riffs, and beautiful chaos. Probably a low 5, but a 5 nonetheless.

Man, I just really like angry music like this. And I like it even more because I already trust Albini musically; he's not some rando making songs about the darkest corners of America, where you're like "Are you for or against this?" The songs are brutal while also still being catchy (imo!). The energy feels good, even if the lyrics feel bad. Especially loved Passing Complexion.

Even if it's abrasive as shit, it's still very accessible and likable. Love Durango's and Steve's driving guitar, Roland plays the drums like a damn machine. The bass sounds beautiful. Also, Steve's delivery is spot on and the lyrics, even if they're simple in nature, when paired with the music, want me to punch a hole in the wall in sheer rebellion, anger, and hatred towards the world and the state we're headed. Oh, and it was recorded in 1985, some 35-40 years ago, and it still feels like it was recorded yesterday. Holy shit. A landmark in music. Fucking recommended the whole way. Also, Steve, if you're ever reading this, I love you and everything you do.

You know what? Fuck it, I’m at a 4.5 that I'll bump up to a 5. I had some thoughts going into this; I figured it would be noisy (yes), with a little bit of a punk / industrial lean (yes), but I also assumed it would be a little annoying (no), abrasive (yes), & overall, it would feel like another “same”-y 1980s punk album that could either really hit or really miss. Thankfully, what I’ve been greeted by is, oddly enough, a blend of “Double Nickels on the Dime” (in terms of the instrumental vibes / energy), & Tom Waits’ “Bone Machine” (in terms of some heavier, yet honest subject matter on a handful of tracks). This album isn’t as quickly paced as the former, nor is it as well written as the latter, but for 1985, this feels like it takes parts of the best of both, leaning more towards using the soundscape as the primary storyteller, but using the harsher tones to more of a musical advantage as opposed to Tom Waits using it for a little bit of a shock early on in his album. Lyrically, there’s tracks about a falsified sexual abuse ring in Minnesota, the struggle for white-passing black people, crooked cops making shit up for money, small towns that are so boring they light shit on fire for fun (been there, literally done that), consensual physical touch taken to its extremes, falling back into the vices of alcohol, a slightly schizophrenic / paranoid mind, and cattle mutilation as a 9 to 5 job. Yeah. not exactly the same thing as Tom Waits’ struggle with mortality, but in terms of the brutally honest approach a lot of these tracks take, without ever going into anything truly gory or sickening (save for the first track, which is uncomfortable in that “Kim” by Eminem way where it’s a character), I think there’s some merit to that comparison. I think these are all mostly well written, even if the soundscape takes precedence, especially when it overshadows the vocals. It helps that there’s good liner notes for each track on Genius. Musically, it’s just a heavy fucking album. The guitar, percussion, bass, the whole 9 yards is LOUD, it’s abrasive, it’s full of echo & reverb, and yet for whatever reason, I found myself engaged, brought on by the fact that there are melodies & riffs & a general normal musical structure hiding underneath the “face value” volume. Other than “Passing”, a lot of these tracks do have a good sense of progression despite some repetition, and their drops are incredibly effective when they hit. I think it’s a little bit same-y for the 37 minute runtime, but if you allow yourself to just get into it, as fully harsh as it feels, there’s something satisfying there. I was definitely leaning towards a 4 for most of it, and yet something about the very last track showcasing that they keep the same energy live as they do in the studio really sold me on bumping it up & it sold me on them. Of course, afterward, I realized I hadn’t looked up anything about these guys, so I did a quick look at Wikipedia one more time, and… this is Steve Albini’s band. As in, prolific producer Steve Albini who passed away last year. We’ve had albums produced by him before, namely “Surfer Rosa” & “In Utero”, so it all makes a lot more sense now. I bounced off of “Surfer Rosa” very early on into this project (it was album #91!), but I feel like nowadays, I’d take much more kindly to it, so that needs a relisten. It’s not an album for everyone; I think the floor is a 3, and I do understand the 2.72 on the site. I’m at a 5 just because I enjoyed the hell out of it after the last track clicked really nicely. This was a good one to my ears, and I’m very sold on anything else we get in the future produced by Steve Albini (including yet another PJ Harvey album down the line) since this is the only Big Black album on the list. Rest in peace, Mr. Albini, and thank you for giving the list something this batshit crazy for 1986.

Nice 80s electro punk.

I’m old so punk/hardcore doesn’t torch my soul, but then that keyboard hook in Passing Complexion came on and intrigue set in. Then Kerosene rolled through and I felt an element of industrial Goth. Ok. I like it. The production is exceptional. Fists of Love pounded by and I’m realizing that this music is intentionally riding a very intense wave of urgency…something that seems to be lacking in modern music, or at least in music that is being crammed down the collective throat. Finally, I realized that this is Steve Albini’s band…producer of many 90’s alt rock titans (Nirvana, The Breeders, PJ Harvey, Slint, Bush) and of course the man behind the brilliant production on The Pixies’ ‘Surfer Rosa’. It ALL makes sense now. Steve truly was a genius music producer. This music feels of its moment and highly important even 40 years on.

This album is nuts. I can't imagine how abrasive it felt in the mid 80s. The loud guitar seems it would be ear piercing but it tickles my ear just right. And it's somehow pretty catchy. Love the drum machine

You know what it’s like when you’ve been stripped to your keks and there’s a gun at your head and you’ve been told to play the guitar like your life depends upon it (and it does) and you’re shredding for all you’re worth and your palms are clammy and the tips of your fingers have began to bleed and your heart is bounding and your mouth is dry but somehow, somehow, you feel that charge that says ‘this is what it means to be alive and to actually be living’? No. Me neither. But I bet Steve Albini did.

Yup, first track I thought this was too heavy for me, but I loved this rocky futuristic punk that sounded like a prototype Prodigy. Wouldn’t sound out of place on a Powell and Peralta skate video.

Это. Просто. Ахуенно.

I've never heard of Big Black before, but this is a really interesting album cover. I have no idea what this album is going to sound like, but in my quick jaunt to Wikipedia, I see that this album was influential on industrial music, and as one of the wackos who gave five stars to Kollaps, I have high hopes for this album. Ooh, and Steve Albini was the guitarist for this band? Neato, now I'm doubly excited! I really loved this album. It didn't sound exactly like Kollaps, but I'd say these albums are at least cousins. The guitar playing and drumming on this album were excellent throughout, and even though this album has a fairly narrow scope, each song really offered something different in terms of sounds. Listening to this was like riding in the back of a cement mixer with a bunch of scrap metal, and I loved it. The rhythms were excellent as well, bolstered by some excellent drum machines. Some notes on individual songs: I loved that reverb effect of the guitars and the drums on "Jordan, Minnesota." The sound matched the tone of the song's lyrics and theme really well. "Passing Complexion" was great too. There were more awesome guitars and drums, and now some sweet vocal effects were thrown in for good measure too. Deliciously chaotic. "Big Money" toned down the effects a bit, but I loved the blistering drumming. "Kerosene" was wild. I have no idea how they made those sounds, but it kicked ass. I enjoyed every second of those six minutes. "Bad Houses" was great. I enjoyed how the energy was slowed down a bit, but this song still kept the overall industrial sound. "Fists of Love" was excellent. The guitars were simply awesome. The guitars on "Stinking Drunk" were great. There's something that sounds like a weird vocal being looped, but I can't be sure. Regardless, I love it. The guitars are excellent too. I loved that little pause where it was mostly drums. "Bazooka Joe" was crazy. I loved how unsettled I felt listening to it. Atomizer was fantastic from start to finish, with excellent guitar playing, and an overall unique and wild sound. At 949 albums into this project, I keep worrying that there's no way I'll keep finding new albums to love, but I'm glad that I keep getting proven wrong about that. Atomizer isn't every day listening for me, but I really enjoyed it.

Great stuff!

Heard it before. God, I adore Big Black. Confused why this is the album chosen for the list and not Songs About Fucking (which is better in my opinion) but can't complain, this album still has some bangers. And since this is my only opportunity to rate Big Black on this list this goes straight to my favourites 5/5

Rather wonderful - nasty, dirty anger, but never to the point of noise. Felt unclean listening to some of it, but I still returned. Even the programmed drums grew on me, a tantalising look forward to NIN and the like.

Oh, fuck yes. It made me very happy to see this come up. Big Black is my favorite Steve Albini band, and this is my favorite Big Black album. There's some great songs on here and the lyrics are so extremely dark, but it's the actual *sound* of the album that captures me every time. Albini had a vision and it shows: abrasive, harsh, and metallic, but with no sludge or gloom in the production. It's like the aural equivalent of suurgical steel and bright lights, and I love it.

5/5 - I needed to hear this because it melted my face. This is beautiful, raw noise. I listened to the whole thing 3 times and played Kerosene and Passing Complexion about 5 more. I’ll probably do the same tomorrow.

You will love this or hate it. But I don’t think it can be ignored. I loved it, big 5 for me! Abstract ideas that come to my head while listening to this album: Jordan Minnesota: noisy dialectics, Gyrating hips, we do what we like, murder on the vocals, violate me Passing complexion: yum yum sushi, conveyor food wizzes by, I’m hungry, high school halls smell starchy. Five star because it is making a new mold. It doesn't seem like it aged because it has such freshness, I’m sure some would say it has a rotten vegetable smell. I say it smells of heated organic decay that I call humus. Perfect sound.

Big Black makes bands like Nine Inch Nails & Ministry sound about as dangerous as the latest volume of Kidz Bop. The most brutal album on the 1001 list? For me, so far, yes, by far. Part of me hates that this is so good because I can't stand Steve Albini (mastermind behind Big Black) but no denying his genius. The 10 songs that make up Atomizer are among the most vicious, bleak and misanthropic ever recorded. Songs about pedophilia, racism, drug addiction, self-immolation and every other disturbing subject you can think of & that's just side A. Atomizer is an exhausting listen and one of very few albums that keeps playing days after the needle lifts after side two comes to an abrupt end like a nightmare does when you feel that familiar hand on your tummy at the exact time you did the night before.

Transgressive, edgy nonsense made by some goobers that wanted to hear more of this kinda shit. My kind of album.

I really enjoyed this! Made sense once I realised it was Steve Albini.... First song was trying a bit too hard to be edgy and wound up gross though... I still think it's a 5 star album though - the energy the whole way through is insane. Kerosene is just punk perfection.

Yes

Absolutely love this. This album feels so much more contemporary than it is. Noisy but so controlled.

I really like this and I don’t know why

Albini revels in blue color small town toxic machismo and ennui. It becomes difficult to untangle how you feel about these horror stories delivered like Shapiro infused anthems. This has such a unique sound it feels both DIY and highly skilled. I do prefer when Albini added a full band on Rman’s Two Nuns and a Pack Mule but this Groundwork is solid and still sounds edgy.

Kerosene around, find something to do!

mostly unfamiliar with this (aside from a few tracks from Songs About Fucking). i'm more familiar with Albini's work with Shellac, had no idea this was his original group Jordan, Minnesota - 5/5 Passing Complexion - 3/5 Big Money - 4/5 Kerosene - 5/5 Bad Houses - 4/5 Fists of Love - 5/5 Stinking Drunk - 5/5 Bazooka Joe - 5/5 Strange Things - 5/5 Cables (Live) - 5/5 Average score: 4.6/5 (rounding up) loud and abrasive in the best ways possible. idk how this hasn't landed on my musical radar sooner Cables was amazing for a live performance, and i'm not usually a fan of live performances

Big Black - Atomizer, powerful, driving, industrial. Great album. Kerosene, full of power. A full 5 stars

Great punk with a driving guitar. Music that will get you up in the morning.

The first time I heard Big Black I thought they were one of the worst bands on the planet. I thought Steve Albini sounded like an edgy teenager and they were purposely trying to sound bad to make a point. A few years later after getting into recent noise rock bands with much tighter production I decided to go back and reevaluate. I am so glad I did. This is one of the most punishing albums ever recorded, the guitars cut like razors and the lyrical content is among (if not) the bleakest things ever put to paper. The electronic drums are pummeling and set the foundation for the metallic clang of the rest of the instruments. Steve sings and screams like a manic, fully embodying the characters he portrays, often representing the worst of humanity (some based on true stories ie. Jordan, Minnesota). It is edgy, but it is cutting and scathing and while brave might be the right word, you would be hard pressed to find many people willing to sing from the perspective of a paedophile. Countless shock rock bands came after this trying to one up each other with edgy and often "offensive" graphic content, not a single one has ever come close to the bleakness of this record. It is a record that backs up my belief that noise rock is heavier than metal, the unchained chaos after the tense build of kerosene goes far harder than any open string cleanly produced chugging breakdown (case in point, the lamb of god cover of kerosene) Not to mention the guitar tones on both kerosene and passing complexion are insane, truly warped and inimitable, crazy to believe this was recorded in 1985. When I saw this come up I thought I was going to give it a 4, I've heard it a hundred times and I thought that after all these years its novelty would have worn off. Nope, it reminded me how much I love heavy music and I was truly glad to have revisited it. Steve Albini's best work as a musician, crazy to think he would then go on to produce multiple albums I consider better than this. Kerosene might be a top ten song for me. Favourites - Jordan, Minnesota, Passing Complexion, Big Money, Kerosene, Bad Houses, Stinking Drunk

Confession time, I've never listened to any of Steve Albini's own bands before despite loving so many bands that he worked with and recorded but now I know I've made a big mistake. This album is excellent and I will be listening to more. It's crunchy and noisy and angry but it's not a difficult listen and I enjoyed it so much more than I expected to.

You can 100% picture little Kurt listening to this and thinking “I can do that” Ugly, noisy, rude, mean… and totally awesome.

Don't know what I was expecting going into this listen, but wasn't expecting an amazing proto-industrial post-hardcore record. The second the first song came on with its abrasive, lo-fi, but also clean production, I knew I was gonna like this thing. Checking the reviews, it's shocking to me that this is getting 2.7 average because with how noisy this record is, I'd expect harsher reviews. The sound of this album is immediately influential from the first notes, basically predicting stuff like Godflesh's Streetcleaner, and even dance punk like Death From Above 1979 or synthpop/EDM bands like Crystal Castles. Overall one of the best discoveries I've come across on this record that I hadn't heard before. Wasn't expecting it, but easy 5.

A strange musical experience. not just for me, but even for my speaker! I think it was the first time it ever produced some of those frequencies 😁

Amazing noise, industrial rock record. Steve Albini's guitar tone and vocals combined with Dave Rileys bass palying make for a very good album exploring dark themes. Also the drum machine in this album is probably my favourite part of it. 9/10 Favourite: Kerosene Least Favourite: None

accessible

didn't get to this yesterday so listening now. Hm this sounds pretty cool. 1985?! Punk Rock group fuck yeah. This sounds a bit industrial too. I'm diggin!

Pigfuck masterpiece. Abrasion abound. Albini's stylish sloppiness and morbid lyricism are inimitable, and the songs that come out on the other end are undeniably blood-pumping. I heard 'Songs About Fucking' far before this, and while I adore that album, I don't know if it has the same level of variety and experimentation. Regardless, this experience only further solidifies my adoration of Albini and his legendary output, which was already incredibly solid. Favorite Tracks: Jordan, Minnesota ~ Passing Complexion ~ Kerosene ~ Fists of Love ~ Bazooka Joe ~ Strange Things ~ Cables (live)

Big Black were yet another underground rock band working in the eighties to hazard a guess as to what the guitar music of the future would sound like. their answer was an uncompromisingly abrasive sound with a ton of overdrive and stiff, mechanical drums provided by an E-mu Drumulator. every song here has a slightly different drum pocket and more than a few incredible riffs, which helps to create a good sense of variety from one track to the next. I'm glad this was under 40 minutes; any more and I'd have gotten a splitting headache. Atomizer lasts just long enough to make it possible to enjoy every second, but not too long! light 9/10.

sublime shit. this album is ugly, its nasty, but its also quite elegant and even sophisticated. this people know what theyre doing is what im trying to say. if you dont like it, come back when you are properly fucked up and disillusioned

Classic, old school punk.

A brutally aggressive despairing grind, and that's just the bass tone. Buzzsaw guitars slash out churning riffs, dissonant noise, and some surprisingly melodic leads over sledgehammer drum machine parts. It's like a hardcore band replaced their instruments with a construction site and it rules.

Crystalline rage.

I get it... filthy, nasty, noisy, amazing. Might be one of the first albums that clearly influenced some of my favorites to come after

Incredible album from the late great Steve Albini. Always a blast listening to this.

This is SOOO good. This one definitely influenced some of my favorites that came yeeears after this. I love Steve Albini's producer work too. It still sounds modern even today. Low 5 compared to some of my 5 star albums

Bulldozing mix of punk, noise, and industrial music. Brilliantly brutal double guitar attack with unique tones, heavy clanking bass, while Roland slams programmed drum beats in your face and Albini tells uncomfortable tales over it all. It was fresh in 1986 and still sounds so. Everything about the song Kerosene is brilliant. Wonderful album that reliably kicks you in the nuts and never gets stale. Raw power.

A truly punk rock noisy mesh with incredibly distinctive guitar and drums. Just the type of music that makes you want to set everything on fire.

This is a debatable 5 for me It’s loud, punk, noise but musical and interesting, a little repetitive but not in a bad way

LIVE HERE MY WHOLE LIFE

Early grunge listen loud.

Set me on fire! Kerosene! Not much more to say.

muito bom

oh, hell to the fucking yes. i still remember the first time i heard them, driving around in my friend's primer-gray shitty convertible in new england winter, freezing our asses off and hoping the aftermarket stereo didn't eat the tapes. kerosene was an instant favorite then, about...uhhh...37 years ago now, i think? anyway, i used to play it on my radio show all the time - it was great, pulling that heavy-ass vinyl out of its sleeve, every time hoping some other jackass hadn't scratched it...eventually, i realized i was the only jackass playing it, so from then on i had only myself to blame. so, for a long time i only knew steve from big black - didn't realize he'd started engineering until sometime in the 90s, by which point it was awfully nice to hear his name again. and wouldn't ya know it, the way i learned about any of it was when a friend showed me a specific page on his studio site, hating on a specific mic (the Shure SM57, as i recall). he was basically saying, look, this mic is shit, but so many people love it i more or less have to keep it around. it's here, but for the love of potato chips, just please don't use it. and y'know, that's really beautiful.

Proto-noise rock. Such an influential sound they pioneered. And I love the drum machine giving it an early industrial feel.

As a girl who was raised by the Providence punk scene, which was a weird amalgamation of Boston Hardcore and RISD, I’m a sucker for noise punk. While I gave Songs About Fucking a spin as a teen, I never really did a deep dive into Albini’s other work, not even with Big Black. And that’s a real shame, because Atomizer is a fucking phenomenal record. It’s full of rage, spite, and disgust, really taking the vileness of masculinity and pointing the gun inward thanks to a healthy dose of deadpan delivery and violent noise, accomplished both sonically and vocally, somehow. This is a classic because of the guitar work, funky bass lines, and stunning vocal howls, but then I consider the unique addition of a drum machine, and my mind is blown to pieces, even today. It’s not a “fun” listen and I’m not going to be spinning this every day– mainly because that would probably wreck my mental health as a trans woman – but its value is clear as day, and I can point to a hundred bands I used to adore who wouldn’t have existed without Atomizer. But that’s showing my bias for this type of noise punk, so maybe I’m in the minority here.

Sept. 19, 2024 More punk lezzgo. Yep I like this a lot; less punk imo and more industrial which is also what the wiki suggests. This is exactly what I've been into lately-loud, intense, aggressive, angry. Scratches that itch for me. Apparently some of the lyrics are ehh where he's tried to over justify what he says, but I can barely understand what he's singing, so I'm rating for the vibe in the end. V enjoyable, and my first 5/5

These guitars are beyond jangly, they are fried, and for some reason, this sound has a relaxing, ASMR-like quality. The repetitive post-punk lyrics enhance this effect, allowing you to get lost in the sound instead of trying to follow the textual progression. The vibes are both emo and party, which is great.

This surprised the fuck out of me. Stellar.

Holy shit this fucking rips. Highlights: being atomized

One of the many Steve Albini contributions to this list. I will surely miss the guy. The album is one big explosion of sound and energy.

Esse álbum que explica como uma música pode ser fenomenal sem ser necessariamente algo que vá ouvir sempre (ou mesmo novamente). Ele consegue sintetizar o sentimento profundo de raiva e descontentamento desses meninos na forma de músicas abrasivas e vocais agressivos, além de inovar com o uso de uma drum machine no lugar da bateria, que traz uma pegada meio post-punk, meio industrial. É uma experiência sonora poder ouvir algo desse tipo, mesmo que seja apenas uma vez.

I mean, FUCK YEAH!!!

This is an album that I would never choose to listen to but I have to admit that, whenever my husband plays it, I get swept up by their energy. The riffs that start Kerosene and Bazooka Joe are exquisite in particular.

I’ve never heard of these guys and fully expected to be annoyed. Instead I was completely charmed. There’s still fun and hope seeping through the anger and desperation in the dark world they live in and scream about. A cathartic listen for me today that completely won me over.

wat een uppercut van een plaat... recht in je gezicht, geen franjes, geen opsmuk... ook de teksten zijn een dreun in je gezicht...kortom : een dijk van een plaat niet onbelangrijk trouwens in de ontwikkeling van industrial

I love big black

Interesting

This noise seems important. I don't think I ever want to listen to it again, but I think I'm glad I did.

I love you Steve, please put your stuff back on Spotify, please Steve, I need to blast Kerosene from my car without having to mad skip SoundCloud or YouTube every 5 seconds

I love this album SO MUCH

cool

A blunt approach on disturbing topics. A carefree atmosphere and a playful aesthetic (the comic cover art, for example). Guitars that feel like knives to one's ears. And a harsh noise/industrial sounds. In terms of sound, one might not consider it punk. But for me, it's ballsy, artsy, yet carefree, which makes it among the most punk album I've ever encountered.

даааааа! Если бы я услышала эту группу в 1986 году.... сто процентов.

Yeah! good find

Somehow despite having heard a million records Steve Albini produced, I never listened to Big Black. This is fucking GREAT

Best album and band this thing had given that I've never heard of, hands down.

I immediately respond to the harder, louder stuff on here. I don't have much else to say except thanks for the good time.

Put off listening to this for ages because it wasn't on Spotify and I'd never heard of it. I'm a fool. Proto-industrial noise with Steve Albini. Absolutely love it.

Huhh olipas huikea ylläri! Iski lujaa ja liittyy Fugazin kaveriksi suosikki punk-bändien harvalukuiseen joukkoon. Vaikea yhdistää vuoteen 1986, olisi voinut olla 1996.

BADASS. Wish someone had introduced me to this as a teenager - it'd've gone hand in hand with my Ministry obsession. Fave track - "Kerosene". GodDAMN that song embodies the teenage frustration of living in a crappy little nonentity town. 🔥

Maybe in the top 5 guitar sound on an album of all time, it sounds like scraping against giant strings of metal. Kerosene alone is one of the most intense and explosive rock songs you'll ever hear ("SET ME ON FIRE"). I was pretty sure I'd give it a 5, but after relistening i'm doubly sure, you'll struggle to find more aggressive rock music than this. Not surprised that once again, an album that's actually interesting and different than plain 60s rock n roll is panned with a low score on here.

I forgot how good this album is. I havent listened to it for years, mainly as its not on Spotify and the only Big Black record I have physically is Songs About Fucking. I always thought that was the better one, but I think this tops it. Steve Albini has always been brutal as fuck with his lyrics but he manages to find a way to make every instrument he touches sound like its bat shit angry. I love it. I love the rough sound, the production approach, the drum machine (he even managed to make that sound fucking livid). This is the post-punk / noise rock I love. Noisey, cluttered, angry, unique. Shouldnt work but it really does. Class.

What a find. Loved every minute of this. 5/5

BEST SONGS: - Fist Of Love - Kerosene - Jordan, Minnesota

One of the best albums of the 80s in my opinion and my favourite work from Big Black or any of Steve Albini’s bands. I’m a big fan of this style of excessively loud and pissed off rock music, and the songs here are so well written and infused with raw energy, screeching feedback, rumbling bass and a drum machine that repeatedly beats you in the face. The lyrics delve into the darkest aspects of humanity and the depths of depravity (some choices regretted by Albini, such as the false rumour that inspired Jordan, Minnesota). Not a record you’d play for your parents unless they were really cool, but a complete masterwork and a landmark recording. 5 stars

Master piece. So raw and yet melodic… it is a shame it’s not available on Spotify - but makes complete sense, knowing Albini.

There's something about the tinny, electronic dissonance of Big Black that sets it apart from nearly anything else. Like Minor Threat shrunk down and forced to perform inside a crappy old CRT telly. The subject matter is bleakly earnest too. I love it, it's horrible and I love it.

Been a fan of Big Black for years. Never really considered them proto-industrial, but I'm buying it. Personally, Songs about F___ing is my go-to Big Black album.

Not on Spotify

Unique, danceable, aggressive, and principled punk. I like it. Thanks Steve Albini!

maximalist droning zany 80s punk rock that had me headbanging while drowning in rebellious angst. like a more synth-y Black Flag. 4.5/5

Great takes on the genre. Equal parts catchy and caustic, with great lyrics and a sense of purpose.

I wonder how I would've responded to this audible assault back in 1986. This is honestly the first I've even heard of this album and I now know where some of my favourite bands found their inspiration. This is brutal, energetic, noisy and bleak industrial and still sound like it could've been released in this decade, even though it's already 37 years old. What a revelation.

AHHH! I love Big Black! Songs About Fucking is a classic and so is the rest of their discography. 5/5.

Couldn't listen . Not on spotify

Such an interesting mix of slightly tinny and industrial sounds with dissonant punk vibes. I wasn’t sure how to rate this but I thought long and hard about it and read more about Albini and just gained more and more appreciation for everything about this. So innovative and still holds up after everything that has come since.

Finally a banger. Only one I listened to 2x so far

Mind blowingly powerful

Classic 80s album with big reputation that I never got around to but I knew it would be excellent of course.

Yeah, this definitely sounds like something Steve Albini would create. Great riffs and super edgy lyrics. Nice and noisy.

Dope

i think this one is just way better than songs about fucking these days... back in the day i did not agree

Punk and weird heavy breathing kicks us off with Jordan, Minnesota. Kerosene is pretty good, a bit nihilist. Album is pretty unpolished but I like the sound. This album is worthy of a deeper dive, reading through the wiki front man Albini was very influential in the post punk scene, working with bands like the Pixies and Nirvana.

There's a lot to be said about Albini but, cutting through all that noise, this is just a great record. It perfectly scratches an itch for dissonant industrial punk rock. I also totally understand why anyone would hate this music, which only adds to its appeal for me. RIP legend.

4/5

Steve Albini was one of the most influential voices in music in the last 40 years, mainly as a self described audio-engineer for bands like Nirvana and Pixies, but also as an acerbic commentator and reviewer. He earned his musical stripes with Big Black though - a punk band that combined huge clanking guitars with smart use of a drum machine and some of the bleakest lyrics that you will ever hear. The opening track Jordan, Minnesota tackles child sexual abuse in a small town in the bluntest possible way and from there the rest of the album continues at a similar level of ferocious anger at the injustices inherent in American society. Racism, drugs, alcohol and being so bored in a dead end town that you want to set yourself on fire make this an uncomfortable listen but an essential one. For the record, Albini did say that he regretted some of his more confrontational and controversial statements that he made in his earlier days, and people like Kim Deal of the Pixies respected him as a thoughtful and considerate human being. He passed away from a heart attack in 2024, aged 61.

This was a fun, energetic album. I enjoyed.

Забавно, що звук на альбомі в деяких піснях мені не сильно подобається) Хороший альбом. Дійсно класні пісні, драммашина лупашить, тексти на межі фолу.

Не можу сказати що я колись був у захваті від музики Стіва Альбіні, але в мене стійке враження що саме цей альбом біг блек я взагалі ніколи не слухав. І дарма! Мені сподобалось - кріпова атмосфера, контроверсійні тексти, драммашина, нойзові гітари. Гарно.

manic, diabolical, grotesque. pretty cool!

My socks were literally rocked off

the distortion and overdrive and maybe fake drums on this album fucking slay. i want more energy like this. punk rock and early industrial. powerful stuff. acdc could learn a thing or two from a band that has something to say and the force to say it. fuck acdc lol.

After testing the waters for 4 years straight, Big Black was finally ready to unleash the beast they had been waiting on releasing with their debut album Atomizer. Just like the name this album will grind you into the finest pieces if you let it and yet you will still never be able to get the killer bass tones on this album out of your head. While not stemming from DC where Hardcore and Post-Hardcore were born and raised, this is arguably one of the most authentic representations of the genre in its' very early years of development that was not under the Dischord label. I mean how do you even compete with a song like Kerosene, it is one of a kind and so fucking great at being this angsty and energetic anthem. While nothing quite lives up to Kerosene in terms of quality, there are still a lot of great moments that are pushed to the front half of this project. Unfortunately, the back half of this project is significantly weaker but still does kick some ass in that signature Steve Albini kind of way. I was surprised at how fast this 37 minutes flies by and it will definitely be a project I return to in the near future when I need some shit to really fire me up. Sadly I do not think this is better than Songs About Fucking, but I also completely understand the appeal of this project. Yet another win in my books for the Post-Hardcore genre.

Nice

This was better than I expected.

this fucks. i'd been aware of big black for a while but had never listened properly, i thought this had a very unique sound, some extremely cutting bass lines, and steve albini has such a great cynical delivery throughout. great listen and i think the people demeaning it as "just noise" could do with being a bit more open minded.

This coming out in 1986 is genuinely a marvel. I don't think anyone's really made guitars sound like this in the 40 years since this came out.

Great industrial rock record, production is amazing even if the songs blend together too much

SET ME ON FIRE (worst painful guitar riff youve ever heard)

Enjoyable. New band to me.

Slam poetry but they slam your face against the curb. 4/5

I knew Albini was a legendary producer, but never heard his band. What a nice surprise. Reminiscent of Pixies and The Replacements at times, but a hell of a lot more anarchic and angst-ridden. Very dark subject matter that just gets drowned out by raging, cathartic noise. Feels very quintessentially DIY

Albums like this are why I'm doing this. Steve Albini was in a punk band in the 80s that helped give way to industrial music? What a banger of an album.

As not a bit fan of pack rock with one is very cozy and comfortable - very easy and comfortable to listen

I quite like the music but I am a bit scared of the transgressive lyrics. Might return to.

I’ve known about Big Black for a long time, mostly because of their next album, “Songs About Fucking,” and its pretty iconic name and cover. But weirdly, despite knowing “Of” them for probably 20 years, I don’t think I had ever heard a second of their music? I think I thought they were a 2000s band? Hell, I wasn’t even sure what type of music they made. So yeah, despite hearing of Big Black before, I was basically clueless. Turns out, I like it! Honestly, I listened once, and other than a couple songs, I wasn’t sure, but something called me back. I started the album again, and then again, and I ended up listening to the album about three times. Something connected with me. The weird, echoey atmosphere. The vague, dark lyrics. Like the middle point between My Bloody Valentine and Nine Inch Nails. Very interesting. Maybe I should listen to “Songs About Fucking” finally!

I really enjoyed the raw sound, it's not been polished and it's all the better for it.

Lovely and I have a new band to listen too. Not bad

Garage metal that’s strangely endearing. It picks up at “Kerosene,” but it’s “Bazooka Joe” that forces rounding up.

Thank you Steve Albini, you changed the world

I can understand why people don’t like this. I embrace the noise and aggression. This feels like industrial hardcore punk music.

Crazy good album though Songs About Fucking is better

Atomizer is a complete assault on the senses, and, honestly, I couldn't get enough of it. I expected some standard, shouty '80s punk, but Steve Albini and his crew delivered a pitch black, mechanical nightmare... A sonic collision of punk, noise rock, and industrial. The dual guitar attack is absolute violence, scraping and screeching, locked into a relentless, inhuman groove driven by a cold drum machine. Underneath it all, Dave Riley's heavy bass keeps you glued to the floor. It's a unique, masterfully engineered record that still sounds fresh and urgent. Lyrically, it's not an easy listen. Albini dives into the darkest corners of the American underbelly, tackling taboo themes without any comforting moralization. At times, the lyrical stance borders on provocative, but it's an emotionally exhausting, fiercely confrontational listen that offers zero catharsis. It certainly won't be for everyone. But if you can look past the bleakness and embrace the filth, it's an undeniable landmark of extreme music.

Fun

Industrial punk with some great riffs. Liked this, and it didn’t go on too long. Would listen again.

I listened to this three times in a row. Didn't understand 99% of it. Scared to look up the lyrics lol.

I was going to say they took the sound from Ministry, but looking up the timeline, I see that's reversed. I see the foundations of industrial but I'm surprised to call them a punk band. Hard core is the label I'd have used. In the vein of Jesus Lizard and Jehu.

Lowkey mechanized.

Cool to hear Albini’s own original musical vision before it was applied to so many other bands’ great records.

Noisy nasty wild and sometimes fun. Loved it

This was a lot for an early morning commute to work, but I'm really glad I've heard it. Definitely sounds way before its time.

Überzeugend

This is cool. Does Mr Albini know there are EQ settings other than treble? Who cares what he thinks, he's a creep and he's dead. Made a pretty good album tho. Very interesting sounds on here. Like Passing Complexion, that's an unplaceable weird mechanical noise loop they've got as a background, like putting an active guitar pickup through a bandsaw. But it works. I get a lot of Pixies vibes from the screaming and backing tracks, but this came first and its the same guy, so maybe that's why I'm vibing with it so well. Lot of Hella and Brainiac vibes too. Neato. One thing I'm noticing compared with the Pixies (because that's my point of reference), the songs here aren't really songing. They're pieces of music yeah, but most lack songiness. I can relisten to the Pixies because they're songy. Most of these aren't songy, more like sketches to build cool noises around. And that's okay. It's just less appealing to me than a song. Kerosene kicks ass. Bass sounds like a trash can full of aluminium baseball bats in a cement mixer. Strange things is dance music. It's awesome. Nah man this album's fucking rad.

Now I've finally heard Big Black after hearing about them for decades and reading Our Band Could be Your Life about 10 years back. Not what I expected and pleasantly surprised by the riffage and the general sonic texture, even if not totally my thing. Like to think I would have been into them at the time.

I kinda like this. More than I thought I would. It’s harsh but melodic at the same time, which works for me. The ‘transgressive’ lyrics are a bit edgelord though. Just as well they’re not to the fore. 3.5

A pleasant surprise. Musically and rhythmically pretty listenable. In an 80’s musical world dominated by Britpop and heavily synthesized pop, this comes as a breath of fresh air. That said, the production on some of the early tracks is super muddy, such that you can barely hear the vocals. I assume this is intentional, but since these boys definitely have something to say, I find it distracting and think that this detracts somewhat from the overall experience, enough to keep it out of five star territory for me.

This album is so bleak and loud and angry. I don't remember 1985 that way. I'm still rating it highly because it has an attractive, car crash quality (especially Kerosene)

This is dope. Can't believe I've never heard of them before.

Guitars and drum beats awesome, not so much the some of the lyrics delivery. Kerosine great track.

On my currently short list of albums I have never heard before that I like more than average! There are some songs that I would have loved to hear a little more variation on, but I liked it and would listen again! Season: True Summer Favorite Song: Kerosene

fucking grimmig. heerlijk

Sketchy, tightly wound and demented. Uneasy listening. The beats don't quit. It's relentless. I liked it?

A cut or two above most of the dreck on this list. The echoey vocals and noisy backing remind me of Butthole Surfers. Very good stuff and a pleasant discovery. I see that while the ratings for this album skew to the 1s and 2s, the top reviews are all 4s and 5s, which makes me think that the low ratings come from people too stupid to express themselves, and maybe too stupid to appreciate something a little out of the ordinary.

This was a good punk album! I enjoyed it a lot!

Þetta var feitt. Ógeðslegt, hrátt og mjög edgy edgelord stælar. Þetta elska ég samt og hlustaði oft á þessa plötu um helgina.

Hart og flott. Albini var snillingur.

I'm a long time fan of these guys, and of their unique blend of punk rock, industrial and noise rock. An abrasive, yet cheeky and playful listening experience, Steve Albini's larger than life persona really does come to the fore in his playing, with "Atomizer" breezing and buzzing along wonderfully for just short of 40 minutes. It has the ramshackle energy of what would become early post-hardcore, whilst the industrial elements contrast by magnetising the album back towards more defeatist sentiments. A to-and-fro that consistently provides the goods. The production captures a perfect balance between distortion and affording the instrumentation space to make itself intelligible, with the intentional lo-fi quality to it preserving the soundscapes conjured up here into today's landscape, where we are seeing more of a DIY resurgence in punk. Inexplicably, I haven't got this in my collection despite owning the similarly brilliant Songs About Fucking, but it's floating about on Discogs relatively cheaply, so I might have to indulge.

Insanely noisy and abrasive, but I still found it highly enjoyable by the second play through. Great energy, creative sounds, thoughtful lyrics, though I don't really care much for the drum machine.

Another band I'd been meaning to listen to. I'm realising from this list how many 80s post punk bands I like. Very very good, will definitely come back to this. Kerosene stand out track but it's really all good.

very interesting listen, I honestly really enjoyed it. dunno how often I'll just sit and listen to this album cos it is kinda aggressive but it was really cool

Blimey there is a lot of invention on this record. It is a textually dense and aggressive, but much more melodic and hooky than that would suggest. They seem invested in getting unusual sounds out of their guitars. The heavily manipulated guitar sounds on Passing Complexion deserve some kind of award. Kerosene's pitchy, chime-like guitar sounds are similarly impressive. The flaw in the Minnesotan rug is the adolescent lyrics which are desperate to shock. Its a pity because without them I think Big Black would be far better recognised. I can hear their influence in tonnes of band's from my youth (from Crystal Castles to Battles). My suggestion for enjoying this album is: tune out the lyrics, they are not particular worth focusing on, you can just let the abrasive qualities of the vocals wash over you and assume that the content of the words are very dark indeed.

Transgressive, angry, rough. I don't listen to a lot of punk music, but even for me it's pretty clear the level of hatred that inspired this album. Not hatred for a group of people, but rather for things like abuse of children, abuse of power, and abuse of one's self through substances or depression. It's pretty bleak, and the industrial sound helps carry that tone forward and sear it into your brain. Didn't care much for the drum machine though. I just like a real drummer. Probably won't listen to this one again anytime soon, except for maybe Kerosene.

That's some goooood squishy! Love the driving bass/beat. Good pick-me-up music.

Oh yes, this is exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for by partaking in this endeavour. I don't care about listening to every single damn REM album, I can just do that in my own time, but this is something way more unique and actually likely to introduce people to something new. I get that for a lot of people this isn't their thing, but I would argue that's all the more reason to listen to it and give it a go, I mean how else are you going to discover music that pushes you outisde your comfort zone? But for me, this absolutely is my thing. The kind of music that's so heavy and aggressive that you can't even tell which instrument is making which sound, or if some of the sounds are even actual instruments at all but rather just random objects being smashed together. There's something weirdly cathartic about this, like they are screaming about being angry about something and I'm angry about it with them, but I leave it to them to express it.

I loved this hateful little bitch of an album. It sounded like nothing I’ve heard before: the primordial industrial music sound is there but I didn’t think too much about Nine Inch Nails, etc. when I listened to this. It’s not as abrasive as I expected, while rough around the edges it has more melody than expected from its description. Pretty close to five stars for me.

I liked how hell for leather this was. Vocals were suitably crap in a way that fits. A nice surprise.

I knew the name Steve Albini as a producer, but looking through the stuff he produced this sound makes complete sense.

4.5 I have heard of the band but have honestly never listened to a single thing before. I always thought they were a rap group from like 1998. Maybe I got it confused with that Big Black guy from Rob and Big (Big Black was his nickname, I wasn't categorizing the person). I read an article in Rolling Stone about provocative album covers and Big Black had their songs about fucking album was on there, Anyway, this is totally up my alley and has a ton going for it. Loved the Kraut-rock like drum timing (-drum machine). Steve Albini. Should get some credit for being ahead of its time in the post-punk, industrial side for things. There are a few bands who kinda sound like this abiet 10-30 years later. With all of the algorithms out there on streaming services and whatnot, im just shocked I haven't heard the songs before. Will be diving deeper into the catalogue and one of the few albums from the 1001 list where I have been totally pleasantly surprised.

7/10

Second consecutive album with ‘noise-rock’ categorization, but this was way better to me than yesterday. I really enjoyed this one, it was over and repeating before I knew it. Can’t quite assume that I would listen on repeat and give it full marks, but I had a good time with this one, 4/5

Very abrasive punk rock that may have helped plant the seeds that would eventually become noise rock and further influence early industrial music. It's an interesting take for the time it was released and kind of fun to listen to. I need to take it in small doses though!

This is right in my zone. The list nailed my general mood today. Super cool sound. Love the guitar tone throughout. You can hear some of the qualities that Albini would contribute to other artists' work as an engineer, but they've still got a unique and interesting thing going on. Favorite song was probably "Kerosene", no skips though. This is probably a 3 or 4 star album that I'm giving 5 stars because I loved listening to it today and I want to be reminded to turn it on when the mood strikes in the future.

Review - A great industrial noise rock album. Abrasive in all the right ways but still incredibly listenable. It's a shame drum machines didn't catch on more in mainstream rock following bands like this. Interesting to hear how little of what went on to be Steve Albini's signature production style is present on this album. He had a long career and clearly took a while to develop his technique. Rating - 8.5/10 Need to hear? YES

This was my first time listening to this particular album from Big Black, and I have to say it definitely delivers. Like the rest of Big Black’s catalog, it’s loud, harsh, and aggressive as hell. The music feels like a fusion of hardcore punk and industrial. It’s unrelenting and abrasive from start to finish. One of the standout elements is the use of a Roland TR-606 drum machine instead of a live drummer, which adds a cold, mechanical feel that really cranks up the intensity. For an album released in the mid 80s, this must’ve really pushed the boundaries. Using a drum machine in the punk and metal scene at the time was practically unheard of, and Steve Albini used it to amplify the chaos.

Before: This is one of favorite albums, surely in my top 1000 but probably not top 100. It's get a few 4 and 5 star tracks, namely: Jordan Minnesota, Passing Complexion, Kerosene, and Bazooka Joe. However, I do find listening to the whole album a bit tiresome. In fact I don't think I've ever listened to the whole thing in one sitting. Let's get started! During: I didn't have a chance to make notes while listening as I was preoccupied with my cats demanding attention. After: I'm giving it 4 stars. It's got a few 4s and 5s but the rest or 3s IMO. Still, I think it is best in class for this particular genre, from my limited experience.

Some of the sickest riffs and coolest guitar tones ever committed to vinyl. “Kerosene” is an all timer. This is the music the makes all other hard driving music pale in comparison for me. This has “it”.

Albini always throws down so hard, loved hearing this early record in its entirety. Really torn on how to rate this…it just sounds so good. Bonus point for absolutely grimy, menacing clarity.

8/10

Brilliant

fucked up, frightening. more range than I thought. evokes the feeling of being too young to play Doom but playing Doom with your cousin & wondering if it'll scar your brain. I'm not big on transgressive art so don't love some of the trappings. still think it's genuinely worth a listen. appreciate that some underground rock needed to smash boundaries, also appreciate that people learn & grow. music: hated. (⌐■_■)

ha ha ha holy smokes eh

Hell yeah

Cool sound, good lyrics

There is such an odd catchy level that cuts through the aggression/noise. RIP Steve Albini. His bands were never as popular as his productions/influences, but this some good stuff.

Hot damn! Totally missed this band, never even heard of them until a few years ago I think. This record fucking rips. This mid-50s former punker was skankin’ all over the kitchen to these jams. Excellent, high four.

Tinged with Joy Division and Killing Joke with hints of early Sisters of Mercy, Skinny Puppy, and Ministry. This early industrial rock album still stands the test of time.

This is a bit of me. I should have heard this before now really. Industrial. Jarring. Excellent.

Whoa. It's a tough listen, but i think it's unlike anything else before it, but lots after.

Damn, this album is nasty, but in a good way. It is filled with some incredibly filthy, raw and chaotic riffs. Big Black is better known for their sophomore record, 'Songs about Fucking', which is quite curious since it is rated lower in different music reviewing sites, but I do agree with the ratings. They are both very punishing and noisy records filled with some incredibly raw, chaotic and killer riffs, but I think 'Atomizer' sounds a bit more solid and melodic. What makes this band sounds so distinct is primarily the guitar. It is by far the most abrasive instrument, followed by the bass. The drums may be programmed, but they are relentless and add a lot of power; and the vocals are the same type of screaming you would expect from a hardcore band from the time. To add to the overall sensation of madness and chaos, the lyrics are unapologetic, touching several dark themes such as abuse, immolation and misanthropy. Overall, this is a great album, one that is not for everyone and that feels like a rejection of the more polished and overproduced music that was trending in the 80's.

This is #day497 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… are we back on track with goodies? I came in with zero expectations, but am leaving with a nice impression. I'd never heard of this band before, but I'm really enjoying the sound here: gritty punk-on-the-verge-of-industrial kind of stuff. Super interesting. I wouldn't mind scoring myself a vintage vinyl copy. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day498.

I really loved this. I could hear the music I listened to in the '90s on this album.

Great industrial punk album. Albini’s seedy characters and dark stories fit the vibe of the cold hard music super well. This album makes me feel angry in an uncomfortable way and I love it. Favorite tracks- “Jordan,Minnesota” “Kerosene” “Fists of Love”

Not bad, I like the music but not the singer.

Black Flag influencer. Old punk

This was awesome. Fuck Steve Albini, but this was awesome

This was more interesting than I expected. Kind of a cool mix of punk and 80s synth. Passing Complexion was the standout. Some stuff was a bit much and I’m not sure I’ll listen again but I’m glad I heard it. Light 4.

Some truly legendary noises

First time listener to big black. He could sure hear the pre-cursor to nine inch nails in here, and I appreciated that a lot.

The sound is incredible but some of these lyrics are so fucking dark.

What’s not to love about this!

A cross between early Therapy? and Talking Heads! Clearly influential on lots of bands that followed and with good reason. A strong sound with driving guitars, insane drum machine and sneering vocals. I guess it is a little bit too intense for the average listener. A great find and will listen to more.

I’ve never really cared for Steve Albini’s own tunes before. But either my tastes have changed or I haven’t listened to this before. While still abrasive, it’s much less harsh than I thought it would be. The bass in particular really sings and gives the songs a nice melody for the guitars to play around. And generally speaking there’s some good song writing here. Impressed.

Pure treble has never sounded so grimy

Musically this sounds like it came out today. Lyrically, well, it captures the endless frustration of being alive today. Favorite songs: Passing Complexion, Strange Thing, Kerosene.

Gets better if you play it loud.

Really good if you ignore the lyrics

Somehow borders between insufferable noise and cool industrial rhythms. Extra star for Steve Albini’s overall influence on the music industry.

4 out of 5. Once you get past the initial abrasiveness this album kicks ass.

Surprised I never heard of this band before. They are basically pioneers in industrial rock.

3.6 Ferocious, in a good way. Can really hear Albini's later influence of the heavier elements of Sonic Youth, Pixies, Nirvana etc. Main detraction is that a lot of these songs sound the same, but it's not a bad sound. Album hits a peak with Kerosene, seems to be when all of the elements briefly come together just perfectly

В ебало. Лучшая песня - Passing Complexion.

I have known of Big Black for a very long time, mostly due to Steve Albini, but I never listened to them. I was very pleasantly surprised at how much noise rock and driving the sound was in a non-traditional punk way. Even though I think it has weak moments, for the time it was made, especially, the braveness of the sound and approach is to be commended. I definitely will revisit this album.

My first exposure to Big Black which is shameful as a life long punk/alt music fan. Driving, noisy and chaotic. Really liked this.

good!

I knew who Big Black were for a long time but never took the time to listen to them until their last album, which I thought was really good! This is the first thing I've listened to other than that and it's another thumbs up! It's got a real vital intensity to it and sounds way ahead of it's time for 1986. with its noisy, almost industrial feel at times, slightly grungy too, which all works for me!

Pretty cool. A bit industrial. I could hear some Ministry at times. I also heard some singing that reminded me of late Black Flag. I need to check out more of their catalog now. 4/5.

The first track was so abrasive I was worried that I was going to need to skip this, but I am glad a persevered as this turned out to be a fantastically innovative album

This was my first time listening to this particular album from Big Black, and I have to say it definitely delivers. Like the rest of Big Black’s catalog, it’s loud, harsh, and aggressive as hell. The music feels like a fusion of hardcore punk and industrial. It’s unrelenting and abrasive from start to finish. One of the standout elements is the use of a Roland TR-606 drum machine instead of a live drummer, which adds a cold, mechanical feel that really cranks up the intensity. For an album released in the mid 80s, this must’ve really pushed the boundaries. Using a drum machine in the punk and metal scene at the time was practically unheard of, and Steve Albini used it to amplify the chaos.

Does very much feel like a predecessor to something like Nine Inch Nails. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

The lyrics/vocals didn't especially grab me but I really like the music. Very cool guitarwork. This is 1985? It sounds pretty ahead of it's time. This is worth a few more listens.

Super abrasive but this slab of industrial drum machine punk definitely grew on me whilst listening - Steve Albini could wrangle some proper weird sounds and I’m not mad about it.

A challenging listen, and an example of why that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Punky. Aggressive but pointed and not over egged

not sure if I’ll come back to this very much, but I do like it. makes me curious about their other stuff. 3.5

I've never heard of this band before. I really like the music.

One of the most creative 80's rock albums out there. Wild idea after wild idea. Very dark and noisy, but at the same time they through fun and colorful ideas at the listener, like the main riff on "Passing Complexion". You never really know if the band is taking themselves too seriously or taking the piss, but you love it anyway. And with a cover art as deliciously ridiculous as that, how could you not? Steve Albini went on to become one the main architects of the sound of the 90's (and also a major competitive Poker player). Key tracks: Jordan, Minnesota Passing Complexion Kerosene

Solid punk, drum marchine is a cool touch. Guitar work is aggressive and well recorded, the bass is turned full blast gain and sounds sick. Vocals are over the top and wild, this sounds modern. +1 for Chicago punk scene.

Good fun, I enjoyed songs about fucking a lot more, but this is very cool too! RIP Steve Albini

Now this is an influential album. I feel like I've been lacking in actual "must-listen" albums, so to see this greeting me last night was very welcome. But how do I feel about Big Black's Atomizer as an album? It's pretty good. I'll admit that I'm generally not a fan of noise rock, but this album's generally solid. Of course, this is not an album for everyone. This thing is harsh, abrasive, and arguably even offensive. But here's the thing. This was released in 1986. This thing is revolutionary, okay? Other bands just weren't doing things like this at the time. Steve Albini was definitely an interesting artist, all things considered. While I don't think I enjoy this as much as some of the albums he's produced, I still think his willingness to make the kinds of music most people didn't want to hear was somewhat commendable. However, this album only works because the music itself is actually music, and good music at that. I don't think every song works. Like, I know this album's supposed to be bleak and harsh, but I think the opener, "Jordan, Minnesota" is just a little... much, you know? But the good songs? Bangers. "Passing Complexion" is cool. I love the bass on it especially. And of course, we have "Kerosene," which I love. This album's full of weird noises that sometimes are a little annoying, but other times are really cool. The writing is certainly interesting, and the actual compositions are very well-made. These actually feel like they have melodies and such, to an extent. So, between the influence, the musical quality, and the experimentation, I have to give Atomizer my respect. While I prefer other albums of the time, I can't deny that Atomizer is a strong album that deserves its recognition on a list like this. Low 4/5.

Noisy. Jarring. Harsh. Yep, it's an album Steve Albini is involved in. I dug it but I prefer Shellac more. Still, this one deserves to be in and it's definitely influential.

I liked this way more than I was expecting. Songs about F$&king didn’t make a huge impact on me 25 years ago when I was introduced to it, but maybe I was just not ready to hear it then. Now I will need to revisit that. Lots of interesting songs here, and I especially liked Kerosene, Bad Houses, and Bazooka Joe.

Somewhere between punk and industrial, and far enough away from either end of the spectrum that it sounds fresh and original even 40 years old. Yeah, it's noisy and abrasive with some fairly edgelord lyrics, but it's got enough rhythm, melody, and insight to steady the ship. Pretty fucking cool album.

This goes hard. Especially for 1986. But, surprisingly catchy and listenable for an album that is abrasive and ugly by design. You can also hear a lot of the elements that would lead to Albini's later success as a producer.

People go on about how abrasive this is but it just struck me as punk crossed with some dance vibes - like if Trent Reznor went *REALLY* balls to the wall. I enjoyed 'Passing Complexion' and 'Kerosene' enough to add to playlists. Some of it was too darkly punk for me - but mostly a good listen for an afternoon of deleting shit off SharePoint.

Æ vet æ hørte på det, det va raskt og bråkate?

I knew nothing about the band. I've never heard their music before. It came heavy, frenetic, distorted, and raw. It took me a bit to catch the mood but afterwards it was a noisy bliss. I was able to feel elements from shoegaze and punk. For me, it's a 4/5. mini0n, 05/09/2025

This album is good but Songs About Fucking is waaaaaaaaaaaaay better and belongs on this list. 3.5

A pretty solid punk album. You can definitely hear the influence it may have had on future punk / noise / industrial stuff. Interesting use of a drum machine. I didn't listen close enough to hear (or be effected by) the lyrics but thought the playing and creativity were both top notch!

Oh its steve albini's band. I didn't know it was his, fun. 93/100

Great album, great band, great producer.

This was a little more noisy than I really needed today but it was fun. I will give it the round up.

Much better than expected. First industrial album I’ve liked so feeling very surprised. It’s raw, it’s different, and doesn’t let up. Has repeat listenable qualities for workouts.

pulverising, relentless, breathless and bleak

אלבום מאוד מעניין הז'אנר לא הז'אנר המועדף עליי אבל זה אחלה מוזיקה שיר מועדף - Kerosine

Refreshing listen after yesterday's The Who pick. Raw, and aggressive. There's a particular kind of fuzz on the guitar(s) that gives the whole record a distinct feel. Wish I would have listened to this earlier. My only complaint is that a lot of the songs could be mixed louder.

Really fun solid punk album. Lots of noise. Really liked it.

This was such a solid punk rock album! I’d never heard of this artist or album before. As someone who loves 80s and new wave music it was fun to listen to and discover new music in one of my favorite decades! I will definitely be listening to this album again and would recommend it to others!

Surprisingly listenable for an avant-garde industrial punk album. I like it.

I've always wondered why Big Black wasn't more popular with the punks.

Rough and unpolished, I love the drum machine sounds, nostalgic for that era with industrial and punk experiments. Echoes of Pailhead! Interesting.

At first, I thought this was pretty grating. But then, the words they chose in their deconstructed tracks kind of drew me in, and in a strange way, this album was a relief from the very pretty and poppy albums from earlier in the week. Also, they formed in my hometown - Steve Albini was huge in the Chicago area as an audio engineer and recently passed away, which was all over the Chicago news at the time. It is kind of mind blowing that this grating, but transcendent? piece of art was released in the mid-80s and that they probably attended college with my dad, a guy who thought he was already so counter-culture by adoring classic rock and emotionally-charged music. I think this album is the white noise refuge from all of that, it's that underground underground, and I am thankful I learned more about this group and Steve.

This was good at doing what they're supposed to do, but truthfully I just didn't like it that much. I'm going to give it a 4 bc the sound really is innovative, but it was way too edgelord for me.

I really liked this. Raw, energetic, crunchy. Good guitar sounds.

Not particularly familiar with this album but I enjoyed it. Nice to see where Steve Albini started.

While the opening tracks are both deeply uncomfortable (especially the first, with its origins in a later disproven horrific news story) , the record as a whole is a solid punk effort that makes smart use of razor sharp guitars and pounding drum machine.

Completely new to me; enjoyed it and will check out their full range. Really liked the instrumentation. Simple enough guitar & bass riffs and high energy drum. Listened to the album after a long workday and zoned out, which will likely be how I listen to it in the future. Some lyrics were really rough to listen to (Jordan, MI, et al.), and I'm not sure the message outweighed how grating they were. I get that that was kind of the point, it just didn't feel like the subject matter elevated those songs and in some cases made them nigh unlistenable. That being said, the lyrics barely played into my overall appreciation of the album; the production felt raw yet polished. For not having much exposure to punk and for my first time hearing them, I'm surprised at how quickly I was into it. P.s. In 'Bad Houses' I kept waiting for the drum to drop and the hook from 'What I've Done' - Linkin Park to enter. Probably permanently ruined the immersion for that song, what can ya do...

4.5

Noisy, abrasive and challenging. The sounds of these instruments really get to you. Can definitely see how the drumming influenced industrial rock, some of it doesn't really sound like drums, I guess because they used drum machines. I'm not sure I am even qualified to describe how they make their guitars sound, it's venomous, and really channels the anger and emotions of the writing. Talking of which the lyrics are... Certainly challenging. This is a brave album that I'm glad I listened to.. playing this thing loud is certainly an experience Not sure I'd say I loved listening to this album but it definitely belongs on the list and is one I'll remember

Punk classic, nothing further needs to be added

I liked this a lot. Sure it’s noisy and the production jarring but that’s what is required.

I really enjoyed this. Unsurprisingly felt of a piece with 80s era Sonic Youth and Swans which is a sound I'm very into.

Steve Albini was a monumental figure and it's difficult to assess whether he said everything for shock value or if he actually meant some of the horrifying statements he made across the years. Atomizer is also a monumental record, and balances perfectly being very harsh on the ears and still captivating in its use of fast drumming machines and loud riffs. Fully fletched industrial from the get go.

This was fun but not entirely my jam. I dug it well enough and had a good time listening to it.

This was a good listen. I had never heard this at all and I can a any thinking there is a straight line from this band to Rage Against the Machine. At least in my ears. It's got something electronic and dancy about it in the right instrumental performances.

I remember reading about Big Black in “Our Band Could Be Your Life”. I never got around to listening to them, but I remember their M.O. Loud guitars and a drum machine (His name is Roland). This record is dark and punishing, so brutal, it threatens to crush you. This isn’t heavy metal posturing or machismo, it’s a sound that matches the grim reality of songs about sexual abuse, alcoholism, ptsd, domestic violence, arson…things most folks in Steve Albini’s hometown in the Mid-West would rather just sweep under the rug and not talk about. This is industrial punk rock. Nine Inch Nails used this sound to sing about emotional nihilism? Ministry used this sound for…goth creepiness? (Okay I really don’t know that much about Ministry take this with a grain of salt) Big Black are using this sound in the best way possible.

Parallel to Ministry. Precursor to NIN. Good recod

Holy hell, what an absolute barn burner of a record. Having never heard of ‘Big Black’, I came into the listening experience with a fair bit of trepidation. But boy what a blast. From the opening guitar scratch of ‘Jordan, Minnesota’ you just know you’re in for something violent - and once you key into the lyrics, the real horror show begins. This is an album that never lets up, and leaves nothing unsaid about life’s deepest miseries. This is a hateful and dark record; but you never get the sense that the songs have an agenda or something to rail against. They’re just screaming into the abyss. A rough as guts listen, but compelling as hell. A very easy Four stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is one I have always wanted to listen to because I like the cover, but have never got around to until now. This is abrasive as shit. I love it. The beginning of Cables sounds like metal pipes smashing against concrete. Favorite songs were Passing Complexion, Kerosene, Fists of Love, Stinking Drunk, and Strange Things.

- Punk -

This is punk, for sure. Too noisy for me, but I see how it broke new ground.

Steve Albini and co. make a lot of noise. What's not to like?

Anytime a song on here literally makes my jaw drop it deserves massive acclaim. The sound on Passing Complexion baffles in. I don’t know how exactly they did it, all I know is I want someone to sample it in hip hop. I will dock one star if only because so many of the songs are trying WAY too hard to be edgy.

> the Beatles This kinda rules

Enjoyed that.

Let's go. The general app population like this more than I expected. RIP Albini, ya creep.

Oh, what's this? I'm interested! Where had this been hiding??? For a 90s fan of ministry and post punky, gothy and industrial music this would have been right up my alley. Oh well, no time to lose. Will spin this again. Four stars.

I dig Big Black. Abrasive and not always the easiest listen. Very unique and true to it's vision.

Genius - Albini forever

Fed!

Feeling a little more rebellious

This was unexpectedly excellent. I tend to dislike 80s music, and I've never heard of this band, so my expectations were very low. Not only was this awesome in a "surprise, it's actually good!" sort of way, this is excellent in a "I'd probably listen to this on purpose" sort of way. Apple Music has this listed as Alternative, and Wikipedia says this is a punk band. For me, it sounds more like early industrial with a bit of punk and even electronic mixed in. I'll tell you this - it's unlike anything else I've heard from that era. I don't know for sure, but this is certainly an album I would imagine a young Trent Reznor would have enjoyed A LOT. 4 stars, maybe even 4.5. There are several 5 star-worthy songs on this album, but as I try to keep 5 stars reserved for the best of the best, I'm not quite sure I can rank it that high, but make no mistake, despite my dumb, arbitrary star rankings, you *should* listen to this album, because it's awesome.

Id call this an album I appreciate more than enjoy? I was already an Albino fan going I to this, so I was more primed to like it than if I'd gone in cold. Had I gone in cold would I still like it? Who's to say. Every song is something I would hear a snippet of on college radio, and stick around out of curiosity. I love how insane everything sounds. Everything sounds like it's made of metal and it's all coming from a big shiny machine planet. The bass tone especially hits hard for me. The more melodic songs are definitely my favorites. Kerosene is in regular rotation on my gym adjacent playlists. Fists of Love was a close second. I could do without their whole edgelord thing, but overall Big Black is tough, but fun when I'm in the right mood. Album cover: (A) I'm a big fan of big, bold colors. I liked Roy Lichtenstein as a kid, and this reminds me of him. Very cool and I would wear this shirt.

Best een vibe. Niks bijzonders, maar wel goed

Damn. Powerful album, with occasionally very uncomfortable lyrics (interestingly, while Jordan, Minnesota is about a true story of a purported child sex ring, Steve Albini later regretted the lyrics when it turned out it was all based on false accusations). I'm particularly impressed by Albini's use of the Roland drum machine - sure, if you know it's a drum machine, it's obvious, but on songs like Kerosene it fits really well (but then right after that, it's clearly a drum machine on Bad Houses). This also sent me down a rabbit hole learning a lot more about Steve Albini, for good and bad. A highly principled guy, who has said some awful things over the years, but also some brilliant things. His AMA on reddit is fascinating: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/td90c/i_am_steve_albini_ask_me_anything/?limit=500 The harsh edges of this album keep it from being a 5, but the harsh edges are also what make it an intensely cool experience. Favorite tracks: Jordan, Minnesota (like getting punched in the gut and thinking, damn, that's a cool gut punch), Kerosene (incredibly cool song - love the industrial sound, and the lyric "probably learn to die in this town" is awesome - be sure to check out St. Vincent's live cover - you can find it on YouTube), Cables (man, their live shows must have been intense).

RIP Steve. First listen to Big Black, and boy does it take no prisoners. Now I want to go and listen to Songs About Fucking. This feels like a record perfect for the shit heap currently going on in the world today. Raw, industrial, unflinching, good times. I wonder if Shellac sounded anything like this.

I bet all of the 1 star reviews are from Old people that angrily shake their fist whenever they see young people having fun It's a bunch of kids making art in their garage. Does it sound like shit? Kinda, yeah. But that's the charm, and we wouldn't have your favourite band were it not for albums like this

Brash, discordant and angry. Some very dark lyrical themes, but I enjoyed it overall, especially Passing Complexion.

excellent album, 4,2

- "Hmm...this is a bit abrasive." Proceeds to listen to album straight through four times in 24 hours. Something about the audacity of this sound got its hooks in me...I have no idea how they created some of these sounds. - "Passing Complexion" is surprisingly nuanced in its subject matter? - Wild hearing a well-developed and essentially modern Nine Inch Nails progenitor in 1985.

This album blew me away! I had never heard of them or any of the tracks on this album. This is right in my wheelhouse! Not an everyday, high-rotation album, but when its on, its on! So aggressive, offensive, musical, noisy, bleak, fucking awesome! Exactly what this challenge is all about!

I don't know if I was just into this because it was the perfect music for fangin' up the highway in my car, or because it just tickled my brain in just the right way. It kind of reminded me a bit of NiN and RATM, I liked (most of) the discordant sounds mixed with a furious pace, sometimes this would be too much noise, but today it was just right.

Actually great, I'm surprised I've never heard of them before. Unique sounds, Kerosene is an amazing song.