Reviews (page 4 of 7)
Had no idea Steve Albini was also a musician. I totally see why the Pixies and Nirvana wanted to work with him after listening to this!
Kind of industrial sounding music. I have never heard this before but it reminds me of 90's industrial metal bands. It's not bad and I actually listened to it a couple of times. This is something that I would have loved when I was young since I was into this kind of mechanical stuff. Now it seems interesting only in that it reminds me of those times, it's probably not something I would put on these days. I don't regret listening though.
It's a very different sound than what I thought it would be. It's raw, it's energetic and fast paced. Incredible debut for this legendary band.
Decent, aggressive punk. Didn't really grab me, though
I did not care for this, but I think I understand why others would like it. It was not actually as harsh as it seemed at first.
It's a very raw and noisy post punk record, but it's quite accessible somehow. I liked it even though it had a piercing sound.
I fuck with Bazooka Joe
Best Song: Kerosene I don't really get why this was included, it sounds more like noise than music to me. 3/5.
Noise rock y noise punk en el 86. Y todo bastante machacoso. Una cosa hermosa. 7/10
Noisy but has some decent beats. Unique.
I wish I had listened to this one in the 80s. Clearly a solid and important album. Bad houses is a favorite. I did not pay close attention to the lyrics, just let them blend in as part of the music.
Mais um álbum experimental industrial... Esse pelo menos tem uma levada musical meio punk. Interessante. Sgor Venus.
Not a punk aficionado, can't really appreciate the music or its historical importance. 6/10
This intense art-punk record from 1986 is a li'l too abrasive for my tastes but I'll give them credit for having actual songs and not just chains of disconnected riffs. The guitar treatments also give their sound a unique character.
Okay album. Not life changing.
Liked it better than I thought towards the end, but wasn't a big fan at the get go.
Didn’t expect this from the cover. Really harsh noise but some good stuff under it; especially the lyrics
i don’t wanna be a hater to i’ll give it a 3
neat
Not bad. Pretty average hardcore.
Good
non mi fa impazzire come musica. un pò monotona. aggressivo. deciso.
Interesting but not really my thing
Interesting lyrics if nothing else!
I would be absolutely shocked if Big Black was not an influence on Trent Reznor, because this sounds like the type of industrial metal that Reznor explores with Nine Inch Nails. This band even had Steve Albini in it and I didn't even know that Albini was ever in a band. This is a tough album to listen to, because it's fairly abrasive, and it's very much a NIMBY album for me. I like this album existing due to the fact it is so far ahead of what is to come when it comes to industrial rock and the sound that will be explored by bands in that genre over the next two decades. Not in my backyard though, as I probably won't listen to this album again.
I always preferred Shellac. Passing Complexion and Kerosene are great. Fists of Love too I guess.
Day659 - i love me some thirty minute punk albums but some of those lyrics…yikes
This record was chaotic fun, but not really for me. I might listen to it again someday, but it didn't grab me after today's listen. Three stars.
Definitely a lot of anger, a lot of boredom and a lot of angst went into this album… not a very enjoyable listen though. At least it wasn’t just a standard boring punk album!
If I could describe Big Black and their music in two words, I think I'd go with "fuck you." I mean, to begin with, their music is a big "fuck you" — punk ain't agressive enough! Metal ain't heavy enough! Even hardcore punk is childish! What their doin' is some **real loud, intense shit**. Their guitars are damn **drills**, they can be so metallic! Hell, they're usin' a drum machine and they ain't gonna hide that fact 'coz, hey, fuck you, **they don't give a shit**! I know their **lyrics** are sure a big ol' "fuck you." They're only there because people like words, so of course they filled them up with stories of rape, racism, mysoginy, child abuse, arson and anything else dwelling in dark side of the American psyche. It's shit to make you squirm in your seat — to **think about**, let alone actually **hear someone sing**. It's the kind of shit where they're so open and brazen about it, and where they obviously hold such disdain for the monsters they're singing about, that to criticize them makes **you** look like the uppity puritan! They're a punk band! What're **you** gettin' on 'em for? Big Black is a lot, in short. Industrial noise punk absolutely **not** for the feint of heart. And I gotta tell you, there **is** something to hearing music that's just so . . . balls to the wall like this. It's actively fighting against mainstream taste, both musically **and** lyrically. Or maybe it's not even fighting — it's just over here making big ol' mess 'coz, fuck you, this is just what it wants to do. You want a piece of this? Tough shit, fucko; it ain't gonna be easy. This is an album you hafta take entirely on energy and intensity. Any other way, you're doing it wrong. I mean, let's be fuckin' real here: the lyrics don't matter. They're filled with a lot of pitch-black dark shit, but they matter about as much as the words on Frank Zappa's 'Uncle Meat', or on any Coheed And Cambria album. They're all instrumentals, pretty much. Though with how hard they push themselves, they can sometimes come across as just balls of energy. For how metallic the guitars are, it's remarkably primal music. And it's really not something I could see myself listening to all the time. I'm sure I'd tire myself straight out if I listened to it twice too close together! Like, not even the hardest of hardcore punk that I'm into is this intense. Dead Kennedys, "Deadfall" by Snot — neither comes close. And while I can certainly marvel at their efforts and give them props for just not giving a fuuuuuuck . . . yeah, it's generally just not the kind of punk I'd reach for first. Gimme the Ramones or The Clash or Green Day . . . hell, maybe even a little Sex Pistols on an odd day. In comparison to all of those bands, Big Black comes across as often a bit too abrasive for my usual, most-all-of-the-time tastes. And I'm sure they'd hear all that and wouldn't even give it a reply. Just an unspoken "fuck you" before going on their way. And, I mean, "fuck you" back, I guess? I'm sure it's the kind of reaction they'd want. I just don't think I'd give it back as enthusiastically as they'd want me to. Ah well. If I could describe Big Black and their music in two words, I think I'd go with "fuck you." I mean, to begin with, their music is a big "fuck you" — punk ain't agressive enough! Metal ain't heavy enough! Even hardcore punk is childish! What their doin' is some **real loud, intense shit**. Their guitars are damn **drills**, they can be so metallic! Hell, they're usin' a drum machine and they ain't gonna hide that fact 'coz, hey, fuck you, **they don't give a shit**! I know their **lyrics** are sure a big ol' "fuck you." They're only there because people like words, so of course they filled them up with stories of rape, racism, mysoginy, child abuse, arson and anything else dwelling in dark side of the American psyche. It's shit to make you squirm in your seat — to **think about**, let alone actually **hear someone sing**. It's the kind of shit where they're so open and brazen about it, and where they obviously hold such disdain for the monsters they're singing about, that to criticize them makes **you** look like the uppity puritan! They're a punk band! What're **you** gettin' on 'em for? Big Black is a lot, in short. Industrial noise punk absolutely **not** for the feint of heart. And I gotta tell you, there **is** something to hearing music that's just so . . . balls to the wall like this. It's actively fighting against mainstream taste, both musically **and** lyrically. Or maybe it's not even fighting — it's just over here making big ol' mess 'coz, fuck you, this is just what it wants to do. You want a piece of this? Tough shit, fucko; it ain't gonna be easy. This is an album you hafta take entirely on energy and intensity. Any other way, you're doing it wrong. I mean, let's be fuckin' real here: the lyrics don't matter. They're filled with a lot of pitch-black dark shit, but they matter about as much as the words on Frank Zappa's 'Uncle Meat', or on any Coheed And Cambria album. They're all instrumentals, pretty much. Though with how hard they push themselves, they can sometimes come across as just balls of energy. For how metallic the guitars are, it's remarkably primal music. And it's really not something I could see myself listening to all the time. I'm sure I'd tire myself straight out if I listened to it twice too close together! Like, not even the hardest of hardcore punk that I'm into is this intense. Dead Kennedys, "Deadfall" by Snot — neither comes close. And while I can certainly marvel at their efforts and give them props for just not giving a fuuuuuuck . . . yeah, it's generally just not the kind of punk I'd reach for first. Gimme the Ramones or The Clash or Green Day . . . hell, maybe even a little Sex Pistols on an odd day. In comparison to all of those bands, Big Black comes across as often a bit too abrasive for my usual, most-all-of-the-time tastes. And I'm sure they'd hear all that and wouldn't even give it a reply. Just an unspoken "fuck you" before going on their way. And, I mean, "fuck you" back, I guess? I'm sure it's the kind of reaction they'd want. I just don't think I'd give it back as enthusiastically as they'd want me to. Ah well.
3.75
So I was honestly a nervous going into today's album. But it was better than anticipated. Is it something that will be in the general rotation, definitely not but I can appreciate the sound and the evolution from pop to something different. It has the grungy anger of punk but moves into an almost metal vibe, but not so much that it becomes metal. While my ears don't always like the dissonance sound from the guitar or the drums, it is still impressive how they take those somewhat unpleasant sounds into a cohesive song. One of my biggest issues with this type of music is I can't understand or hear the lyrics and I think that can be a big miss in general. I want to hear what you are singing about, I want to hear what you are saying and I really think lyrics should be as highlighted as the instruments, but I might be the only one out there.
My expectations were NOT high after reading the Wiki description on here. So I have to stay I was pleasantly surprised. I'm certainly not going to call it great, but I didn't mind it. Even found myself head banging to some of it. Standout track was Big Money. This feels pretty hardcore for the 80s.
More approachable than I expected it was solid for what it was.
Not really sure why, but I liked this one. A bit metal, some punk, very industrial. I could hear NIN and Metallica both in it at times. I think it being different helped it keep my attention. For positives, the sound was interesting and mostly enjoyable if a bit abrasive. I struggled with the vocals at times, but they suited the music well. Negatively, I got worn down by the time it ended. Though the album was only about 37 minutes long, the style was a bit much for me to have going for that long. Even so, I never disliked what was happening. I wouldn't call it great, and I can see why it wouldn't be for everyone. But this was different and heavy while still being an interesting listen. Not sure I'll listen to it again, but I'm not mad I heard it at least once. Overall: 3.25/5
A fine punk album. Very abrasive. Not great, not terrible, just okay.
Instrumental rock fury with guitar riffs that take center stage and lyrics that cut to the issue. Good listen.
The backing music reminds me of NIN (which it predated) -- it's really amped up in a great way. But I don't love the vocals - it's talking/shouting with reverb.
Intense - definitely an interesting one, and I put Bad Houses on my playlist
Ah, Steve Albini's band, I had heard of, but never actually heard. It was ok (post?) punk stuff.
C'est pas mauvais mais je l'ai écouté sans en noter aucune
Did not know how I’d feel about this, and tbh I still don’t quite know how to feel about this. I like punk a lot, but there was a little more edgelord here than I cared for. “Kerosene” was the best song, but “Bad Houses” was good too.
just barely a three
Assez moyen
At first I was not into it. Not really my genre. By the second or third song, I was thinking “oh shit, this kind of goes hard.” Then I got to reading about Big Black and Albini and it was really cool learning about him and his connection to Chicago.
Les gros albums de noise et over the top punk ne sont pas ma tasse de thé, mais y'a un ptit kek chose qui m'a permis de passer à travers sans trop de problème, mais j'arrive pas à mettre mon doigt dessus. Aussi, excellent cover d'album, j'aime beaucoup
Good for what it is. Not my thing.
Solid 3 for sure.
Industrial bliss
Not what I was expecting.
Gear: Dunu SA6 Artwork: 🧨🌍💥 Production: 🥩🖕👌 Music: 🎸🐇🔋 Rating: ⚛️⚛️(⚛️)/5
Cover 7 Lyrically, there's substance. Unlike much of NIN and other industrial music. It's surprising that they were doing this as early as 1980s. A decade too soon. Personally, I'd welcome a remastering to improve the production quality, although that might be some of the charm (for some people). Better than good album.
There are some excellent (dare I say epic?) beats on here, and some very interesting sounds, moods, and moments. The vocals and lyrics somewhat undo it for me. But mostly, it’s that I feel like, when I listen to this, I’ve eaten too much salt and my heartbeat’s gone crazy.
This one was a difficult listen. There were many parts throughout that sounded great, but they were pushed behind harsh filters/distortions. This made a lot of the album just come off as "noise", even when there was great instrumentation in the background. Maybe that was the point? If all that "noise" was removed, I'm sure I would enjoy this album even more.
Some noise, some punk, some grunge, some thrash. Very interesting record. Have never heard of this group before but I like what they’re laying down. Good energy and good musicianship along with a very energetic and loud singer. I dig this one.
Very interesting album, not totally sure what to make of it. I enjoyed it though. Pretty thick sound.
Very nice.
Classic punk rock stuff here. Anti-establishment. Noisy. I like it.
Equal parts aggressive, angsty, nasty, groovy, heavy, fun - and petulant, sloppy, contrarian, excessively-noisy, and grating. I could listen to this album one day and really vibe with it - and the next hate every second. Hard to give each song a fair rating when being forced to not let temporary feelings guide the review, but the album is a 1 and a 5 at the same time. Jordan, Minesota (6/10) Passing Complexion (7/10) Big Money (7/10) Kerosene (8/10) Bad Houses (5/10) Fists of Love (6/10) Stinking Drunk (7/10) Bazooka Joe (7/10) Strange Things (7/10) Cables (Live) (6/10) 6.6/10
One listen is enough... unless u mad feeling, then give it ten
Very meh....it's loud and abrasive but not in a fun unique was...more in a kinda annoying boring way
Experimental I liked it not bad
Had it's moments 3/5
Definitely punk, definitely industrial. Big Black was not here to make you feel good, or to be "commercially viable". They were here with a message, and they didn't care if you wanted to hear it or not. Purposefully vulgar and uncomfortable lyrics are their brand, and they wear it proudly even decades after the band has folded. Definitely not for everyone, and while I can appreciate it for what it is, it's not something I'm likely to listen to again. Not upset I got to hear it though!
Aggressive, transgressive and quite impressive,
Pretty cool single listen album for me, so I was surprised by how much I liked Kerosene. That shit had me going and is on several playlists now. Made me look at the whole album with a bit more interest. I can’t say I had a second stand out song but I am going to keep my eye on this band.
This happens with a lot of heavy punk and metal bands. I love the instrumentation but the vocals leave a lot to be desired. Not that I want the vocals to be super clean or anything. Just more on par with the quality of the instrumentals.
0 liked songs
Surprisingly... I don’t hate it? I expected to be running for the nearest Neil Young record (and god how I dislike Neil Young...) to soothe my bleeding ears, but Atomizer is oddly compelling in a “what fresh hell is this?” kind of way. I don’t like it, to be clear, but there’s something fascinating about its raw, unfiltered aggression. “Kerosene” and “Strange Things” were the least offensive to my nervous system, with the latter’s background “HEY!” transporting me directly into the middle of a mosh pit (which is hilarious, because I have never and will never be in a mosh pit). Three stars and three Advil. Let’s never speak of this again.
Estupendo para escuchar mientras te partes las caras con otra persona. Punk adolescente guarro
6/10 This was a decent one. There are definitely echoes of this in a lot of music that would follow it, from Nine Inch Nails to the Pixies and some of the more abrasive Nirvana tracks. It was pretty non-stop, partly because of the (obviously) metronomic and unstoppable drive of the drum machine, which made it quite a lot to take in in one go. Some of the tones they dragged out of their instruments were absolutely epic, especially as a three piece, like metal being wrenched apart. While I did enjoy this, it was definitely wearing me out by the end. I think I’ll probably go back to it here and there, but listening to it a couple of times round for this was definitely a lot. Jordan, Minnesota - This is pretty relentlessly driving. Really sets the tone for the rest of the album. Vocals are oddly low in the mix. Passing Complexion - The sound of this is great, like the red mist that clouds your senses when you’re absolutely furious about something. Reminds me of Pixies quite a lot. Big Money - Liked the riff in this one. Another non-stop track. Kerosene - This one had more distinct verse/chorus sections and there was a great groove, especially after the chorus. Maybe not as balls to the wall as other tracks, but I really liked it. Bad Houses - There was a bit more dynamic to this one. There is always the almost threatening undercurrent of the drum machine driving away, but that almost emphasised the change of pace from the rest of the instruments. Fists of Love - This one had a ‘Scentless Apprentice’ feel to it. Back to the more driving, breathless stuff. Stinking Drunk - Loved the riff on this one, as well as the breakdown near the end. Solid track. Bazooka Joe - I really liked bits of this, but it felt like it was just a bit too long. Maybe the non-stop nature of the album is tiring me a little but. Strange Things - A bit of Oi! Punk. Again, pretty relentless and things are starting to feel a bit too repetitive for me at this stage. Cables (live) - I had wondered if the could pull off the massive sound of the record live. Turns out they could. Abrasive, noisy and relentless.
Nice enough
Interesting
I love the base guitar on these tracks. A lot of the music is good, good sound. I find the lyrics have a... middle school complexity and astonishing transgressiveness. I gather that's the point, but I have limits.
Thought it was Black Flag at first. Enjoyed the first half and then got a bit sick of the sound after that. 5/10
Industrial Punk? Think it might need a second listen, lots of noise first time out.
A tough and abrasive listen from a sonic point of view. To be expected with any industrial rock record. This was Steve Albini's first band too, so the musical direction makes a lot more sense. I enjoy punk rock, but noise/industrial rock was always a bit too much for my tastes. I will say that the crunchy guitars on top of the clean & sterile drum machine makes for an interesting sound at least. Almost sounds out of this world for the time it was released, so I can definitely acknowledge the impact this album may have had in rock and its accompanying subgenres.
7/10 porque no lo escuché aún entero pero tenía canciones buenas
I wanted to like this more, but it just didn’t do much for me. I do like the hard, punchy punk rock sound, though. I’d give it a solid 2.5.
New to me. It sounded fresher than I expected from the description, and heavier, and, in places, funkier (Wiki seems to lump all sorts of things under the word "punk".) It was a bit Killing Joke, and definitely seems to have influenced stuff like Slipknot and nu-metal, from my limited knowledge. I didn't pay attention to the words, but I gather the subjects covered are Dark. I started getting into it, musically, with Kerosene and Bad Houses, and from there on in, it captured my attention until the last two tracks, which I thought were less good. I liked the low bass and drum machine. The guitar playing is incredibly creative - it's used to sound like everything from a saw to a keyboard to an, er, guitar. The album isn't really my thing at this stage of comfortable middle age, but it's actually pretty good.
Synthesized rock
Extra star for Jordan, Minnesota mention. This was cool and interesting, but it took me a few tries to listen to it.
3.5
Kinda feels like it's always missing a step i could barely understand what the bloke was saying in soooo many songs instrumental slaps
More distortion please... Punk-rock, but not as bad as some other that I had in the list already.
A little shock value. Not bad though.
Favorite Track: Kerosene
Steve Albini was a crazy man - you can probably tell. Atomizer is manic, powerful and raw to its core. I don’t particularly enjoy it all the way through; but I’m not sure that it’s the intension anyway.
I've listened to this a few times over the years and I really want to like it more than I do. I fully admire the brutal, razorblade tone of the mix, and it's a great example of full on misanthropic aggression, but I don't think the years have been kind. If you compare it to any Shellac recording, for example, it just sounds like a demo. When it does work - Jordan, Kerosene, Fists of love - it's brilliant. One that I would recommend everyone listen to once, but knowing you might not go back.
On this, the first anniversary of his death, it is safe to say that Steve Albini's legacy as an engineer far outshines his legacy as a performing artist. That is not say that Big Black, Shellac, and, yes, Rapeman weren't significant in their way, but who listening to In Utero, Ys, After Murder Park, Rid Of Me, Pod, Surfer Rosa, Razorblade Suitcase, Things We Lost in the Fire, Walking Into Clarksdale, Transaction de Novo, Dogs, American Don, or Bird Machine is even thinking of those abrasive power-trios? It celebrated recording style was the capture the group exactly as they are and, while that works perfectly for many of the great artists he captured over the years, it also highlights his limitations as an artist and songwriter in his own right. His other legacy is as a controversialist or, thankfully, as a repentant edgelord. Like John Lennon before him, Albini's life describes a redemption arc that we should all be granted enough time to complete. Although Albini's life was short, he got more it and completed more of his arc than Lennon did. Thus, he was able to show some regret over the stage antics that used to accompany Jordan, Minnesota. If I remember correctly the supposedly true story that inspired that song was also false, which would make it not only distasteful but reactionary. And that is the problem with an artistic practice that documents the thing warts and all - warts. And what Atomizer documents is an artist who hasn't arrived anywhere yet. The drum machines sound laden (compare with Twitch by Ministry of the same year). The grooves are monotonous. Until Kerosene, there is no dynamism and it is only the concluding live track that sounds as wide and alive as the rest of it ought to. The next Big Black album sounds a lot better and his later recording efforts will sound better still. The think that surprised me most was how much it sounded like the first Cocteau Twins record: similar bass movement, similar drum machine programming, similar guitar parts. Of course, Robin Guthrie would lash everything in reverb, spending hours sculpting those same ringing guitar lines into layers. And then Liz Fraser would sing beautifully, not on top, but in between - a million miles away from what Albini can do vocally of course. But it shows how principle can change very similar material. Later, Albini would learn to combine immediacy with craft (that coupling might be called professionalism), but it was never important to his artistic output. 2.5 I appreciate the trouble that went into making this record sound a certain way, which is to say sort of terrible. It’s harder to judge the musical material buried underneath all the distorted electronic kicks and guitar harmonics. But I am still fairly sure that, like the Scissor Sisters album, this record has most of its better stuff in the first half. ‘Jordan, Minnesota’, ‘Passing Complexion’ and ‘Kerosene’ are all striking and worth hearing. I found much of the rest of the album monotonous aggression. 2.5/5
To me this is a grower album, gets better with time. It’s sooo loud but it has quirky brief melodies that drew me in.
I am not a fan of loud, noisy music. I tend to find myself craving a song that brings me peace or something that makes me want to groove. That being said, I really appreciated the creativity in crafting these trailblazing sounds, resulting in a raw/gritty sound. The guitars were crazy -- I loved the sound of Passing Compassion. Even though this wasn't my style of music, I grew to appreciate the production, the lyrics, and the incredible guitar + drums interlaced throughout. I don't think I would listen to this on my own, but I enjoyed the experience.
Hang With Me Joe, Hang With Me Joe 1001 Albums Generator 24 (05/06/2025) After a series of 3 EP's released throughout the early 80's, post-hardcore pioneers Big Black decided in 1985 that their fans deserved more than just 20 minutes of tinnitus at a time; they were going to record a full length album. Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Steve Albini started Big Black as a solo project in 1981. Before he became renowned for his work as a producer for artists such as Pixies, Nirvana, Fugazi, Slint, and hundreds of others, Albini was an innovative figure in the growth of noise and industrial rock, largely through his work with Big Black. Taking inspiration from the No Wave scene growing out of NYC in the late 1970's, Albini took its atonal, noisy energy and combined it with the industrial sounds that had become more prominent during that time, notably by Throbbing Gristle. Additional touchpoints include the early noise rock of Sonic Youth and the burgeoning post-hardcore movement of the mid-80's (although the term "post-hardcore" had not yet been coined at this time). With such a wide array of influences, to call Big Black's brand of rock "unique" would be an understatement. On the band's first LP, Atomizer, these influences exploded in a cacophonous roar, but was it worth the hearing damage? From the feedback and arrhythmic metallic clangs that start the opening track Jordan, Minnesota before leading into the quick, punishing riff that plays throughout most of the tracks runtime, Big Black do not waste time easing you into their musical world. The key sounds of this album are on display immediately: from the heavily distorted and industrial guitar sound to the fuzzed up bass; from Albini's manic, screamed vocals to the TR-606 drum machine; this song is a distillation of what defined Big Black's short career. That drum machine does deserve a special mention. While not the first instance of a rock album featuring programmed drums (The United States Of America's self-titled released in 1968), the way the drums are used on Atomizer was unique at the time. The drums are not meant to emulate a human drummer; no, the drums here are entirely unapologetically machinistic, oftentimes repeating the same 4 bar pattern over the course of an entire song. This is best represented on the blistering Bazooka Joe and Bad Houses, which has my favorite drum beat on the whole album. The lyrical themes here, unsurprisingly, are quite dark. The opener Jordan, Minnesota is about a real sex scandal that happened in the titular city and is told from the perspective of the abuser. The only single released before the album, Kerosene, is about a man in a small town who decides to set himself on fire while having sex. The closer, Cables, is about simply watching bovine get slaughtered. This one is great especially because it is a live recording, so it features even more energy and aggression than the rest of the album. Additionally, the guitar tone on this album is famously brutal. Albini used a guitar made entirely of aluminum, which still fails to fully explain the absolutely insane tone achieved on songs such as Passing Complexion. While there are many things I love about this album, and at 37 minutes, I could hardly call it "too long", I do find myself less interested in the B Side in general. What I was wondering was whether the songs on the latter half of the record really are weaker or if this sound is just hard to maintain throughout the length of an album. Upon listening to this album on repeat twice, I came to the conclusion that the writing is just stronger on the first half than the second. The first five songs are such interesting, punishing pieces of noisy post-hardcore that would have made a fantastic EP. While the second half has some songs that I really enjoy (especially Bazooka Joe and Cables), it does lose me a little. I have similar issues with No Wave albums that I have heard from Swans, even albums like Filth that I enjoy overall (side note: there isn't any fucking Swans on this list wtf). Atomizer is a strange album. On the one hand, it is exquisitely produced with more aggression than many metal albums could ever hope to achieve, but on the other hand, that aggression and the relative simplicity of the musical forms on display lead the album towards some sort of monotony (although the monotony this album lands on is quite the melting pot of influences). I enjoyed it overall and it sits right at a 3.5 for me, but I will need to round it down to a 3/5. Favs: Jordan, Minnesota Kerosene Bazooka Joe Least Fav: Strange Things
Three shut ins find each other and a drum machine and create a key album to underground rock and industrial music. What with songs about child abuse and alcoholism, the only way to describe the album is: fucking harsh, tinny and constantly bleak. Best Tracks: Jordan, Minnesota; Kerosene; Stinking Drunk
I thought this album was pretty cool. Had some catchy cuts.
MEH
Planting the seeds for industrial rock. A bit chaotic but had some interesting tunes.
A bit generic metal
Atomizer is a good album name for this because it sounds like you are being ground into dust by the relentless of the drums and bass. They are simple, but punishing. And strangely enough, I liked it. The production was terrible and the distortion, specifically on the opener, were rough at first, but the album grew on me the longer it went on. The lyrics are pretty dumb, I like more social commentary rather than blind rage in my punk (talking about you, Stinking Drunk).
2.8 2x
Not quite. But not bad.
It was okay. Sounded like a pre-NIN, way less refined. Enjoyed a few tracks.
This is noisy and aggressive and I don't know if I approve, but after spending some time disassociating to Kerosene I came to the realization I was enjoying myself? As far as noise rock goes, it is eminently accessible and entertaining. 3*.
Sounds unpleasent but also fascinating at times. If I find it weird, I can only imagine what people thought when this came out. I didn't like much of the songs but it's impressive to hear how much this paved the way for the future. I imagine this was in part inspiration for Nine Inch Nails, which then gave us Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie and many more. A whole genre of rock music was created becouse of this. And to me, that's really impressive.
I’m into horror movies, and this album gave me the heebie jeebies in a cool punk rock way. Easy short album. It’s cool that they used a drum machine for a different effect. Hard to believe this album was made in the 80s! It still feels fresh and with the times. The instrumentals and vocals were interesting. It’s a cool, yet horrifying concept which makes for something new and exciting. Favourite tracks include: “Big Money”, “Kerosene”, “Bazooka Joe”, “Strange Things”, and “Cables (Live)”
Another one that is totally new to me. This is a great sounding industrial record. No wonder Albini when on to produce a lot of great albums.
Dug the angst, but the album felt like one long song. Which made a relatively short album (37 minutes) feel a helluva lot longer.
Always tough, only spottily tuneful. Everybody loves Steve Albini, who seemed to be a pretty great guy, but this isn't one's thing – neither musically nor nihilistically speaking. Certainly has its moments – "Passing Complexion" is cool and "Kerosene" uber intense. And this should be regarded as ahead of its time, obviously, but some of the influencees (lookin' at you NIN) made the spark of darkness considerably worse.
Abrasive post/punk tends to take me a few listens to get into it and this was no difference. I knew straight away that it wasn't getting rated the same day but coming back to it a few times and letting it sink in, I've found it pretty cool. I only really learned about Steve Albini since starting the challenge and when he passed away last year, so it's good to hear where he first started out and see where his signature sound was born. I don't think I'd rush out and buy this guy but I'll definitely come back and listen to it again soon.
Somehow have never heard of this guy, but I certainly knew the first song as most of us of a certain age and proclivity do from Dirty Dancing. What a powerful voice, loved it.
Pretty wild stuff here. Steve Albini's punk band -- like a proto-KMFDM. If you're in a moshy mood, it's pretty choice. Unfortunately, I wasn't, so...
wasn't expecting to see this band on here, but it's another cool punk/industrial album that's much more fun to think about than actually listen to. it starts off pretty solid but loses its oomph after kerosene. if you like ministry and such, you'll enjoy this... but i could take it or leave it. favorites: jordan minnesota, passing complexion, kerosene
++: Passing Complexion, Big Money, Kerosene, Bazooka Joe, Cables +: Jordan, Minnesota, Bad Houses, Stinking Drunk, Strange Things +-: Fists of Love 7,6/10
Sounds like it was beamed in from the REPO MAN planet. Fucking rules.
I'm not a fan of industrial so this album has at least one strike against it from the get go. I AM a fan of Steve Albini and his production work so that's a positive which allows me to go intuit with a more open mind than I might have. The opening 2 songs are noisy and uncompromising but not as challenging as I might have expected. And things get better..melodies start to present themselves through the noise and sludge in a manner that pleases but does not cancel out the uncompromising nature of the album in general. I was able to listen 2 full times and a third is not out of the question. 3 stars
really not my style but this was actually OK
Noisy! But not bad? Neighbor bump I guess.
Not bad, but it’s a little too industrial for my proper enjoyment. I prefer my punk a little grittier.
Very cool view of earlier Steve Albini and some solid ear blistering music. Not big for replay for me.
Has some real intensity to it. Very angry. Wanted something a little bit more darkness to it though.
Rigtig larmeguitar, man kan nemt høre hvordan det her kan have påvirket Nirvana. Steve Albinis produktion bliver dog en bedre senere i karrieren. RIP!
The song Kerosene is when I got into this and from then on it was cool! Noisy guitars !
I don't know what, but there's something about this album that I really enjoyed. It takes industrial rock and does something with it that I can't quite place my finger on. It's a bit like NiN but it's rawer. But not quite as raw as industrial pioneers Einstürzende Neubauten - there's more melody here. And thundering intensity like NiN. With punk-like vocals. And some real depraved lyrics, when you can make them out. I don't think I really cared for singing/screaming or what was said, but the beats were f'n cool. Jordan, Minnesota and Passing Complexion were a great one-two punch to start the album. Fists of Love, Stinking Drunk, and Strange Things were pretty gnarly on the back half of the album. No, I'm not going to listen to this often, but I am going to tell music-interested friends about Big Black.
I'm actually pretty conflicted on this one. There were some great riffs and bass lines in here but it's like they intentionally chose all the worst amp settings to present them in the most ear-shattering way possible.
Pretty cool... electronica and metal. Precursor to Prodigy?
Angry but enjoyed
Not really sure what I make of this? On one day I might find it a bombastic blast of frenetic, punky, shouty, snappy rock and on another I might find it nothing more than fucking noise. Three stars for at least polarising my opinion of it instantly.
Fun, but I'm not sure if I'll remember the album. It has random fun bits of aggression, with the "nothing to do? Clearly time to self-immolate". Like the simplicity of the artwork too. It's somewhere in the 3-4/5 range.
Atomizer is up and down, hit and miss, though we've had a lot worse. It has decent energy for a punk album but doesn't go too far with it, which I appreciate. Kerosene and Fists of Love are good songs, Bazooka Joe and Strange Things are smart little Oi! songs, it's fairly tight overall though perhaps longer than some punk records from the same era, I dunno, 3/5 seems fair, I liked more of it than not.
Somewhere between punk and noise rock, I thought it was pretty decent - high energy, short runtime, would've benefitted from being a bit more tuneful but I guess that's not the point of something like this. Won't listen to it again, but definitely happy that I did. 3/5.
Very based band and for that alone it was good. Music was solid
Kuulostaa ihme kyllä luonnolliselta, ja riffittely sekä punk-vokaalit välittyvät tarttuvina. Uskon, että tutustun aiempaa tarkemmin.
Good stuff but it's a proven fact that drum machines are the devil so ya know.....
Interesting but not a must listen. It’s a deeper dive. And for me gets dull. But others will love it. And that’s ok.
2.8
Didn't love them but it was cool to hear the link between 70s punk and 80 industrial music! I did actually list to another one of their albums and liked it better.
Kerosene was the best song on this album. It's fun pick-me-up background music.
It's fine. I know how influential Steve Albini is and his death is a loss for music production but eh. It's okay. Not really my jam.
Good punk album - took me a little while to get into it but really enjoyed it by the end.
I thought it was OK but wouldn't listen again. A few of their other songs came on once the album finished which I thought were better.
Heavy and a bit dark but upbeat
Maybe I enjoyed it? I might have to listen to it a few more times.
I dig this. Pretty approachable punk. The sound quality is kinda poor, sort of like they ran the whole mix through a fuzz box, but some good riffs in there. 3.5/5
I can’t relate to the boringness of the midwest making you want to die, but I can empathize
Ahhh that's why I stopped for a year. I remember now. Didn't hate it.
this felt like a big punk album; also somewhat like a look into the future, as I can see a lot of the influences that this had well into the grunge and post-hardcore movements. Though not my favorite, it was challenging in a good way and kerosene is fucking littttttt 1. Kerosene 2. Bad houses 3. Fists of love
3.5 aggressive industrial post punk. "There's kerosene around there's something to do"
3/5
This was a challenging album. It just missed being an enjoyable album for my ears, but I could see many of the parts that would influence a lot of artists I do like and found the mix of industrial and punk curious and original. Just a little too rough for my tastes. I will always revere Steve Albini for his production work with the Pixies, Nirvana, etc. even if this wasn't my particular cup of tea.
Strange noizes, still fun
Enjoyed
it was okay, I want to check more of their work
Knew it before but never really checked it out, and idk why tbh. Pretty solid album.
Nice
Interesting sound, I might have to try again
man…i would have dug this immensely as a teenager. i would have loved listening to “kerosene” and being miserable on purpose. as an adult it’s pretty good even if i can’t help but find it a little silly in its melodramatic edginess (see: violent femmes). love the blistering guitars tho. fav tracks: big money; kerosene; bad houses
no thoughts head empty on this one. i didn't mind it but it was a little harder sound than i usually go for
-I liked this more than I thought I would. Not a huge fan of all the instrumentals but the vocals and lyrics fuck hard. Definitely better enjoyed as a cohesive album experience since some of the songs blend together but gave me some decent appreciation for a genre I’m not crazy about -Favorites are Passing Complexion and Stinking Drunk
#369. It's weird, but I can dig it. 3/5: decent.
I heard it before. Didn't like it then. I wasn't ready for it. I liked it better this time. Kind of a missing link between Husker Du and Ministry or something. Favorite song: Passing Complexion.
This is some dumb-fucking meathead perverted shit here. The amazing and opinionated Steve Albini (RIP) produced more than anyone's share of music. I appreciated some of the records he oversaw but I never got into any of his own bands. Except maybe Shellac. Listening to Atomizer all the way thru for the first time was difficult. The second time it was easier, and the third time it was fine. I'm no Albini sympathizer but I believe that as you grow older, you develop self-awareness, understanding and take responsibility for your past. I also believe that if everyone was an angel, there would be no forward momentum in the world. And, with nothing to provoke thought or action, we would stagnate. The world simultaneously needs a hero and an enemy. Somehow Steve Albini was both of that. I lifted the following passage from NPR: "...in The Guardian, he reflected on the ugliness of past sins: "I can't defend any of it," he said. "It was all coming from a privileged position of someone who would never have to suffer any of the hatred that's embodied in any of that language." Albini didn't want to be excused from any role he played; he wanted to own up to his faults, and to tell anyone who respected him — or used to — why he was wrong." As far as Big Black and Atomizer go, it was just the right amount of abrasive filth to keep me from wanting more.
Kind of lost me in the middle when it gets more industrial tinged. They brought it back toward the end though
This is just noise and screaming. In a good way.
This was a kick ass punk album! Lots of songs reminded me of another song I had heard in the past, in all sorts of genres. Listen again:yes Purchase for my collection: probably Favourite Song: Fists of Love
Kerosene was funny
Siento que me gusta más el "Songs About Fucking", la verdá
I appreciate this more than I truly like it. I know it’s supposed to be harsh but it’s not my jam. 3/5
Love punk, but had never listened to this band. Know Albini from his work with other groups.
These are not love songs...
To be honest, the Village Voice review quoted on the Wiki link summarises this better than I could: "...its creators deserve credit for finding each other and making their obsession real". And R.I.P. Steve Albini.
Ah so this is a Steve Albini band is it? That gives some context to an otherwise unfamiliar album. It’s certainly punk / noise rock in spirit but distinguishes itself from the more tedious aspects of those genres by featuring some pretty cool and interesting guitar riffs, such as on Passing Complexion. Plus, the vocals on Kerosene sound like an early template for Zach de la Rocha/RatM. I dig it.
On first listen I really enjoyed this, but the second listen didn't age this as well.
One of the more surprising albums on this list. Far more abrasive than the music I enjoy. I don't like Noise Rock or Industrial. However the production is extremely impressive and it's mor creative than most screams albums. Not one I will listen to often, but glad I heard it
never heard of this group - punky sound, decent effort
Interesting more than good per se. Heard some touches that remind of in utero an albini adjacent work I'm much more familiar with. Drum machine really works with what they are doing.
Is was ok
Not bad
An okay album, I liked Bad Houses and Strange Things.
Ahead of its time in its full-on industrial attitude, and way better than NIN (more tuneful) but one struggles to take this seriously (the pedophiliac lyrics a little buried in the noise), but "Kerosene" is also pretty intense. Rounding up because Steve Albini's recent passing.
Luke a big fan of this! And some of them really slapped i thought. Passing Complexion was great. The more shoe gazey I ones hit better for me. Wasn't blown away as a whole thing though. Wish I could do 3.5
Loud and abrasive and I quite liked it.
If you want proper psychodelic punk, then this is definitely it.
Good noise. Angry and loud. Almost too much so, but good for the right mood.
noh punkinpistos.. varsinainen päähänpistos tämä punkki... ainakin ymmärretty mistä on kyseessä, eli eeu uhan vaan åäntä äänen takia tässä vaan ihan muusikoimtihommat kuitenkin täydessä tahfissa. laulaja taas kerran heikoin osa kuitenkin ja vähän samalla ympärilläolevat intstrumentaalikot nolona häpeilee... mitä sitä bändiin tultiin pelaileen... olisiko sinne opiskelemaan kuitenkin parempi reitti.. vähän elämänkatsomustietoa miettelijöille... fists of love
Was really dreading this based on the description, but actually liked it a lot better. The driving beats and bass really make this album. You can really hear the beginning of industrial rock starting.
RIP Steve…Without him way back the music landscape would’ve been a bit boring.
A difficult listen but differs to everything else heard on this list so far that it deserves a fair bit of credit for it.
Not quite sure about this one, yet..
this rock music is pretty noisy but i'm not sure i would call it noise rock exactly. it's very harsh, tinny, like if a band was stuck inside a cheese grater. it's distorted, it's fast, it's like a sludge but it's still got rhythm. albini's vocals are very stubborn and his lyrics are... pretty much the opposite of pop. it's very creative with how drum machines are used.
Best Song: Kerosene. This feels like proto-grunge, in a good way. Worst Song: Bazooka Joe. Boy was that intro ranting not as cool as I bet they thought it was. Overall: Has a lot of the qualities of good punk that I like: loud, fast, aggressive, and angsty. The sound is sometimes too muddy though, and I get the distinct sense that this would be a lot more enjoyable live than it is over headphones.
This might be an album that'll grow on me with repeat listens.
Album 430 of 1001 Big Black - Atomizer Rating : 3.5 / 5 It started out a little more abrasive than I usually enjoy but something about this one is appealing to me. I am rounding up a bit. Good one to add to the rotation for some change of pace.
I don’t think I was ever angry enough for Big Black.
Chugs along brilliantly, almost has you believing they might actually light that kerosene...
Overall, it's just a little too intense and noisy for me. Some of these songs are really good and surprised me actually. As a whole I think that the production was well executed and their intentions come across clearly. It's just not for everyone, and it's just not for me. Special shout out to Kerosene which is genuinely a great song. That song alone I would give five stars. But overall, the album was kind of a tough listen for me. Very interesting though, I'm glad I had an opportunity to experience it.
80’s punk eh? I kinda dig it.
Großartig. Vor allem, wenn man bedenkt, dass das Album schon von 1986 ist. Ok, die Drummachine verweist natürlich deutlich auf die 80er.
Punk oscuro. Ni fu ni fa.
Notable track: Kerosene
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Passing complexion
I'm thinking Elton could maybe collaborate with these guys? Rocket Man meets Kerosene ... Strange Things (amazing track!) indeed. I enjoyed getting lost in the energy of this. I suppose it did get a bit repetitive, though. Banging me on the head. But a huge step up from the last couple of albums.
Abrasive but weirdly cool. 'Kerosene' is a mad highlight, growling bass and spiky guitars. I can hear Killing Joke and Jesus & Mary Chain in them and I think Nirvana and Bloc Party (!) took elements from them. Not bad but I won't be playing them regularly :)
I probably won’t return to this often but that is partly because of it’s inaccessibility!! a weird fusion of sounds, definitely worth the listen favourite track: kerosene
Noisy and frantic. A bit like Pixies on speed. Good album and a much needed energy boost after Elton John yesterday. Shame it’s not on Spotify, the compression hindered the audio quality a bit on Soundcloud. Think they took their material off Spotify in protests as a few artists did a couple years back. Would sound great live. Favourite song: Big Money
A fun post hardcore/punk album that woke me up for a Monday morning. The vocalist Steve Albini was somewhat prophetic in his dislike of the CD, as the album was released at the infancy of the medium, in saying: "This compact disc, compiled to exploit those of you gullible enough to own the bastardly first generation digital music system, contains all-analog masters. Compact discs are quite durable, this being their only advantage over real music media. You should take every opportunity to scratch them, fingerprint them, and eat egg and bacon sandwiches off them. Don't worry about their longevity, as Philips will pronounce them obsolete when the next phase of the market-squeezing technology bonanza begins." Which was then taken over by digital streaming (albeit about 15 years later). Best: Kerosene Worst: Cables (Live) 3.5 stars
It's very of its type but I don't mind it. It's absolutely something Nacnud would listen to, I should definitely show it to him now we're on Qobuz because Spotify didn't have it. Just searched this up, Steve Albini pulled the music from Spotify in 2022 because he was criticising its business practices- slay! But he died in 2024 and it was put back on- sad:( I may not LOVE their music, but I definitely agree with the political views<3 I like Bazooka Joe, it's funny.
Nothing if not fucking authentic.
Very Steve Albini but a formula I think he perfected later with Shellac. Not bad but not memorable either.
Pretty cool
good. shame its not on spotify, but good like the production, like the sound. solid 3
More than a bit rough, but some good moments
Ouchies my ears. Probably won't listen again but got pretty into it on side B. Fists of Love was actually pretty tight. Strange Things was also pretty sick
I’ve never heard a band quite like this before. They’re on that metal-hardcore spectrum — heavy riffs, abrasive style — but there’s a grating, high-pitched sound on a lot of the songs that makes the music sound almost tinny. Is it the guitars? “Fists of Love” has a screeching noise that sounds like a whistling tea kettle. As I often am, I’m drawn to the rhythm section. There are some great, steady grooves here. I found myself swaying back and forth to the beat on a lot of these tracks.
Thoughts before listening: I believe this is noise rock that had a huge influence on 90s alternative bands, and I think Steve Albini may have been involved. I've never listened to these guys before so this should be interesting. Review: The album isn't on Spotify so I can't add any songs to the playlist, but I though it sounded pretty good. I listened while mowing the lawn, so I did not pay much attention to the lyrics which the internet tells me are pretty hardcore, but I guess that is fairly standard for 80s punk bands. As far as the music, I can hear their influence in a lot of the 90s alternative bands that I used to be into, especially on the industrial side. I hear quite a bit of Big Black's sound in Ministry which makes sense with both bands coming up in the same Chicago scene. This is a 3-star album.
Industrial, noise punk debut from Big Black. The production is rough but enough edge and lyrical wit to keep you engaged though. Not my personal cup of tea but appreciate its historical significance.
Sounds like they were a massive influence on Ministry
Nothing special until Bad Houses….. standouts: Bad Houses, Bazooka Joe. 3.5
Wow. Missed this one in the college experience. I know I would have hooked into it at the time. But now, not as much.
Spotify premium
Today I learned punk with a drum machine sounds industrial. Pros: Has a sound that reminds me of Nine Inch Nails, Pixies, and a little Nirvana (the latter of whom he produced albums for). Cons: Not the music I want to hear in the morning when I didn't sleep well the night before. That machine is brutally throbbing. My picks for this album are Jordan, Minnesota and Passing Complexion.
We avoided this one for a long time thinking it would be unpleasant but actually it was OK. We enjoyed this a lot more than expected.
Borttaget från Spotify. Någon har laddat upp det som ett poddavsnitt. Efter att ha spelat första låter blev jag ersatt som DJ i bilen. Det säger väl något om kvaliteten på låtarna. Lite väl mycket kaos och brôt om man inte är förberedd på det. Inte riktigt något man lyssnar på om man försöker ha en konversation samtidigt. Ändå rätt bra när man väl kom in i det. 3 / 5
• Omslag med serietidningsgrafik, verkar uppmana till att förstöra jorden med "Big Black Tools"? • Finns inte alls på Spotify • Bôs & mystiska stön, uuh, aaoh • "Roland playing the shit out of those drums" - @gustv1334 • Mycket ljud • Typ bra men lite väl mycket dånande Betyg: Intressant om än lite mycket ljud => 3/5
First listen and wow - this was even more abrasive than expected, even with the precedent set by having heard (years and years ago) what I think is their more iconic follow-up album Songs about Fucking (I guess the maker of this list was a bit nervous about including something with that title). The most surprising thing was the melodies that sometimes appeared behind the noise - there were some new wave influences in there that poked their shiny little heads out of the scuzz and added another layer to appreciate besides the relentless industrial assault
Genre: Noise rock, post-hardcore, industrial rock 1986 Most Well known: Bazooka Joe. Never heard of them. The fact this is from 1986 is a shock. It seems well ahead of its time. Standouts: Bad Houses, Bazooka Joe, First listen: 3/5
This is a niche album. They've done a good job recreating the Martian's telescope, but it only has a stick of dynamite, not kerosene. The matches are a nice touch, though. takes into account both dynamite and kerosene.
Parts of this reminded me of Agent Orange, a punk-rock vibe, though this has a bit stronger edge. There are definitely some drums/bass/guitar driving tracks that have a strong groove and do a great job of delivering an angsty energetic track. Fists of Love and Big Money work for me. A challenging album but enjoyable to explore
Abrasive and uncompromising. It can be a tough listen, but a pretty solid one.
This album isnt avaliable in my country… (Denmark)
I would’ve given this four stars twenty years ago.
The band and their music are new to me, or at least that's what my memory is, but as this one was released when I was in college, so it's possible I heard some of their stuff back then and just don't recall it. No matter: all feels new. I don't listen to very much punk and punk-ish music these days, really haven't in a long time, but I used to and now and then I hear something from that bucket that reminds me how good it can be. This album is one of those things. The musicians play very well, and even though this is a mid-80s album when punk, thrash, and so on were pretty heavily populated, this group seems to have found their sound. Not easy to do.
Not on Spotify so had to listen on YouTube which the throws in ridiculous commercials throughout. So not a great listening experience.
Doesn't work on Spotify
Although "Metal" has little appeal for me, I have to say there is some good guitar work on here, some interesting vocals, and a lot more to offer than the angry-white-boy scteaming of bands like Pantera et al.
Punk mit Industrial-Einflüssen; sehr verspielt und drastische Texte; 2,5
Big Black Atomizer. Pour homme. pour femme. Pour vous.
Couldn’t get it on Spotify, very annoying. I may need to revisit and change rating at another time, but for now I’m neutral in it.
Better than I expected for a slam screamo band, but not really my thing.
Always felt that Big Black were kind of the commercial arm of the hardcore scene. It's not bad but it lacks the edge of other albums
Serial killer vibes 7/10
Having never heard of Big Black, I wasn't sure what to expect. I guess the only reason they're on here is because they're an early alt/grunge/alternative crossover? I pick up a lot of what Ministry did in later years here. Anyways, this is a highbrow album that shouldn't be so highbrow. 3/5.
Not a metal fan, but I like elements of this. The repeating instrumental of Big Money and Stinking Drunk stick with me. I think the vocals detract from the music.
After having to endure Destiny's Child this was very welcome
I don't like to be screamed at, I can't concentrate on the actual music
This is definitely not for anyone. Very screechy sound, esp with the guitars. Very punky and definitely constructed on purpose to be abrasive. It reminded me a bit of Sonic Youth, a bit of My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult. I can also hear a thread of influence on say The Pixies, and Aphex Twin, and this is definitely leading to Nine Inch Nails and other 90's 'industrial' inspired music, even Marilyn Manson. Standout tracks for me were Passing Complexion and Big Money and Kerosene.
I get that it’s important, just not my thing.
While this is definitely fitting of the genres 'noise rock' and 'post hardcore', two genres I don't typically go for, I was surprised to find that I actually liked this album okay. Part of that being because this album leans more into industrial than I expected. To me, this album definitely sounds like a precursor to a lot of industrial metal sounds that would become popular among other industrial powerhouses like Powerman 5000, White Zombie, and Static-X. A surprising 3 from me!
Really enjoyed this album. Wish they were on Spotify
Some interesting ideas, but a little repetitive and too abrasive to be worth revisiting.
Surprisingly musical dissonant punk rock
Hard
Never heard of this group before. Apparently Steve Albini was involved with this record which is pretty cool. A lot of industrial/punk/post-punk moments on here. I can tell they inspired bands that would come later like NIN. I like the dirty guitar tone, almost sounds metallic. I could do without the drum machine, I prefer just acoustic drums.
cool if you like punk
Man, I wanted to like this. And parts of it, I did. I love the frantic, aggressive energy of the thing. It's so punk in so many ways. But it's missing the joyful abandon of punk. Instead, it's just full of vitriolic hatred for its own listeners. And you know what? Screw that. Don't piss on the people who are paying for your music, you pretentious douchebags.
3/5
Goooood
Listening to this after having a Stevie Wonder album the previous day made this especially jarring. Then, having to listen to it on YouTube with extremely commercial ads in between made it almost surreal. I don't dislike the sound, but I am not a fan of the lyrics. They are intended to provoke and be intentionally ugly, but are also quite crude and inarticulate to the point of sounding immature. "Kerosene" in particular felt like a high school level shock value thing. I can understand a song or two like that on an album, but an unrelenting torrent of negativity just isn't the whole picture, it's not realistic in that sense, and I simply don't understand choosing to dwell in that headspace. It also loses its potency when done in that manner with no relief. I stopped being shocked and simply began waiting for it to be over before it was halfway through. Even though I don't really want to listen to this album ever again, I will say something in their favor: for the time this was made, they were definitely forging their own sound - one that has certainly gone on to influence many others. Beyond that, the thing I respect most about the band is simply their whole approach to being a band. They did everything on their own terms, no contracts, no managers, paid for their own shit, etc. - all to retain complete creative freedom. Even though I'm not a huge fan of some of their artistic choices, I admire them for sticking to their vision, and pulling it off in such a way that they wouldn't be tempted to alter their course. They did exactly what they set out to do, and didn't give a fuck what anybody thought, one way or another. In my view, that's about the only way to get to pure creative expression, and I admire the discipline it must've taken to keep it that way. I wish there were more bands like this, with similar principles. I think we'd have a much richer musical palette that wasn't as defined by genre labels and marketing tactics. Now I'm gonna go back to listening to Stevie Wonder...
Pretty unique sound and interesting story. I'm real close to liking it but not quite there.
I think teenage me would have loved this and it's a pretty kick ass release, glad to have given it a go. Fave track is easily Kerosone.
Probably a 3.5 star, if that were possible. Not their best album (SAF), but still quite good.
Not bad, some sort of cross between industrial nine inch nails-y stuff and hardcore punk. Felt very influential and the good songs were bangers but the intentionally rough production starts to grate when the songs aren't as interesting. Will probably cherry pick some tracks from this but unlikely to listen to in full again.
Pretty cool.
Just couldn’t…
un peu fatiguant à force
Big black cock
I can see the significance of this as an early through-line from punk to industrial (though a couple of the rhythm tracks hit me as solid arguments for human drummers). And I'll always cheerlead for true punk sensibility as regards the business of music. I think bands of a similar era (Hüsker Dü, Minutemen) had more interesting things going on musically and a whole lot more lyrically. I didn't dislike it though.
I can dig it
Harsh dark sounds that occasionally groove. Not the worst, but not the best. Don't need to listen to this one again.
Very garage band sounding... and not in a good way
Shellac vind ik dan toch net wat beter te hebben dan Big Black, maar ik heb toch altijd sympathie voor Steve Albini en zijn kneiterharde sound!
Sounds like a cheap version of Ministry. 2.5 stars
Strange genre pick by this list. Interesting though but still very strange… 2.9
Saw that Steve Albini died and remembered seeing this album was on the list. I had put it off because it isn't on Spotify, but figure I'll pull from YouTube for the occasion. Did not realize this would err on the Industrial side of the spectrum -- not usually my cup of tea, but the opener has an undeniable energy. Album throughout was energetic and enjoyable for the most part. If I had it on Spotify or some other means I would listen to it on repeat a few times to gather a feeling... As is, this was fine, but nothing that blew me away; somewhere on a high 3, soft 4. I'm going with the 3.
I don’t think I’ve come across Big Black before, so it’s another reputable band I can at least say I’ve heard! I like the colouring on the album art. It’s cartoony, but also quite destructive. Let’s see how it sounds! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Kerosene, Bazooka Joe There were parts of the album where I loved the raw energy and overall mayhem of the sound. To my ears, it sits somewhere in a mix of punk, noise rock and shoegaze. However, for the times where I was loving the ferocity, there were probably an equal amount of times where I tuned out a little. My difficulty with albums like this is the lack of dynamic sound, as each song has a very similar style and vibe so it can start to feel a little diluted with less and less standing out. Overall, this had some great and some not-so-great songs, rounding off as a pretty decent album.
(As of right now, not available in the UK)
I hate myself for my weakness My past sickens me.
It is one of the most powerful hardcore albums in the list because it can really get things going. A cheese grater torturing a guitar? Yeah, that's how it sounds. And when you're in the mood for it why not? In the end, it is all a bit too similar.
3.5
Solid! Kerosene was eminently listenable. A very accessible punk sound. I liked the energy but it didn’t particularly make a lasting impact.
I love punk rock but I'm not connecting with this record. It's fun and angry but nothing sticking during this listening review. It's well produced and maybe that's the disconnect; I want more raw guitars and drums. There's some studio techniques used that dress up the "punk". I'll have to visit this one another day.
I liked it, but I don’t think I needed to hear it. I had never heard of the band before but I saw that a bunch of people cover their song Kerosene so …
Definitively Noise Rock, but with a nice hit of passion. Got me moving from time to time through all of the abrasiveness.
Unable to listen - not available on Spotify - rated on expectation only
Some good raw stuff here.
Not on Spotify
Sticking this out mainly because I love Shellac, but the album opener is horrible in every way. When you can hear it, the bass sound is amazing and I'm into the limitations of the drum machine. This would have probably been my favourite album in the world if I'd heard it when I was 14.
I kind of like it. I don’t know.
Monster bass tone. A lot of Mötorhead influence. Decent.
Wonderfully noisy, loud and intense, so not an ideal background music while reading novels on a sunny afternoon. In the proper context and environment, like sitting in a dark damp basement, a respectably decent album that raises your heartbeat. Slightly above average, but probably won't revisit this for a while and I won't miss it.
Sadly not on Spotify so had to listen through YouTube with adverts which didn’t give the best listening experience, but found this an interesting and exciting album, one to rerate if it ever comes on Spotify
very rough garage rock stuff
I read about the use of very dark and controversial language being used by this band but to be honest I only caught about 5 words clearly. Very Punk
While this was definitely cool (particularly seeing Albini origin story), I'm not sure how much I actually liked it.
A fun punk album, that's it
Surprisingly decent! The grainy guitar fuzz sound can be grating at times but they work some really good melodies into the songs on top of that. Realy catchy and energetic. 6/10
Un disc que en el seu moment segur que sonava molt més subversió que décades després. Malgrat tot, la barreja d'actitud iconoclasta amb un pre-hardcore/punk amb temes força bons, i el segell de fàbrica d'un Steve Albini ja amb personalitat pròpia, el fan un disc a respectar
album bom, mas nada além disso.
I didn't really know what to expect here, but this is some really great industrial punk. From an American band, no less! I don't want to take away from the quality of the music, which is quite excellent. It's heavy and raw and raging and visceral and it quite simply rocks. I enjoyed it quite a bit. But some of the lyrics get pretty bleak and disturbing. Consider this your trigger warning if you are a survivor of abuse, I mean it. Fave Songs: Kerosene, Strange Things, Bad Houses, Passing Complexion, Bazooka Joe
Gibts nicht auf Spotify
I thought this was the guy who was on MTV back in the day so this was a surprise.