Atomizer

"Atomizer" is the debut album by American punk rock group Big Black. Noise rock, post hardcore and industrial are the Wiki-assigned genres. I'd agree. The band is Steve Albini (guitar, vocals, drum machine), Santiago Durango (guitar) and Dave Riley (bass) with Ian Burgess as the recording engineer. The album was self-produced by the band and Burgess. A loud droning noise and mechanical drum beats open "Jordon, Minnesota." Albini is yelping with his singing muttled. A buzzsaw guitar. It's about a child prostitution ring in Jordan and the evil in everyone. We're off to a frightening start. A high-pitched repeating guitar begins "Kerosene." A grating sound and a pounding bass. The intensity keeps growing. He's bored and debating whether to set himself on fire. Yes, seriously. "Bazooka Joe" opens with Albini talking. The drum machine and eerie-layered guitars kick in. A guy goes to war, cones back home and becomes an assassin. It's a simple plot. The album ends with a live version of "Cables." Albini singing with a scratchy guitar. The band kicks in. This is more punk. There's a guy that likes watching cows get slaughtered. This is a frickin' great album. The music, lyrics and singing are all terrifying. These lyrics are what death metal bands dream of. I realize the lyrics are tongue-in-ckeek but taken at face value, there's songs about child prostitution rings, bad cops, self-immolation, brothels, fist fucking, wife beating, alcoholism, war, assassins and killing cows with cables. The music is in your face, essentially industrial with a beat. Albini's vocals are buried even when he's screaming. This was quite the trip.

really scratchy aggressive synths plus shouted lyrics. Big Money got me going. Dude this thing kills. The guitars sound like they are industrial machinery!

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

Heavier and covering harsh topics. The sound was relatively decent considering but still not good for me.

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.

Kinda interesting, but mostly just noise. One of the worst albums I've heard on here. One star.

A difficult listen but differs to everything else heard on this list so far that it deserves a fair bit of credit for it.

The lyrics to the songs I read on this album appear to be atrociously stomach churning and repulsively vulgar. This album is completely distasteful and I'm skipping 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.

It's interesting to get this album so soon after Steve Albini's death. I enjoyed Songs About Fucking a lot, so it I was excited for this one, and it doesn't disappoint. This album does not sound like it was made in 1986. The production is really good overall, which is not a surprise for Steve Albini, but is a surprise for a mid-80s punk album. This is one that I want to pick up on vinyl 4/5

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.

I weirdly love this when I probably shouldn’t and I’ll likely never ever listen to it again, but I genuinely love the angst the noise the chaos. The feelings, even when that feeling is basically apathy.

this was weird. i like weird.

This might be an album that'll grow on me with repeat listens.

Noise rock. Todo igual.

Not for me. Punk-metal often sounds contrived to me, but there is something sincere sounding about this. I still don’t like it, but points given for seeming genuine. 2.5

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.

The most surprising thing I have realized after listening to 119 albums her is that Johnny Rotten is not the worst ever musician who got a record-deal. I have encountered James Hetfield and let's not forget Little Simz (have to be inclusive these day's) and no there are these guys as proof that my opinion regarding mr. Rotten was totally wrong. It is not only the musicians though, the wiki article does not mention the studio where this was recorded nor the sound-engineer responsible for this. Now if I did my job as bad as this I wouldn't want my name associated with it either so I can't blame them for that. Now I don't know what the sound-engineer was thinking but he (/she/it/they/attack-helicopter again must be inclusive) either just set the controls on the mixing-desk to random positions and then buggered off for a long boozy lunch or maybe he (/etc) was already stinking drunk. Maybe the studio was an equal opportinity employer and he (/etc) was as deaf as a post (are posts deaf? listening posts would not be right?). There is also the (tiny) chance that the sound-engineer knew exactly what he (/etc) was doing and the fact that most of the time you can hardly make out the lyrics is a deliberate attempt to shield us from their horribleness. Anyway after a lot of dross I did not give a crap about finally an album I can hate from the bottom of my heart. I see that as progress.

Didn't do much for me. Punk.

Not really the biggest fan tbf, was just loud

I enjoyed this more than I thought. I preferred the music to the singing.

Spiky, angry and punky - can hear the sound of post-punk grunge being born here. All the more poignant with Albini's passing.

Timely given the recent passing of Steve Albini. This is obviously not for everyone. I think it helps to know a little bit about Albini’s ethos to help make sense of the music. But even if it’s not lyrically your thing, it’s clear that musically this is innovative and special. Always cool to hear an impactful artist on the cusp of their influence.

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.

Doesn’t work for me. Totally forgettable.

boring front to back

I don’t think I was ever angry enough for Big Black.

Punk. Steve albini. Achei bem meia boca.

Why is this on the list, once again another trashy album that could be replaced with so much better music.

I just want to know who thought this album is good and has a big enough impact to be on this list because frankly it is not.

This was such a conflicting album for me. On the one hand I love, love, love the sound. Love the bass line being all over the place and super prominent, the songs being driven by the drums (drummer did a great job), and the guitar was great. Normally I don’t like a super bright, tinny sounding guitar but this worked within the context of the songs and the overall sound really, really well. However, I hated the lyrics. They ranged from super wonky to super gross and stupid. Did not like most of the songs lyrics and that’s a big hit to their star rating for me because of it. “Kerosene” is an absolute banger though.

the drum & guitar bits in the first few songs were ok-not my style but it was interesting to listen to. but the vocals were just unintelligible, then I just tuned them out after that.

I think I got a bit fed up with this before it finished.......but I was very tired ! 2/3 ?

Quick listen on a day when I could barely function.

Kerosene definitely has a great riff, it's aggressive, dirty, and industrial sounding. Nice bass sound. Lyrics and vocals are a bit weird but it works for this song, especially the chorus. Unfortunately while the rest of the album has the same sound, nothing really pops like this one. Hell of a song though. ** 1/2

High energy with vocals that verge on annoying at times. It's not my thing.

Chugs along brilliantly, almost has you believing they might actually light that kerosene...

I don’t even know where to start. This sounds like awful slam poetry paired with screeching guitars and moans and very fast drum beats to try and hide the hideous composition. This is not me tea. Nor is it my bag.

If the world was made of musicians like Big Black, I would light up the atomizer without thinking twice.

Legendary producer, totally bonkers noise rock edgyboy stuff. Musically it blew my mind but man I was not ready for some of the lyrical content and I'm not totally sure how comfortable with it I am

Really love the instrumentation but it's a shame the producer is a pos

It made Zero upset, so it loses a star.

The drum machine grooves. Otherwise the music gets monotonous at times. Makes me want to listen to Black Flag

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.

Kerosene and Bad Houses! Great!!!!! The rest of the album is good for the genre.

sick album. got me pumped.

Not a bad album. I’ve never heard of them before.

No idea who or what this is, BUT I LOVE IT. 4 STARS.

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.

Noise rock. Todo igual.

Steve Albini died today and the day I was served this album :(

Notable track: Kerosene

I mean, FUCK YEAH!!!

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

Relentless drum tracks, angry words, lots of energy. Punk, dance, industrial: the sound of the future to come.

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.

There’s a lot of interesting styles in this album that kind of goes in between pre punk, punk, and post punk even into some alt metal sounds. Rhythmically it’s actually pretty decent. The guitar and drum work is done done pretty well and if attached to better lyrics or style this could’ve been pretty enjoyable. I had a hard time enjoying anything past the instrumentals however. 5.1/10

Not sure what this is or who it’s for

Pretty cool

Försökte ändå gilla detta men det gick inte

good. shame its not on spotify, but good like the production, like the sound. solid 3

Not what I expected, and not something I would return to soon. I do like punk once in a while but this was too much noise and couldn’t interest me enough. Favourite song: - Kerosine

Un album qui n’essaie pas d’être aimable; un peu cru et brut. J’aime bien

oof....

More than a bit rough, but some good moments

Something I would’ve probably listened to in my annoying teen angst phase. Just sounds shitty now.

I really didn't like this one at first, then it kind of grew on me about a third of the way through. Then I got sick of it by the end.

This one did not charm me. I kept thinking that it could be worse...it could be raining...but it just never locked in for me.

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.

Here are the stats / summary of the person who left the review that's currently topping this section : Albums Rated 1 Average Rating 5 Favorite Decade 80s Favorite Origin US Favorite Genres Punk Rock Worst Genre Rock Highest Rated Albums Big Black - Atomizer Lowest Rated Albums No low rated albums yet. Yes, you've read that correctly. That reviewer who professed their love for Steve Albini only reviewed *one* album--an album by the man's old band Big Black, still legendary for the sort of sheer, uncompromising aggressive sound said band was playing in the middle of the 80s (but clearly one or two notches under Albini's later act Shellac--conspicuously absent from this list). In a way, it's perfectly fitting (and frankly hilarious) that Albini can attract that sort of "extreme" reaction, given how extreme the man's own early musical endeavors (and personality) were. *Atomizer* doesn't profit from the stellar and very personal chops Steve later acquired as a sound engineer (that unmistakable deep and echoey sound he gives to drums!). But this record (and subsequent Big Black LP *Songs About Fucking") perfectly encapsulates how this band was years ahead for genres such as noise-rock or industrial music. Not always a *pleasant* listen. But most often thrilling, offering a musical mood that's a perfect backdrop for the tragically dark subject matters dealt with in the admittedly offensive lyrics. This album was recorded by Iain Burgess, by the way--very much a mentor for Albini, not only as a musician but also as a producer, since Burgess also helped the Chicagoan become the awesome sound engineer that he is still is today. Burgess later recorded many excellent albums--with a less abrasive sound than this one--and he passed away a decade ago. May he rest in peace. To be honest, I hesitate putting this record in my list of "keepers": as admirable as it is that such an extreme LP was recorded in the middle of the eighties, I would rather have Shellac's *At Action park* instead. And Big Black's own *Songs About Fucking* also sounds slightly superior to me as well... Yet according to my own estimation,1986 was one of the least interesting years for music anyway, and under that light, it's not surprising that *Atomizer* manages to reach the 15th slot in my album ranking for that year (thanks to a few killer tracks such as "Kerosene"). If only for this, that album deserves to be in my " waiting room" list... Number of albums left to review: 224 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 335 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 198 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 250

Similar to Suicide a couple of days ago, mostly extremely no thank you. There were some elements of fun in this, and I listened to it running, which probably helped. The first track and a half was almost good. Then it very much was not.

Not on Spotify

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

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

First listen Saved 2/10 Top track: Kerosene

Couldn’t listen, wasn’t available on Spotify

Horrible, intentionally abrasive and not good. Didnt like it

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.

I liked this but it was a bit too harsh at times of a sound for me to really enjoy it. I do like edgy and gritty music but this overall sound became a little grating for me and I kind of often found myself saying "what is that sound? I don't like it..." I know this is an influential band to a lot of lesser known metal bands; I've been hearing about Big Black for years but never listened to them. I'll have to dig deeper to see if I like any of their other stuff more.

Post punk as Porto industrial. Intense in every way.

I’ve lost my taste for angry punk, in favor of Dead Milkmen, Ramones, etc. That said, this is a solid album. Just not my thing, tho.

All the instrumental sounds of Midwest emo as played by a punk band. I have heard worst. 2 stars because album art was on point

Not on Spotify. 1/5

Interesting

Müll

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.

An excellent blend of that industrial sound with something less meandering than the sound I tend to associate with the genre due to the post-hardcore and noise rock injections. The instrumentation is tight and rapid, the production feels of its time, but just futuristic enough to feel influential, and I can see why everyone and their mother wanted Steve Albini's two cents (or more) in the late 80s/early 90s. It relies on its texture, but isn't lacking a kick of flavor to it so that tracks can still have a catchiness to them all. It does lose grip a little at the very tail end of the record, and many of the tracks can come off as repetitive, but there is enough impact with each note to leave me rocking out for nearly the entirety of the album. In all essence the name Atomizer is perfect. It could probably kill a whole planet with its power, but man if those using it don't look cool as hell.

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

Sounds like they were a massive influence on Ministry

Det finns något men hittar det inte riktigt.

Nothing special until Bad Houses….. standouts: Bad Houses, Bazooka Joe. 3.5

Unfortunately, I don't have a chance to listen to the album. My streaming service doesn't have it and I'm not going to buy it on spec.

Energetic, angry, raw. I’m not sure why this short of thing appeals to me so much, but it does.

I liked it much more than I thought I would.

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

The legend Steve Albini. I wasn't as familiar with this album as their next one whose name I'm too shy to say out loud but definitely goes hard.

Look, I like loud music but stuff like this really captures my inner old lady that doesn't care for incessant loud noises with zero direction. I breathed a sigh of relief when I got a few seconds of silence and realized that the album was over, with no need for me to ever revisit it again. The only reason this isn't getting a one star is because I liked how the production and album artwork felt more modern than 1986.

I love this album SO MUCH

This is actually horrible and horrendous I hate this it sounds like metal being scraped against the floor slowly and then added some screaming voices it’s crazy I am sorry I have nothing good to say about this …

Music for Columbine terrorists. Dreadful. Steve Albini can eat it - I uncelebrate the guy's entire catalogue. 0/10 0 stars

This one wasn't for me

Got “better” as it went on. “Kerosene” the obvious highlight. Will never listen to this again. This rating is generous. 2/5

Jordan, Minnesota 1.8 Passing Complexion 2 Big Money 1.8 Kerosene 2 Bad Houses 1.5 Fists of Love 1.6 Stinking Drunk 1.4 Bazooka Joe 1.3 Strange Things 1 Cables (Live) 1 Score: 1.54

Wow. Missed this one in the college experience. I know I would have hooked into it at the time. But now, not as much.

I did not prefer this.

cool

Hard to enjoy, very mechanical sounding punky music, interesting vibe but not super listenable

dimenticabile

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.

Spotify premium

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

Industrial jangle-punk

I wasn't sure what I was going to get with this one. Started off with disconcerting noise, not a good sign. Eventually it found a groove of sorts and wasn't unlistenable luckily. Not sure if this is a 2 or 3. Would possibly benefit from another listen. 2nd listen didn't do much more for me. This sounds like music angry robots would make and/or listen to.

Oye, no conocía a este grupo, pero suenan adelantados a su tiempo.

Noise rock. Todo igual.

Great use of a drum machine - drives the whole thing along. This was abrasive but - perhaps it caught me in the right mood - just what I needed.

Music taste is subjective, but if you think this is "just noise", that's an actual skill issue, sorry to say. Another one of those albums that actually sound better with worse audio quality. Don't listen to the Youtube upload like some pleb - find a buried copy in the sands of Uzbekistan if you want the true experience. Awesome. Heard somebody refer to this genre as "Pigfuck" and that's metal as hell and really fitting. This was a first listen for me - I've only heard "Songs About Fucking" before - and I loved it a lot. I will definitely be returning to this one.

I enjoy some punk, but this drum machine punk sounds more industrial. Just ok.

Yeah! good find

Lots of noise. Largely not great noise but on occasion it didn’t make me want to turn it off. Although it got very close very often 1.4

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.

This album was not available on Spotify.

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

Only made it thru a couple of songs. Not for me.

Never heard of this band or any of these songs...probably never will again. Fists of Love had a cool groove to it ... minus the lyrics.

I think the Church Lady (SNL) sums it up nicely: "Well, wasn't that special." Notes: I so wanted to not hate at least 1 song. Fail. "Passing Complexion" - rusty, out of tune string instruments fight each other to the death. 1/5

Horrific.

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

Well, I like punchy music and this has punch in spades. I thought the lyrics were obnoxious but when I didn’t pay attention to the words, it was alright. I don’t mind a bit of industrial noise rock every now and then. More of a 2.5.

There’s so much proto-NIN in this album that I loved. I’m not upset that it’s not on Spotify. That said - goddamn was that nihilistic nirvana.

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

A+ album art. I've never heard (or heard of) this band before. But goodness me I love it! Not every single track, some are a bit too distressing, but overall I think this album is super interesting and very cool and deserves a spot on this list. Kerosene is a particular standout.

Never heard of Big Black! That was pretty rad though. Big big sound

When I first started listening to this, I didn’t like it. Then when I looked up the details, I realized it was Steve Albini. I still don’t like it, but it makes more sense now.

I get it, but I just don’t get it

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

First album I couldn't listen through. I got to the second song and turned it off. This wasn't available on Spotify, so I listened on youtube. Judging by the comments, the album sounded fine. Horrible.

Old school punk like noise.

Not my thing, but not entirely awful. Almost made it to a three.

Abrasive and uncompromising. It can be a tough listen, but a pretty solid one.

This album isnt avaliable in my country… (Denmark)

A pretty good punk / noise album. I really like how this album sounds (especially the guitars and drum machine), but some of the songs are a little cheesy and the vocals aren't the best at times. I can see me enjoying this album a lot more on future listens.

Surprisingly fun for how raw, dark, and abrasive the content is. There are some crazy guitar riffs on Passing Complexion and Kerosene, and tracks like Big Money, Fists of Love, Bazooka Joe, and Cables also had me surprisingly nodding along. Too abrasive to put in the rotation, but a very solid 3.5.

Very cool - different - industrial from mid-80s? nice.

No esta en Spotify

Wtf... I mean it gets a bit more listenable but i feel gaslit by all the reviews and being on the "Best album of 86s" list. Just seems like Edge lord material when I read the wiki. Not finding a criminal record on his wiki makes me guess it is an excuse to say triggering things and saying it is a message of the opposite. Just like people say "It's just a prank, bro!" today. This reminds me of a song a friend sent me of a 12 year old screaming obscenities, recorded in a garage that was on spotify... I wouldn't really call that a masterpiece or the best Swedish album of 2000.

Musically: yum, yes please, delightful. Lyrically: yikes, no thank you, too real. Another example of my tendency of focusing on the music and ignoring the lyrics. Their album SAF was a favorite of mine in college.

Ooh, I like this! Big Black have been a big black blind spot for me for a while. I read about them in Our Band Could Be Your Life, but never really sought them out. I will have to dig deeper.

I would’ve given this four stars twenty years ago.

Not my kind of music

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.

Just generic punk rock and bad singing. No idea what was said and everything sounded the same. 4/10

What a mess

Old techno?

I mean, yes its music, yes its punk, but it also sound like electric drivel. I am sure a few more playthroughs would make it palatable.

Tja, nicht mein Geschmack

It was bad. I did not care of it. Thankfully it was a short album. I didn't need to listen to it. It got a little screamy at points which is unnecessary. I will round down.

1 song of The Hives is phenomenal. Great aggressive punk rock. 2 songs is good. A full album honestly is a bit much. It starts to sound just frantic. I liked it less and less as the album went. Unfortunately, the first song is by far the best song on the album, and its just one long downhill slide for the rest of the album.

Awful.

7.5/10 Surprisingly catchy for how extreme it is. Higlights: Kerosene

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

Unfortunately unlistenable

Big Black Atomizer. Pour homme. pour femme. Pour vous.

lily-of-the-valley, lovely

I guess someone might like it. I certainly didn't

Kerosine

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.

A lot of noise, none of which I enjoyed.

1 idea, and not a very good one

over before I realized. Most tracks sounded the same.

Absolute trash

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

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.

Noise rock. Todo igual.

Serial killer vibes 7/10

In principe is het verschrikkelijke herrie (dan bedoel ik niet eens zozeer het schreeuw en de gitaren an sich, maar meer hoe de opname klinkt), maar toch kan ik het waarderen. Ik ben daar een beetje verbaasd over omdat ik het eigenlijk te noisy vind. Neem bijv. 'Passing Complexion'. Een rete-irritante track maar toch heeft het iets verslavends. En zo heeft vrijwel elke track wel iets wat ervoor zorgt dat het album me toch bevalt. Na dit album wil je wel douchen en naar bed.

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.

Industrial noise rock, nihilistic, but far more listenable than other industrial noisy albums. Liked the bass in Strange Things, reminded me slightly of Muse.

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

Woof, no thank you

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.

Pretty annoying honestly. Was hoping for more punk influence, but unfortunately a lot of it reminded me of noisy-ass My Bloody Valentine shit that feels more pretentious than anything else. Idk, maybe it takes a few listens.

I get that it’s important, just not my thing.

I love punk music, but cleanly not 80s punk. I need some semblance of melody. Just a tiny bit. This is all dissonance, as usual 3.5/10

Wanted to like this, but had a hard time with the industrial sound. The effects were really rough on the ears. 2/5 Won’t listen again

ah, this album was a lot of noise. not exactly where my music interest lies, but i was surprised to hear some metal sounds! with atomizer released in 1986, it's a definite precursor to the nineties metal scene. listening to atomizer for that fact alone is cool, but i could've done without this album on the whole. the harshness, the weird heavy breathing in the beginning of the album... i'm good thanks

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!

Not my thing

This was fine. Nothing special in my opinion.

fun. bonkers lyrics could i write poetry to this? n

Really enjoyed this album. Wish they were on Spotify

Clean and crisp production with absolutely filthy lyrics and music. Love it.

Pretty good stuff, but each song seemed to be a bit over-long and repetitive.

Screaming grunge. 1/5

Enjoyed this. Never heard of the group!

Some interesting ideas, but a little repetitive and too abrasive to be worth revisiting.

Mid-80s industrial punk, reminiscent of the Holy Bible, which may be partly why it appeals. Steve Albini (vocals and guitar in Big Black) later produced Journal for Plague Lovers, and it's easy to see how he and MSP would be a good fit. This is too bleak and nasty to return to frequently, but you can't help but respect the raw power and uncompromising achievement of the artistic intent. Rating: 4.5/5 Playlist track: Kerosene Date listened: 04/12/23

Surprisingly musical dissonant punk rock

Was this recorded on a microwave? It was absolutely terrible. There are countless examples of hard-core punk from that time period that are much, much better than this headache of an album. I'd give it 0/5 if I could.

How much of the Wax Trax/Chicago scene was trying to replicate this sound? Pretty much all of it. Certainly not meant for broad appeal but checks a lot of boxes for me.

While I can see the appeal of this, it is not my thing at all. 2 stars because I liked a couple songs

It was ok, songs weren't especially interesting above the abrasive sound

Screamy and no melody. It probably has its place, but ultimately not into it.

Couldn't listen to much not for me

Pretty good I liked this one 2

Repetitive noise rock. Not my cup of tea.

The ads YouTube served up between tracks were better than the songs.

Hard

Wow. This was total shit. Possibly the worst album I’ve ever listened to. Brutal. Sounds like shit someone from NW would put out.

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.

Oho olipa stydi! Törkeet soundit ja tinkimätön meno. Täytyy kuunnella uudelleenkin! 4/5

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

Modernia (ainakin ajalleen), menevää ja virkistävän erilaista. Todella kova platta, pitää kuunnella tulevaisuudessakin!

cool if you like punk

liian popmyönteinen sisältään, liian ulos työntävä ulkopuoleltaan. Jos tälläinen albumi joka päivä, olisi projekti mielekkäämpi saattaa loppuun.

It was horrible.

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.

I know this is an important record, but the weird sounds and hammering drums just didn't grab my attention this time.

it was one of the metal albums.

Big Black, white noise. No value in this one

Complicated. Amazing music, very (very) shitty lyrics.

3/5

For some reason this album isn’t available for me on spotify so I had to listen to it on youtube, was the extra hassle worth it? No, it was not

1/5 irritating metal

Unable to listen as not on Spotify 👎🏻

*couldn't listen as wasn’t on Spotify*

wild and weird. 4 stars.

This album is a blast. Right from the jump it's abrasive wall of guitar and hammering drum machine set the tone. Weirdly danceable and oddly catchy at times the subject matter of the songs comes across as intruiging and strangely thoughtful (in a punk rock sense) instead of disgusting. Personal favorites were "big money", "bad houses", and "stinking drunk".

Here's what you do: go pick up the book Our Band Could Be Your Life by author Michael Azerrad. Skip over to the chapter on Big Black and read that. You should read the other chapters too but the Big Black chapter is important here for obvious reasons. That will tell you everything you need to know about the band and why they're so revered; there's no point in me writing anything else about them. However, the book was published in 2001 and does not go into how Big Black's sonic style would lend itself to Steve Albini's trademark production. Although Albini does not like to call himself a producer, it would be a disservice to not recognize his impact on noise rock and post-hardcore recordings. By mixing the vocals further back into the mix rather than in front of the mix, the vocals play more of a part of the overall sound. This is especially effective with aggressive vocals, as it provides a wider attack. While Albini did not produce Atomizer, it would follow him for the rest of his career. Next time you listen to P J Harvey, Jawbreaker, the Jesus Lizard, even Nirvana, you'll hear a bit of Atomizer too.

not for me

harsh, too punk for me I guess

I saw some reviews call this album abrasive. I won’t disagree with that, but to me it was just too trebly. Bring in some low end or mids, and it’s suddenly “listenable”. Let’s pretend the production value was better. Is it now a good album? Eh, not really. There’s not much here Black Flag wasn’t doing better, or John Mellencamp.

It sounds like shit and Albini’s a total edgelord, but if the unhinged DIY guy of it all reels you in, the riffs just might keep you hooked.

Outstanding work, which is rare for me to get that kind of enthusiasm for punk

To say that this is just noise means that the distortion is so overwhelming that no other aspect of the music can be enjoyed, which is a shame because its, otherwise, very good. 2/5

Once again a first time listen. Will probably leave it at that.

Heavy

luckily this was hard to find and listen to as what i heard on youtube was not my bag unlistenable punk

Goooood

Reminds me of Dream Theater but all noise. Big miss

Not on spotify, so I had to listen on youtube. I've never looked forward to an unskipable ad more than when I was listening to this album, as the ads were a nice break for my ears. To be fair, I'm sure it was very influential. In fact, it influenced me to turn down my volume level. In all seriousness, some parts of some songs were listenable. Rating 1 star.

Abrasive in the best way possible. Maybe I like punk more than I think I do. 4/5

Intense and rockin in a self destructive teenaged sort of way. I found it simultaneously frightening, silly, and enjoyable. A rare combination perhaps.

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.

bwooof je sais pas trop. Il y avait du gros bruit ca c'est certain. Black flag la veille et maintenant ca. La différence est frappante entre les deux styles de punk. celui-ci est plus cacophonique et vraiment moins mon genre. 2.75

Meh not my scene

Album not available.

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.

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. 🔥

I am very disappointed that this isn’t on Spotify, because it’s actually really good

Just don't see anything special in this. Punk was long dead by this time so why class it as such? OK to a certain degree but only so far.

Punk - Nooooo!

Listened to this on my vinyl copy, can't have listened for twenty years and it's insanely listenable. Now hoping Songs about XXing turns up on this list as well to get that out too. No Spotify.

Probably a 3.5 star, if that were possible. Not their best album (SAF), but still quite good.

I'm rather hoping thar the first track doesn't set the standard for this album. Well, it both does and doesn't. The rest of the album is just as aggressive, but decidedly less harsh.

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.

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.

Abrasive - on the industrial martial side, like a hardcore Laibach but more upbeat, somehow. Not something you can have on in the background as many of the tracks certainly demand your attention. The more I heard, the more I enjoyed. Big Money absolutely chomps along. Jordan, Minnesota feels paranoid. Can barely hear the lyrics overall (but I like the mixing) and when I do, they are odd. I like the sudden switch-ups of rhythm, tempo, and instruments. Irritating for it not to be on Spotify - how we've come to rely on it. A solid 4 stars.

The first track opens with a bang and I knew I was going to like this album. I hadn't heard of them before but they have a great raw shouty sound. The last two tracks on the album end on a whimper but I throughly enjoyed it overall. Highlights: Jordan, Minnesota Passing Complexion Kerosene

Never heard of big black. Really interesting sound, not like any other punk I can think of. Think it's the drum machine. I really enjoyed this, it's a shame it's not on Spotify and I can't add to my playlist. Liked Kerosene and bazooka Joe

Loud af loved it & the industrial adjacent noise

Alfa band name. Big Money and Stinking Drunk are the two okay songs that I’d listen to again.

big black what? passing complexion

Big black was hard for my ears to fully handle, but I spread them wide and after 40 mins big black was finished to completion.

Music was hardcore but didn't give me the urge to listen intently, plenty of other more compelling albums you could put on.

TIL Steve Albini had a band, and it was absolutely incredible. So filthy and lo-fi and layered and nasty but just perfect really, I love the harshness of the guitars and the cleanness of the drum machines. YouTube music link: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCqGF7gRwC9ZFxWIv0uWUl_g But this should really be listened to on a dog-eared vinyl or a smashed cassette tape.

Estos estaban re enojados.

Boring

Pretty cool.

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

Just couldn’t…

Something different for sure - I can see how this band was influential to others. not my favorite but I understand how some people might like it!