Kollaps

Industrial music edges forward, sometimes quite literal in its meaning. Fascinating despite its noise and attempt to be unlistenable.

This is one of those albums where you either get it or you don’t. Kollaps isn’t just music—it’s a full-on assault on sound itself, built from clanging metal, literal power tools, and raw, guttural vocals that feel like they’re trying to dismantle traditional songwriting entirely. It’s harsh, abrasive, and absolutely chaotic, but once you start thinking about what they were doing and the context they were working in, it makes a lot more sense. Coming from post-war Berlin, Einstürzende Neubauten were reacting to their surroundings—both physically and culturally—using industrial wreckage as instruments to reflect a world that felt just as unstable. Translated, the lyrics are full of bleak, existential dread, but even without understanding a word, the sheer sound of it tells you everything you need to know. That being said, it’s not exactly an album you’ll be spinning on a daily basis. The noise and destruction are the point, but it does require patience and an open mind to fully appreciate. Tracks like Tanz Debil and Steh auf Berlin feel like precursors to noise rock, industrial, and even modern experimental hip-hop—this is the OG drill music, quite literally. It’s not the worst album on this list by any stretch, but it does demand effort from the listener. If you’re willing to engage with it, there’s something undeniably fascinating about Kollaps, even if it’s more of an experience than an everyday listen.

Heck yeah Sonic Voyagers strap in for the ride. I admire the intestinal fortitude it takes to say fuck what other people think, I'm going to be artistically creative in a way that makes me happy. Collapsing new buildings indeed.

Going to force myself to sit through this and try to keep my mind open even though it is currently screaming at me to cover my ears. It’s atmospheric. It sounds like I’m in a horror movie. I will never choose to listen to this again, but at least it’s different.

nope

What the fck

icons

Estaba deseando que llegara el día en que me tocara escuchar este álbum, el peor valorado de esta web. No sabía muy bien qué esperar de él, pero sabía que iba a ser una experiencia interesante. Y ha cumplido las expectativas con creces. El álbum comienza con temas súper agresivos, con gritos ensordecedores y sonidos industriales que no se pueden calificar de música. Conforme va avanzando, los temas se vuelven menos abrasivos y se centran más en la percusión, también de tónica industrial. Incluso se intuye alguna que otra melodía en temas como "Jet'm". Y hay temas que hasta se podría decir que me han gustado, especialmente "Kollaps", muy extático. No es un álbum agradable de escuchar, pero tampoco es tan horrible como lo pintan. Y definitivamente se trata de un álbum muy influyente en estilos como el metal industrial, el noise o incluso el post-punk. Además, los ritmos percusivos con instrumentos metálicos caseros se hacen incluso agradables pasado un rato. Es un álbum que induce a una especie de trance tribal transposicionado al siglo XX. Prefiero esto mil veces antes que otro álbum de new wave británica.

Yesterday I gave an album 3 stars because it was too repetitive and the singing was bad. This album has that as well, but here it's obviously on purpose. I generally agree with the low rating of the lowest rated albums on this site. It's easy to understand the issues that people have with this album, but I don't hate it. It makes sense to me. Favorite song: Steh auf Berlin

I imagine this is pretty low ranked, while it was a challenging listen at times, I think it makes sense in context of this list. I feel like I can trace this album through to bands I like (Liars comes to mind), and so it was a good one-off listen.

Highlights: Jet’m, Tanz Debil. In a nutshell: taking the genre literally. I think the mission of the band (at least in 1981 context) is to be weird and deconstruct percussion. This is an easier listen compared to Throbbing Gristle. Without looking it up, I bet this was creative fuel for Rammstein, Nick Cave and Trent Reznor (spoiler, frontman Blixa Bargeld is a founding member of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds). Did I like it? Eh. It's chaotic and impressive. Do I think it’s worth keeping on the list? YES. Overall: 5/10

2.75 Love the sound of trash rolling down a hill.

this album sounds like it was recorded in the toy box killer's trailer. it did manage to win me over a little in the second half - not much, but enough.

fascinating album. it is genuinely so cool to listen to. it's really hard to listen to. it is about as industrial sounding as you can get. literally. a lot of this album sounds like it was recorded in a manufacturing plant or something. i don't know that i ever would have sought out this album or will ever seek it out again, but i do think it's cool and fascinating. how do you rate something like this? one of the most interesting sounding albums you've ever heard, but also one you never want to listen to again? i don't think i properly can but the closest approximation i can give it is a 3.

Industrial noise / found sound. Schieß Euch Ins Blut sounds like it might contain the Wilhelm Scream.

This hurt. Not for me.

I really want to rate it higher, but I don't love it enough for a 4. I can totally see why this is so low rated, this is so far removed from Paranoid Android, 1989 and Master of Puppets that it will alienate al.ost everyone But what's the purpose of this list if not to showcase the bravery of these Germans? No I'm not listening to this outside of this project, but I'm glad that I have listened to it and it will remain one of the most memorable albums on the list. Way more interesting than anything that Rod Stewart is involved in

Original. Daring. Experimental. Unlistenable.

Thoughts before listening: I'm not really sure on this one too be honest. Industrial goth maybe? The cover doesn't look like that's what this would sound like, but for some reason that's what I'm associating with the band name. Review: So my memory served me well here, but now my ears are mad. I definitely had the sound pegged on this one, but this is a tough listen. More of a sound collage than any sort of traditional asking structure. I imagine this has a pretty low average score on here, I'm leaning a 1 to add to the pile on.

2-

"If you're fond of sand dunes, and salty air; quaint little villages, here and there..." GTFO All I got for you is an angle grinder and a lump hammer, in the cavernous blackness of an abandoned German factory, under the tortured howls of a maniac. A European take on the birth of industrial techno? I kind of wanted to like this but it certainly ain't a relaxing listen. 5 for integrity, 2 for actual listenability 🫠

Answers the question “what if kraftwerk was atonal and bad?”

Hahaahahah WAUW Wat een ongelooflijke knaller is dit. En dat meen ik, dit album is agressief, duister en klinkt als een soort hellscape. Dit is wel echt een album dat ik nog nooit heb gehoord en hopelijk ook nooit meer ga horen. Het bezorgt me een soort ongemak, maar volgens mij is dat ook de bedoeling hiervan? Ik vind het geen 1, gewoon puur omdat ik me veel meer heb geirriteerd aan andere albums, met bijvoorbeeld matige zang. Dit album is gemaakt met een doel; en dat doel haalt het wel echt grandioos. Ok ja maar weet je... Ik was echt wel bereid om dit 3 sterren te geven voor innovatie en niet het duizendste Britpop/rock adjacent album te zijn. Maar het duurt bijna een uur he... Dit album is toch echt een beetje als een grap die eerst heel funny is, tot je je realiseert dat die gast het echt meent; en dan is het gewoon voornamelijk ongemakkelijk. Toch krijgt het 2 sterren. Ik heb nog nooit zoiets gehoord en zal dit album ook niet snel nog eens aanzetten. Maar dit is wel waarom ik ooit met deze lijst ben begonnen. Om nieuwe muziek te ontdekken, het liefste ook nieuwe genres. Dit album vind ik dan dus echt een stuk interessanter dan Britpop/Rock album nummer 500. FAVO:'U-Haft-Muzak

Mitä ihmeen pukeliääniä se tämä on?

I gave this 2 stars just solely for how unique it is. Some tracks were not TOO bad but unfortunately most of it was not at all what I needed to get through work for the day.

No thank you.

nie

I'm sure there is some artistic justification for this, but it's hard to listen to.

My dog left the room. I like some odd stuff but a construction site in NYC is more pleasant to listen to than this.

I’d give this zero stars if I could.

They're so angry and disorganized. In a nutshell, this is why Germany keeps starting (and losing) wars.

Challenging. I do understand why people hate them. Excellent beats, though.

I wanted to like this and I just didn't. Maybe on another day. Stopped listening halfway through the second track

I wanted to like this, even if only because of the people who have that little guy as a tattoo. I even tried not to skip around, but it got to be too much. I mean it’s interesting with the non traditional instruments & the industrial aspect, but there’s not much else going on that really does much for me.

Ugh, no thank you. This was bad and wasn't even ironically interesting. Couldn't finish it. I wasn't aware that industrial metal included trashcan lids and anvils.

So, yeah -- Art is Art -- but not all art is for me. I know people really think highly of this band but I don't see it. On a few songs I could get into the industrial nature of the songs but I couldn't get into it.

This just felt like noise.

I admire the all in commitment to this and can see how it fills a spot and then influences other music but it’s not for me… a later song by the band came on afterwards and it was much more listenable than anything on here.

Not enjoyable.

I was pretty excited when this came up because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Most of this project has been either listening to albums I already know with a more critical ear, or discovering new albums I've missed. But every once in a while, with an album like this, I simply try to understand it, with no pressure to enjoy it. What they did here is certainly not enjoyable, but I will say, they succeeded in what they set out to accomplish. Taking a bunch of non-musical sounds and making them at least marginally musical. For that, I'll give it a 3. I will never listen to this again, but if anything, I am thankful for this being in my brain, because I'm a big Metallica fan and now the snare sound in St. Anger is a little more tolerable.

This is interesting! I was really into Ministry and Skinny Puppy back in the day, but never listened to this band. Can definitely see how powerfully they influenced a lot of the industrial music I liked as a teenager. I don’t really want to revisit those days, but this was a fun journey.

I don’t mean to be that guy, but my kids can do this. And they do it just a little better.

Can hardly call this music - it’s just noise

Oof. Hard work. Not immediately approachable. It sounds like a dystopian punk band playing with the detritus of civilisation years after a war zone. It's a shocker. I would never have heard of this outside of the 1001. Is it good? Dunno... Would I listen to it again ? Unlikely. Am I a better human being for having listens to and felt it's expression of existence? Yes. Do I give it 5 stars, no way, not in a link for. 3 for novelty and fascination that this exists and that there are fans of this. Barely. Barely.

Listened to the 13 track original release. As if the German language didn’t sound mean and nasty enough, they had to scream it and have annoying industrial sound effects and repetitive beats. I did not enjoy any of this. It may be the worst album I’ve heard so far.

This was not actually that bad! I went in knowing it was the lowest rated album on the list, so my expectations were tempered, but I kind of liked it! I wouldn't like go to a live show or something, and I'm definitely not going to be buying this to listen to on the regular, but I thought the sound was an interesting experiment. I like it when people use non-traditional instruments like this. I absolutely did know when the album ended though because the next song that played on my Spotify had a legit guitar and I was like "oh, guess Kollaps is done". This feels more like a performance art piece than music.

Was für ein Schrott.

i entirely thought the appeal of early industrial was that it was evil music that also sounded like it was coming directly from a Casiotone that Satan had been using as a personal fleshlight for the past ten hours. as a result, i enjoyed it in the same way i enjoy smooth jazz -- a product of its limitations, trying to scare you, but ending up more spooky than actually scary. i'm sorry, but i think it took a bit of technological progress to make the synthetic sufficiently frightening. as a result, "Kollaps" feels out of place. this thing fucking scares me. people who ding it because it's hard to listen to and abrasive: have you considered that maybe that's the point?

Nuria: no he podido terminarlo. Jaime: le da un 2 "Por diferente a todo"

Well, here it is. The lowest rated album on the site, next to Throbbing Gristle. I don’t know if I was mentally prepared for this one. Experimental music always felt like the “we make some random shit, let’s see how it make you feel” genre. It’s not made to be consumed like regular music. It’s made to provoke a reaction. In this particular case, I was willing to give the album a chance and sort of grade it on a curve. With that said, here’s my take. It’s mostly a bunch of noise being made from banging various things along side some angry German screaming. It is mostly not very pleasant, and some of it made me physically wince. Honestly, some of the screaming acted as audio jumpscares, which probably makes this a terrible album to play while driving. The fact alone that this album makes me actually cringe should warrant this album into getting one star. However, there are some things going for this album. 1. It’s experimental, so that’s kind of the point. 2. I actually liked a song (god forbid), the title track. Yes, the longest track on the album. The rhythm was good and it wasn’t a complete tirade on my ears. And 3. This album provoked more reaction from me than some of the hour long snooze fests I had generated prior, particular some of the electronic ones. Would I listen to this again? Hell no. Do I think it’s the worst album I had generated? Also no. But I completely understand why it is rated like this. And honestly, I don’t even really like it. Being experimental doesn’t mean being immune to being called shit just because it’s weird. But I feel there’s worse than this, so I’m giving it an extra star. Most tolerable track: Kollops Other tracks I didn’t hate: Jet’m, Sehnsucht

I’m not saying this is good or pleasant to listen to. But it’s not the worst. Arguably one of the more important records. It inspired whole genres of music.

Nein.

Lost in translation. Apart from a few samples of recognizable music and some welcome silence, this was unlistenable to me. Makes sense. I google translated the title… “Songs From My Disturbed Sheet Metal Shop”.

Éclectique, bruyant, irritant. Le pur esprit punk.

I have learned to check how many tracks were on the original release of the record to make sure I do not have to listen to more tracks than I have to.

Strange

Somewhere between an interrogation room and a tray full of eating utensils being dropped on a tile floor.

I like the concept of noise music, but I've found that bare-bones noise/industrial records like this one tend to be rather boring and not really appealing to me. I like when noise is used as an extension of other genres, to add more weight, texture, accetuate certain parts of the record. Kollaps, however, doesn’t do that and is mostly a sound collage of different noises without a concrete structure. Look, I don’t hate noise. The genre that got me into music was metal, which tends to be pretty noisy. Noise rock and shoegaze are some of my favorite genres. And my favorite band, Swans, used to be a noise rock band and still frequently incorporates elements of noise into their music. I understand that all I’ve listed here is basically "child's first exposure to noisy music," but I'm totally fine with liking it. Kollaps is a lot more sonically offensive than most of the noise music I like. This is not a problem on its own. What I don't like here is that there's not a lot structure or musicality, which is also not necessarily wrong, but I think there's only so many of music conventions you can sacrifice before it becomes completely unengaging. I'm not saying "This is literally not music!" and I actually find that kind of attitude to be incredibly annoying and unfair. Who is to decide what counts as music and what doesn't? This kind of discussions are stupid and pointless. People come up with all kinds of arbitrary boundaries, but always fail to explain why would any of that matter. Jazz is not music because "it's just improvisation"; hip hop is not music because "they're just reading words" (also, the ones who think that tend to be not the biggest fans of black people, but that's a different story); metal is not music because "it's just random noises and screaming," etc. You know, vocals didn't used to be a part of the classical musicians' (who’ve invented music theory) repertoire originally. Does that mean every song that has vocals is not music? People need to come to terms with the fact that music, just like any other art form, constantly expands it's bounties and evolves. Whether you like these evolutions or not is irrelevant and doesn't make them any less “music.” Experimentation and diversions from popular norms lies at the core of art and is what makes it so exciting. I think noise music is totally valid, and you're allowed to dislike it, but "this is not music" is not legitimate criticism. This is also not what I dislike about this record. I don’t like when artists use the whole dynamic range their recording equipment allows as I have to lower the gain and make the quiter sounds way too quiet just so the louder ones don’t obliterate my eardrums. I like music to feel actually mixed. I like music to have structure. A typical framework of buildups and crescendos is far more satisfying to me because of the way it balances anticipation and relief. In place of that, Kollaps has quiet, droney backdrops occasionally interrupted my loud metallic noises or screaming vocals, which are not pleasant to the ear (and yes, you can make noise and screms pleasant). The title track is good, though, but it is also the one which the furthest removed from the rest of the album’s soundscape. I wouldn’t call Kollaps completely unlistenable or a total disaster, but I can’t say I enjoyed it. It’s not for me. If you’re a big fan of noise, you may like this, but I personally wouldn’t recommend it. 3/10

Two for the effort

it was funny

i aint listening to all that. i'm happy for u tho. or sorry that happened.

Listened to this while playing Lisboa. I lost. I definitely blame this album. I'm all for weird shit...but this was just too much. I liked moments...but overall...absolutely not essential listening.

This is audio performance art. It doesn’t have to make sense and you don’t have to immediately understand what it’s all about, for it to get to you. From what I’ve read, if you saw them live you also got the visual performance art to go with it - which I’m sad, but also relieved(?) to be missing out on. Ultimately this was interesting, and engaging enough that I listened all the way through - which can’t be said of some of the very mid, bland, inoffensive pop albums on this list. So I’m giving it more stars than it seems most people have done.

Very strange and incredibly unexpected. I can see the creativity involved in making the album but I fail to understand how this is being included in a list of "must listen" albums. It's honestly hard to get through, considering I listen to these albums while trying to get work done. Still better than Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit, though, because they at least tried to be creative. The creativity and the fact that they at least tried something different bumps it from a 1 to a 2 for me.

0 stars. What was that

Fuck that..

Not as bad as that Birthday Party or Kid Rock Album

Horrible racket. How could this be one of the "1001 Albums..." except as a warning?

The title track saved it from the coveted 0-star rating. 0.5/5

That sucked I won’t lie

Hard no. Literally noise. Not for me.

I'll start by saying that there's no way to give this album 3 stars. It's either amazing or just bad music. I have to go on the lower end because I didn't feel like there was enough of an attempt to bring more cohesion to what are very interesting sounds and techniques. That's probably part of the point, but that doesn't get it done for me. As an art installation, an experiment with equipment and soundscapes, it's a very cool piece of work. I don't have a problem with it being on this list or anything like that, and I'm sure thousands of people hear it with the right mindset and at the right time of their life and it's deeply inspirational for them. Trent Reznor and Johnny Greenwood I'm sure were influenced either directly or at least indirectly. But it's missing the mark for me to feel like what they did holds weight. Maybe if I knew German?

Háát ezz érdekessss.

Weird shit. I guess I understand the appeal, but I listened to 2 songs and called it.

Definitely experimental and grating at times but overall quite a cool album.

After reading the other reviews I was expecting something pretty terrible, but Kollaps actually wasn't that bad. Would I listen to it again? No, probably not. Was it a completely joyless experience? No, not really. Most of it is just noise. Some of it was quite unpleasant. I'm sure one of the songs straight up sampled a drill. Sometimes I flinched. But the album really wasnt the worst thing I've ever heard.

I'm going to give this 2 stars for the sheer audacity of releasing this for public consumption. It normally would be an easy 1 star, but it made me laugh a few times so I got some enjoyment out of it.

Um. Okay. I had no idea what I was getting into and when I put it on my head I almost immediately removed it. Then I read just a little. Early industrial music, using actual industrial machinery and garbage for percussion, along with ear-challenging synths and processed vocals. I went back in. I'm glad I did, but I don't think I'll ever need a full re-listen. It is an auditory assault. But again, it's apparently one of several seminal albums defining and initiating what we call "Industrial Music." (I'd actually give this a 2.5)

I gave song one a chance and a few seconds from a couple others. I couldn’t imagine what worldwide location would be its equivalent in 1001 Places to Visit Before You Die.

Not my taste, a bit weird

Almost 600 albums in and just got my first German album a couple days ago. This one was much worse wow. It definitely deserves higher than the lowest possible score. Using actual industrial machinery definitely makes your music more hardcore than anything I’ve ever heard. It’s unique but still it’s just kind of a fun fact. It’s so hard to listen to. It’s like if the concentration camps were turned into an album. 23 different torture devices. I did like the SpongeBob song but that’s about it. It feels more like a showcase of different skills/textures that could be used to make actual music than music itself. Rating: 1.4

This record being on this list is iconic.

This is just noise. I don't often give out 1s, but I wish I could go even lower on this. What a waste of listening time.

As an album filled with the sound of a German fella shouting while banging about in the garage goes, this one is right up there. The fact that I would rather listen to that german fella over some of the more crappy albums on here (I'm looking at you Kid Rock) is the reason I'm not going with a 1*

first listen this was super interesting and also super unpleasant

## In-Depth Review of *Kollaps* by Einstürzende Neubauten *Kollaps*, released in 1981, marks the debut album of the German industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten. This groundbreaking record is not only a sonic exploration but also a reflection of the socio-political landscape of West Berlin during the early 1980s. The album's unique blend of noise, punk, and experimental sounds, combined with its provocative lyrics, offers a rich tapestry for analysis. ### **Lyrics** The lyrical content of *Kollaps* is deeply rooted in themes of chaos, destruction, and existential dread. Blixa Bargeld's vocals are often delivered in a haunting manner, reflecting the disillusionment prevalent among the youth of West Berlin at the time. The lyrics evoke imagery of urban decay and a sense of hopelessness, mirroring the city's post-war environment. Key tracks such as "Draußen ist feindlich" (Outside is Hostile) encapsulate this sentiment with lines that express vulnerability and isolation. The juxtaposition of intimate feelings against a backdrop of hostility creates a stark emotional landscape. The lyrics often oscillate between abstract expressions and visceral imagery, challenging listeners to confront uncomfortable truths about society and existence. ### **Music** Musically, *Kollaps* is an audacious blend of industrial sounds, punk energy, and avant-garde experimentation. The band employs found objects as instruments—metal plates, scrap metal, and power tools—transforming everyday detritus into percussive elements. This innovative approach not only redefines traditional musical boundaries but also aligns with the band's ethos of using their environment as an instrument. Tracks like "Kollaps" (Collapse) showcase lengthy instrumental segments filled with clattering rhythms and dissonant sounds that create an immersive experience. The album's production is raw and unrefined, reflecting the chaotic energy of its creation. The use of unconventional instruments contributes to a sound that is both abrasive and captivating. ### **Production** The production of *Kollaps* is emblematic of its time—rough around the edges yet profoundly impactful. Recorded in West Berlin's bombed-out landscapes, the album captures the essence of its surroundings. The decision to use non-traditional recording spaces adds an authentic layer to the music, making it feel alive with the spirit of rebellion. Einstürzende Neubauten produced the album themselves under their label ZickZack, allowing them complete creative control. This autonomy enabled them to craft a sound that was not just experimental but also deeply personal. The production choices reflect a conscious effort to eschew commercial polish in favor of raw authenticity. ### **Themes** *Kollaps* explores several overarching themes: - **Urban Decay**: The album reflects the physical and emotional deterioration seen in post-war Berlin. This theme resonates through both lyrics and music, creating a sense of bleakness. - **Isolation**: Many tracks convey feelings of loneliness and alienation, mirroring the experiences of individuals in a divided city. - **Existentialism**: The lyrics often delve into existential questions about life, death, and purpose amidst chaos. - **Rebellion**: There is an underlying current of defiance against societal norms and expectations, characteristic of punk culture. These themes resonate deeply within the context of early 1980s West Berlin—a city characterized by political tension and cultural upheaval. ### **Influence** *Kollaps* has had a profound influence on various genres, particularly industrial music and avant-garde rock. Its experimental approach paved the way for future artists to explore non-traditional sounds and structures. Bands such as Nine Inch Nails and Ministry have cited Einstürzende Neubauten as significant influences on their work. The album's impact extends beyond music; it has become emblematic of a broader artistic movement that sought to challenge conventional forms. Its legacy is evident in contemporary experimental music scenes that continue to push boundaries. ### **Pros and Cons** **Pros:** - **Innovative Sound**: The use of found objects as instruments creates a unique auditory experience that challenges traditional music norms. - **Cultural Reflection**: The album serves as a powerful commentary on the socio-political climate of West Berlin in the 1980s. - **Emotional Depth**: The lyrics are thought-provoking and resonate on multiple levels, inviting listeners to engage deeply with the content. **Cons:** - **Accessibility**: The abrasive sound may alienate casual listeners who prefer more conventional musical styles. - **Production Quality**: The raw production may be off-putting for those accustomed to polished recordings. - **Niche Appeal**: While influential, *Kollaps* may appeal primarily to fans of experimental or industrial music rather than mainstream audiences. ### **Conclusion** *Kollaps* by Einstürzende Neubauten remains a landmark album in the landscape of experimental music. Its innovative use of sound, profound thematic content, and raw production encapsulate a moment in history marked by turmoil and creativity. While it may not appeal to everyone due to its unconventional nature, its influence on subsequent generations of musicians is undeniable. As we reflect on its legacy 40 years later, *Kollaps* stands as both a product of its time and a timeless exploration of human experience amidst chaos.

It's different certainly. And, to be honest, I'd rather be given the chance to listen to this than another fucking Coldplay album. Or fucking Rumours. Will I listen to it frequently? No, probably not. Am I glad I listened to it? Yes, sure. At least it has some balls.

German experimental rock noize. Definitely see these guy's fingerprints all over outfits like The Blueman Group.

This album was awful, but I'm still glad I listened to it. These guys did manage to turn a bunch of industrial noise into something that is undeniably music.

Can’t say I’ll listen to this again soon, but it’s interesting enough that I’ll be thinking about it for a good while, I don’t think this should be the lowest rated album tbh

I can imagine this album influenced a lot of other artists and albums -- from Nine Inch Nails to "Yeezus" -- who took elements of its abrasive style and incorporated it into their own work. Metal objects as percussion, machine sounds, sudden bursts of distorted screams -- it's all interesting and powerful but this style, in its raw and uncut form here, feels a bit punishing. The album feels more like a toolbox for other artists to take from and use in other genres. At first I thought I might enjoy it more if I could understand the German lyrics. But after glancing at a few translations and reading things like "Lust for flesh! Lust for drugs!" I doubt my opinion would change much. The version on streaming includes a bonus instrumental EP that feels just as bold but that I found more palatable and enjoyable.

I love experimental music but this didn't do much for me. It does feel confident and brash and assertive I appreciate those kinds of colors in music but I really found myself wanting for something listenable. Art should provoke, but sometimes it's nice to sit and listen and enjoy, and I couldn't find that in this experience. 2/5 and it's probably underneath the 2 but rounded up.

horrible

Industrial noise? First 3/5 Again? 3/5

Garbage.

truly different sound, unique project, must have

No

1.6 I made it almost 75% of the way through. Avant Garde shite. The reason it's crept into 2 star territory is it actually isn't that annoying if you turn it down slightly and let them bang their metal bins in the background. Somehow this list has thrown up a lot worse albums than this.

I didn’t hate this! Not sure if I would return to it anytime soon - but I’ve listened to far worse albums on this list - I’m looking at you *insert shitty BritPop band of your choice*

I was tempted to give this 1 but tbh I listened to it all which it’s more than summer it the crap on here

I kind of love seeing how angry this makes everybody. It’s hilarious how something so strange just sets people’s brains ablaze. Now, let me preface this by saying I’m not going to go on some long tirade as to why this is the worst thing I’ve ever heard. But I’m also not going to try and justify the existence of what is, and I mean this in the nicest but most genuine way possible, an abomination. This isn’t good. And I can’t even begin to think of what aspect of this might appeal to me. It’s sort of like the harsh power noise music that people like Merzbow make. The man has hundreds of records, many of which push the boundaries of what we know to be possible in our “normal” conventions of music. It’s both remarkable and shameful. Can you imagine taking Woodpecker No. 1 back to even just the 1960s, or god forbid further back than that, and making people listen to it? You might permanently alter the course of musical history. But none of that historical context is going to make me enjoy what I’m hearing. I think the execution is impressive. Creating your own machines and relying on pure electronics to create the music, and resorting to just bashing shit together for sound is unique to say the very least. But it lacks humanity. It doesn’t sound like music made by human beings with working organs. I feel it’s as inorganic as music can probably get. Like scraping on a dirty chalk board in hell. If the world was completely swallowed by an all-consuming machine, this is what would play as everything faded to black. The screams and wails are genuinely a little frightening. All of this really sparks a question in my mind? What pushes someone to create something of this nature? Surprisingly, this came out in 1981. So I’m wondering if industrial noise music has some sort of punk aspect to it, where it’s created in response to what’s popular, and exists solely to oppose that in every way possible. Except this pushes that desire to the ultimate length. Where one foot is fully off the cliff, suspended in the air, and the other is barely hanging on. Just waiting to slip and fall as everything comes crashing down. All of this might mean nothing, but I think it’s fun that an album I couldn’t be paid to listen to again makes me think about all of this. Either way, it’s up to the individual on whether they think this belongs on a list of essential records. I doubt the percentage of people in support of this is very large. Rating: 1/10

was expecting Rammstein, but got school kids with stolen plumbing equipment

This is totally in my wheelhouse. I love this so much, bring it on. How can this be rated worse that Kid Rock? Save the turtles indeed people.

This is the joint last place album on the project at time of writing, illustrating the fact that a lot of people doing this equate something being easy to listen to, to being good, and something challenging to listen to, to being bad. 🙄 Plus, judging by a lot of the comments, they stopped listening only a few tracks in. Anyway, yeah, this is engaging. Dark AF. I prefer it to the Throbbing Gristle album that's in joint last place with it, anyway! Fave tracks - "Steh auf Berlin" for the liberal use of powertools to scare off the norms 😆, "Negativ Nein" is great (including the live version which is presumably a bonus track) and "Sehnsucht" is a fun little interlude!

They are unique, out of this world, and apparently their live performances were phenomenal. I'm happy that I knew them before I started listening, otherwise you don't know what's coming to you. For their legacy and uniqueness, I would give them 4 stars, but this is the most unsettling album I have ever listened to and I don't think I would ever want to listen to it again, so 1 star off for me.

Experimental, punk, a bit off, odd and brave.

I must give it credit, maybe for the punkiness and energy or at least for the courage and shamelessness of releasing this album in 1981. I'm pretty sure it sticks with Gen Z without problems but in the 80s? Good move, guys!

I’ve never heard of Einstrüzende Neubauten before, but their reputation on this list certainly precedes them (you know some poor sap got this as their first album and then bailed on this project, cursing the day they were born). I studied German for three years in high school and two years in college, and I’m honestly shocked that I managed to go this long without hearing about them. Even after reading a few reviews, I still don’t think I really know what I’m in for, but I signed up for this project to be challenged and experience new things, so I’m ready to dive into this. I can easily understand how this album isn’t for everyone, but I thought listening to Kollaps was a fantastic experience. I was really hooked from the start by “Tanz Debil” and its pounding rhythms (I’m not even going to try to ballpark what instruments were used on this album). I would have though that pulsing would have gotten repetitive throughout the song, but paired with what I assume was a bass guitar, it made a really unique pairing, and it built an incredible sense of anxiety and dread that permeated any language barriers. “Steh auf Berlin” was great too; I loved the pulsing percussion and the other jarring noises that were used in the song. There were a couple of songs that really tricked me on this album; “Negativ Nein” and “Sehnsucht” both started off in a way that made me think they were going to be more melodic, almost like Bauhaus, but they both went off the rails eventually, and I thought that was some really brilliant song structure. The whole album was really great, and I was surprised that I enjoyed something that was so rhythmically driven and didn’t rely much on melodies. This is the type of thing that pushes boundaries in a way that I really enjoyed and appreciated. I didn’t care much for the other notoriously poorly received album on this list, Trout Mask Replica, but this album had a cohesiveness to it that really made it a fun experience to listen to. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I would honestly listen to this again. If you’re reading this review, my advice is to just turn off your brain and let the chaos of Kollaps wash over you. You may not enjoy it, but I think it’ll help you appreciate the experience more.

schlag schneller, schrei lauter schlag schneller, leb schneller bis zum Kollaps, nicht viel Zeit This had me tapping my foot the whole way through, I loved it and didn't mind the abrasive elements at all. I do speak German, which perhaps removes one mental barrier a lot of people have where they dismiss anything in a language they don't understand, but I also just found it a really compelling clusterfuck of noise. I knew the name Einstürzende Neubauten from the meme list of experimental musicians: "Merzbow, Boredoms, Gerogerigegege, Coil, Throbbing Gristle, Whitehouse, Nurse with Wound, Einstürzende Neubauten..." but this was my first time actually listening to them. I will definitely come back to this and explore more of their discography.

A hearty combination of Kraut and STOMP the Broadway phenomenon, this album definitely is ultimately more of an art piece both in sound and instrumentation. I love the fact that they're making instruments out of scraps and banging random nonsense. Perhaps a precursor to the German techno scene with its' consistent patterns and drum focus 2.5/5

I acknowledge its importance. But it absolutely isn’t for me.

They were saving this one

I can’t think of a more appropriate album for Christmas Day. 5/5, no notes.

Raw, industrial, experimental, and noisy. EN and this album made such a mark when they came on the scene. How I wish I could have seen one of their shows back in the 1980s. Very cool that they are represented on this list.

Some Germans banging metal and shouting. Not everyone’s idea of music.

Definitely an experience. The sounds coming out of this thing are both wildly produced and at times oddly produced. I listen to this idly or in any social setting but some of the tones they get from, what sounds like them hitting metal bands in abandoned factorys to warping guitars to noise hell are cool. This feels like the band that Swans or NIN would reference as essential for their genres but those aforementioned bands actually add good songwriting in comparison.

That was definitely different

ooof

Wow. i tried but c'mon. Can anyone get through all this? Yeah not for me

Dosta mi je bez veze ovo s obzirom na kasnije

2 Kollaps of every 5 songs. But has it ups: Sado-Masodub, Tanz Debil, Rivieradub

I can hear some moments in the middle of this very industrialized piece of work, but a lot of it feels simply like noise. 2/5

Абсолютно не мое, хотя понятно, что в начале 80-х это было крутым экспериментом

DNF hated this

this shit so ass but 2 bc its different

okay

Pre-listening thoughts: whyyyy WHY WHY WHY did we have to get this album god no I have been dreading this since I started this challenge ☹️ the poop colored cover greeted me this morning and I let out the biggest sigh ever like come ON bro. Yes I knew eventually we had to get this album. Yes I’m still upset it’s here within my first 150 albums before ANY of the top rated albums on the site. Post/during listening thoughts: calling this an “album” or “music” is generous. This could induce a panic attack in someone who has never suffered anxiety a day in their life. This could make a blind man wish he was deaf too. This is like that one video where they took “How Bad Can I Be” from the Lorax and replaced every “bad” with a metal pipe falling. That was better than this. If you have never heard this album here is how I would describe it: there’s a German construction crew in your ears dismantling your eardrums but they keep hurting themselves with their equipment so they scream quite often. This is about to falsely inflate my ratings for other albums due to just how garbage this is. Can I give this a negative score? 0/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no and I pray for every user on this site who hasn’t had this album yet. At least my time with it is over. Fav tracks: oh my god. I have to add something to my playlist. This just hit me. Oh no. Oh god. Least fav tracks: every. Single. Sound. That. Was. Made. On. This. Abomination.

Kollaps is the first official LP by Einstürzende Neubauten, originally released in 1981. This is some OG industrial music. In-your-face and relentless. At times it sounds like a straight-up construction site. I still think this is a very engaging listen, at least for me. It's super out there for 1981. I mean, it's even out there for 2024. I always respect when artists go for their vision no matter how crazy it may seem. Although most of the tracks are pretty inaccessible, I thought some of the bonus tracks were a bit easier on the ear. Specifically the dub tracks, which were a lot more structured. I also looked up the original LP because I was curious and the back cover photo is super sick. It features the whole band with their arsenal of instruments (many of which are straight-up power tools like a jackhammer). The photo reminds me a lot of the one Pink Floyd used for the back cover of "UmmaGumma" and it just looks super dope.

interesting and novel, but audio quality and the nature of it wasn't enjoyable

Some interesting sounds but overall meh.

I can picture a Simpsons joke where Homer forms a rock band that screams German lyrics into a microphone while Barney beats on steel trash can lids and radiators. Why is this so compelling? Why did it make me laugh? Why ask why? From a critical point of view, it reminded me a lot of Throbbing Gristle. I kinda liked that too - quite contrary to the mainstream.

Honestly not quite sure what I just listened to. There was a 10-second span where I bopped along, then something that sounded like a mix of a chainsaw and an alarm clock started going. I'm glad this was on the list, but that doesn't mean I liked it.

audio torture

Jack hammers are music now...Steh auf Berlin was just awful Negativ Nein and U-Haft-Muzak were at least palatable Schmerzen horen just stops in the middle of nowhere and moves into an awful grating sound of Jet'm I don't think I could listen at home because my dog would not be able to handle that. Super repetitive and not in a good way Kollaps wasn't so bad but then the weird metaillic wind The screaming at the beginning of Schiess Euch Ins Blut is what I am feeling the whole song!

Some of this is ALMOST music. That's hardly anything to get excited about.

Lol This reminds me of Psychocandy by The Jesus and Mary Chain, but at least those songs had a pop structure underneath the sound of glass being run through a table saw sound. This is complete garbage. In fact, including this on the list pisses me off because so many truly great albums are not on it. 0 stars if that were an option.

If the contents of a garbage truck formed a band and decided only the least talented among them would get to play and sing, this is what I imagine it would sound like. I suppose it could always be worse, but yikes.

That was not pleasant, but at least it was interesting. The unique rhythmic and harmonic use of industrial noise was very cool. Never want to hear it again.

If you wanted a post-kroutrock, not quite industrial avante garde german album - this is for you! Otherwise, it sounds like someone's art project in sound. It was interesting enough, but I can't imagine someone saying oh I need to add this to my regular music rotation.

It's like hunting an elk but having no way to butcher it — it's massive, raw, and difficult to digest.

While it’s a lot to take in at one sitting it’s also aurally interesting and I never found it boring or fatiguing.

This was a hard listen. At it's best I could hear it's influence on NIN and some other 90s bands.

Hmm, tough listen for sure. But there's something here I don't hate. I know about them a little from the documentary Desolation Center which was really good, and I think they'd be awesome to see live. It's raw, which I like, but it can be grating at a times. I really do think I listen to parts of this again though.

Get a grip koffi, what is this absolute shite you're feeding us. Sounds like one continuous track because it's so hard to tell when some German students stop making noise and then start again. Who the fuck was sat listening to this shite in 1981 in Berlin and thought it was any good. Low 1.

Tough old listen this. It’s very avant garde but definitely errs more towards the “disappearing up your own arse” end of things, as opposed to “that’s kind of interesting”. It’s abrasive and there’s nothing even remotely resembling a song on this. Which is kind of a dealbreaker for a music album. I’m hosting Christmas diner at mine this year, so as a social experiment I’m gonna throw this on. See what happens. Go all Berghain. Have no inclination to listen to this again, but I’m glad I’ve listened to it precisely once. Best track: 🤷🏻‍♂️ Worst track: 🤷🏻‍♂️

Christ. Went back to this after The Young Gods album. Do not recommend. Just bad vibes and cursed albums. Can't even do a review as this isn't music. Avant-garde nonsense. Sounds like a breakdown and not in a good way.

Unlistenable.

Rammstein's grandfather, and as with all the trail blazers, their sound is very rough and edgy. Couple interesting songs, but otherwise it's just weird sounds and effects. Thank you for showing the way, but as for your actual music - no thank you.

Was it bad? Absolutely Was it the worst thing I've heard on here so far? No, far from it 1 ⭐️

Complete giberish crap, but mildly distracting

I put this one on so I could read while listening to it as I don’t speak German. Somebody help these brothers out! Dark Mein Kraft music. Second half of the album wasn’t as rough for me

It's hard work, but interesting, and a couple of good songs

Scream, soft ears!

Bro a goddamm drill?? That is so annoyingly disruptive in a good way. This really radiates punk. The instruments do sound that they have been spesifically made by hand and they give a spot for them to shine at the end. Future dub was memorable. I found it surprisingly interesting

Not for me. Got a headache

Það er hægt að setja ýmislegt á hljómplötur. Tónlist er eitt. Tilraunakenndar barsmíðar á ýmsa hluti er annað. Verkfærahljóðupptökur er þriðja. Svo er meira. Þessi plata var þessi tvö síðarnefndu. Eiginlega bara allt nema tónlist. Ég heyrði það strax og hugsaði: "Úff, þessa plötu þarf ég bara að þrauka í klukkutíma"

🙉

I finished the album because I'm no quitter, but what the hell is this nightmare-inducing stuff? Sometimes I'd experience those brief flashes of awe at whatever random sounds they managed to turn into music, but my question is... Why? Why use all those interesting sounds and instruments and make them sound like noise instead of anything even remotely melodic? And why would anyone willingly put themselves through an hour of something so unpleasant? I will never understand noise rock. 1.5 stars (0.5 for their undeniable creativity)

questo è ufficialmente l'album con la valutazione media più bassa di tutto il sito, e devo dire che se la merita. aiuto. gesù salvami tu.

Yeah, nah. Would make good backing to a shitty streamer bait indie horror game. (2 stars because something gives me the impression they didn't exactly fail at whatever the hell they were trying to do.)

Очень своеобразно. Они используют нестандартные инструменты, по типу бутылок или железных листов, из за чего звук получается грубым. Звучание мне не понравилось, слишком агрессивное для меня

Woof. I’m sure there is merit to this album. But it isn’t for me.

Might have to go back and relisten

Didn't really feel like music. Just sounds to disassociate to. Interesting to experience once, but I'm not coming back to this.

Noise 1/10

Noise

He empezado de forma positiva apreciando este álbum, de hecho la primera canción me ha parecido original y hasta divertida. Luego me he dado cuenta de que quedaban aún 50 minutos de disco. 1 estrella, pero, PERO, me parece que merece un puesto en esta lista. Es algo original e interesante aunque para la mayoría del planeta sea insoportable (la segunda canción del disco empieza con un solo de un minuto de un puto taladro).

While groundbreaking/important, not really the most enjoyable listen. I do actually enjoy their later, more "musical" output!

Sick album, early techno industrial stuff.

Terrible. This LP is if someone asked “what if we make an album where it’s just a lot of industrial noises that hurt your ears that have no musical qualities, vocals that have no rhythm and are just screaming half the time, and clashes that somewhat resemble percussion?” And instead of being told, “no, that’s a terrible idea”, they were given a studio.

Rough. Energetic. At times exciting. But oh so tiring.

I am a bit disappointed that I knew before listening to this that it was the lowest rated album on the list, but I don't think it would've made a difference. I can understand it holds that position, but there have also been other albums on this list that could also be deserving of similar sentiments. While bold and definitely something else, it just doesn't turn out very well. Very harsh and dissonant in general, with lots of saturated screams and singing, mallets, and all sorts of percussions and noises. Barely anything resembles a traditional "song". I ended up turning it off half-way through since I felt it wasn't my thing, and it didn't show any signs of heading in a different direction.

Finally the worst rated album on this site but is it deserving of that position? Can it be worse than Kid Rock's "Devil with a cause"? First things first, the first track is really jarring and dissonant. Abrasive is the word I would use and I nearly turned it off right there and then. The rest of the album is a mixture of industrial noises and other effects. Sometimes i thought the rhythm patterns were quite good in tracks like "Kollaps" and "Rohrbombe". Maybe as a sample it would be good? All in all it is still a 1 star album but an interesting one. I'm guessing it was influential in some way and I always give brownie points for trying something different. Still better than Kid Rock!

I write this paragraph before listening to this album. Prior to this, I listened to four albums that were 4s in my book. Will this album make 5 in a row? Or will my 174th album reviewed break the streak and drop down below 4 or break the streak and achieve a rare 5. I have to admit that, based on the title (“Collapsing New Buildings” according to Brave's AI search), my expectations are not great. Having not read too much about the band beyond their name and their "experimental and avant-garde sound", I am hoping to be pleasantly surprised. After trying to listen to the album I can only rate this as awful. I only made it into the 6th song. I felt like I was walking through some modern art exhibit where this album was playing in the background. Dreadful. 1/10

Get fucked! Sorry. What a waste of my fucking time. Luke will disagree with me on the value of music like this. And I enjoy certain ambient music but this was a joke.

Absolute nonsense. Nothing in this album. Nothing to say. Get a grip.

Weird. Noise.

Ear vomit

Nope

Genuinely sorry for any one who got this it sounds like a cat being blended only reason it’s getting a two is because some of the songs actually are good

Oh god... What??

I give this album credit more for the concept of the band than the actual recording. It's fun to try and figure out what types of mechanisms are making the noises that go into this, but it's not necessarily great to listen to. EN strikes me as more of a performance art band than one dedicated purely to making music, so it makes sense that a recording of them falls short.

Didn't get this one, unfortunately. It was a bit of a struggle to get through. 1.25/5

Been busy the past couple of days, but this is a good palate cleanser after the election. Solid, angry shit. B

I lived in Berlin as the Neubauten emerged. One of the places they played was the SO36 in Kreuzberg, where the newly formed Punk and New Wave bands performed. DAF, Fehlfarben, Die Toten Hosen, Die Ärzte, Slime, Neonbabies, but also Dead Kennedys, The Cure, Adam and the Ants, The Fall, and Joy Division/New Order, to name a few. Kreuzberg was a quarter of the Anarcho culture, Hausbesetzer (squatters), violent demonstrations, and clashes with the police where places were completely wrecked. But Kreuzberg was also the biggest Turkish settlement outside Turkey, called Klein-Istambul (little Istambul). In this strange and crazy mixture, Neubauten was formed nearly by accident. Their unconventional approach, breaking rules and norms was like a trailblazer for many emerging artists. Don't get me wrong: I don't "like" the Neubauten. But I lived in West Berlin during that time and it was a very intense atmosphere in the city. This is reflected in their music.

this is next level crazy underground shit i was not prepared for i dont know what to do

I have never listened to Einstürzende Neubauten before nor have I ever paid attention to industrial punk or new wave music before. I don't need to listen to it again.

психоделический рок, по настроению4/10

Punk and industrial from Germany. Loads of German yelling on a building site. Certainly different. Feels like performance art. Screaming in an aquarium. Would work great in haunted house. They also do awful covers. No melody, screaming over industrial instruments. No doubt influential in the early 80s, but too removed from actual music for me.

Underrated brilliant and well ahead of it's time

literally industrial, and i dislike rammstein

you could get any information you wanted out of me by using this album. i’d probably fold during the first track.

3/5

I'd like to think that somewhere a foley artist working on an industrial dystopia film lost his master reel. This isn't it. It's worse.

I hated this. I couldn’t finish it. It was just noise. And not the good kind.

Alright lads. You’ve had your fun with the power tools in the studio. We’ve all got actual jobs to do now.

It seems that this album is generally unloved by others going through the 1001 albums project. That led to me going into this with a negative outlook, but I ended up really enjoying it. It likely helps that I really enjoy other industrial music such as Nine Inch Nails, and I think it would be a fair speculation to say that music like that produced in Kollaps inspired that found in The Downward Spiral. It definitely isn’t for everyone, and I totally understand that there are a fair amount that don’t like this, but I found myself wanting more once it ended.

I fully understand why an album like this is on this list, and honestly, I respect it more than some other albums I’ve heard for being its own thing. That being said, I don’t have to like it at all! It’s a German dude screaming over sounds of power tools for an hour. That’s it.

People sporadically shouting in german while smashing plates. What the fuck.

Je comprends pourquoi cet album a un score si mauvais. Peut-être que ça a eu un gros impact sur la scène noise/expérimentale, mais c'est vraiment dur à écouter. J'ai honnêtement de la misère à voir ce qui rend cet album intéressant. 2/10

A heady mix of war and angst

El valor experimental de "Kollaps" para todos los sonidos industriales que vinieron después es innegable. Es un trabajo duro como un bloque de concreto, crudo al oído y muy difícil de escuchar. Sin embargo, es sumamente interesante y rescatable como un diamante de la música experimental, los sonidos alternos y el no-wave. Sumamente recomendable para todos quienes disfruten de NIN, Swans o Throbbing Gristle.

Jesus wept. ZERO Stars.

Loud and angry 10/10

Gave up after the 5th track. I think I got the gist. I would rather listen to this than Bruce Springsteen

there wasn’t anything good about this really, it was just some noises and some german shouting not even singing, i see what they were trying to do and i can see where some influences can be made from it but not my bag

German noise rock is so tedious. Three songs in and I’m hearing something that sounds like a bubbling, clogged toilet with some simple banjo picking - oh, and here comes the random scream/wail and the shouting in German. It doesn't get better.

1000 days of learning German:

This band is just trying to give everyone a migraine. I could do better by myself in a metal shop. This band was ahead of NIN. Why torture us with this one?

Quite odd German techno slam poetry. 2.0

Congrats on the creativity or whatever, but this is not for me lol

Unique instruments aside, absolute dogshit album.

Absolutely loved it. The only innovative and really interesting thing from this generator so far. It's less musical than probably a lot of people are used to, but it makes up for it by being artistic and evocative. This will definitely go into my favourite albums list.

Industrial the truest sense. Hard hitting, noisy, construction music. Especially liked Schmerzen Horen.

Why metal and machinery? I think I’d rather listen to water music. Splashing for 3 minutes followed by spraying. 3 more minutes of dripping. Wood clanging would certainly sound better. Maybe just beat my head against a wall for an hour. The fact I’ve actually considered the plausibility of a water sounds record may mean they achieved their goal... +1 for originality

Great music for a haunted house. Was gonna give 1 star (obviously) but then I saw a video of the crowds going nuts for this vaguely evil nonsense noise and I have to give them another star for the impressiveness of the con.

Let the record show that I gave each song a chance and even the artists top songs. Outside of a few potentially polyrhythmic ideas, this had no artistic value to me

This album really made me question why we're doing this exercise. This is obviously intentionally discordant; it's the musical equivalent of the worst kind of modern art (they want you to say "it really makes you question: what IS music!?"). These guys are the Jasper Johns of whatever the hell genre you call this. It feels pointless even to give this 1 star, but what else am I supposed to do?

This is an audio-only recording of the Blue Man Group

I have to deal with parent teacher conferences, spirit week, student council, full time teaching, observing other teachers, making flyers, working the budget, creating a pep rally and grading papers. I just don't have time for experimental German music today.

2.75

I would've spent the whole time trying to put myself in the headspace of someone who would record this and say "Ja, das ist das Vermächtnis, das ich dieser Welt hinterlassen möchte" ("yup, this is the legacy I want to leave on this world") but I was too distracted by the nails scraping on chalkboards inside my head.

Ok I have no idea what this is supposed to be. Before I bash it - I want to make sure this is not supposed to be some sort of tribute to any horrific event from the past. I get them trying to do something different but still it’s trash. Want to give it 1 star but I hate trashing creativity. I’ll give it a 2. Nope slept on it. 1 star

This came so close to being my first hard pass on the list. Two and a half songs in I had to switch it off. I came back to it and managed to listen to it all in stages. I won't be listening to it again but I can see why it's on the list so on that basis will give it a neutral 3 stars.

This is absolute garbage.

okay it grew on me a little but I still gave up 10 songs in. I kinda dig it, just not something I really want to listen to.

After an awesome week with two of my all time favs...chaos was bound to happen. This gave me memories of being in a dentist chair and getting a root canal. Not very appealing to hear a drill running with crazy shrieks on the background. But I see that this needed added to the list as a great life lesson. Just not sure what it is. 😂✌🏻🥳🤮🤮🤮💩💩💩🍔💩💩💩💩👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻

Maybe if this album had a fuller sound with actual music I would have liked it more. Way too much noise and screaming. Sounds like kids making pretend instruments out of random stuff they found in the basement.

What. If they are trying to make a terrible sounding album, they did a great job. If anyone sincerely enjoys listening to this, I would suggest going to a doctor.

It’s stuff like this I was hoping to hear when I signed up for this.. something interesting I’d never have otherwise been exposed to. Supposedly this is the lowest rated album on the list? I get it. It’s not easily accessible or even listenable especially if you’ve never heard anything like it.. I can hear the roots of NIN and bands like Skinny Puppy in the sounds. There’s little melody. It’s noise.. but that’s purposeful. It made me think about the songwriting, the recording (1981 so reel to reel and multitracks), what a live show must look like. And beyond that, the question of where is the boundary between noise and music? The evolution of the musicians to get to this point. I’m REALLY glad I heard this even if I’m not sure I’d listen again.. though unlike many other albums I’ve heard so far, this one is sticking with me the day after. So fuck it.. giving it a 5 because of all of that.

My dog was very upset about this being played. I agreed.

Kinda weird but very groovy.

This album is definitely hard to get into. A lot of harsh sounds that give you the heeby-jeebies and hurt your ears. But I have a fondness for the Serge Gainesbourg song J’Taime and this album includes an interesting cover. And then the next song was Kollaps, which I actually enjoyed. Liebesdub and Spionagedub were good too. On the challenging 1001 albums scale, it’s better than Throbbing Gristle / Third Report and less good than Robert Wyatt / Rock Bottom. I’m not sure I’ll listen to it again but also I’m not sure I’d not listen to it again.

I would rather get kicked in the beanbag than listen to this again.

I don't care for industrial metal/music, and this didn't change my thoughts on it. Incoherently hard to listen to at times, it felt like my ears were being tortured for an hour. I will say that the first half was more jarring than the second, but neither were enjoyable. If you enjoy this music, good for you, but I will leave this to you and continue pursuing other music.

I've seen this symbol on shirts and didnt know what it meant, now I guess I know. So, this is not a great album or anything - Is this on the list for cultural/historical significance? One extra star for the sound engineering, which is good. 2/5

Definitely not the worst in here despite the 1 star!

This is for someone out there who isn’t me.

Had to skip along thru this. I think percussionists could appreciate it better than me. Stomp the yard goes techno with Screeching screaming vocals.

Does have some interesting parts, but very hard to listen to.

I'm not going to give it a 1 because it made me less upset than Nick Cave or Elvis Costello. I am glad it wasn't the full hour shown on Spotify though.

Ok, that was horrible.

is this what construction workers get up to when no one's looking 😧 one point for inventiveness and sounding like they're having a great time

As soon as I saw a review comparing this to Hitler screaming into a microphone, I couldn't get the image out of my head. Even the mic quality is the same. And the drums, the relentless, dull, muted-yet-deafening miscellaneous percussion, the nightmare-inducing screams, the empty, brutalist soundscapes, the lack of any melody or harmony save for some scant, poorly-played horns, the repetition that makes me want to fold into a small cube and hurl myself off the conveyor belt... Let's just say there's a lot to be desired here. 1/5 Key tracks: none

I’d rather listen to someone dry heave for an hour

This album deserves a place in this book because no one would believe how awful this music is without actually hearing it. It's a German guy screaming while the other band members play random objects. This is not the forebearer to industrial music just because they use random instruments and refuse to put together a melody. This is a very bad album and it's okay to stop pretending this is good. We all know it is not. The only way I would listen to this album again is if after I die I go to Hell and some of these tracks are on Satan's Spotify playlist. From what I've heard over the last two hours, this is entirely a possible scenario.

It's such pretty music. Love those lilting lyrics too.

What the fuck (complimentary)

Altså det er jo ikke mere eller mindre end hvad man må forvente af tysk støj, ikke for mig men heller ikke dårligt? Langt fra den værste vi har haft

Fed! Altså det var noget komplet rod, men på en måde der virkede ret godt for mig!

Ærlig talt ikke så slemt som jeg havde frygtet. Dog er der mange ideer som bare lige mangler at blive trumfet igennem før det virker 100%. De tyske tekster gør det lidt svært at følge med, men den industrielle stemning er fantastisk!

Industrial, lots of banging and yelled vocals

Ok. So something's gone wrong as my actual recommendation was Dire Straits debut album, which I was ready to give 5 stars. This I gave a listen to instead and, well, I listened to it with my autistic daughter (I am too). We couldn't get through track one, or two because of sensory issues. Track 3 was like a bath preview, then bizarre screaming (so we skipped). Track 4, the heartbeat one, had potential until the drill. Then it petered off, then the drill came back. We skipped it. Track 5 was like a 4 year old found a cupboard of pans, and a wooden spoon, while their drunk grandparents watched on. We made it all the way through that as it's only short. The next one the drunk uncle entered the room and couldn't turn the TV on, while the kids carried on playing the pots, we skipped it, jet'm had essence of music..... Ah, it's a cover of je taime!!!! It's a bit shit though. Kollaps...the title track, sounds like the water hammer problem we have with our toilet, then.... The music started and made me realise how bad the recording is. Lo fi doesn't do it justice. It's incredibly poor. When it got going out sounds like a group of drunk people who have found someone else's instruments, we made it all of the way through this one. Sensucht started off brilliantly, a little hans Zimmer. Someone found the keyboard. But only one note, and they can't quite keep rhythm, another one we made all the way through, but it's only 1:20. Vorm krieg we made it all the way through too. Can't lie, Hirnsage was just shit. Ok. I've seen how many tracks are left, I've skipped through the last few they sound like the same sort of crap, building site noises, band practice mixed with basketball practice, more drills. I've had enough, I need a break. This album is the opposite of Dire Straits first album. It's like the musical equivalent of fingernails on a blackboard.

I'm fully in favor of everyone listening to the music they enjoy, and if you enjoy this, we can still be friends, maybe. But I also believe if I ever made a playlist with songs from this record on it, I'd have a lot fewer friends, and I already don't have many. Therefore I cannot like this album.

I'm not sure if it's because I have German ancestry, anarchistic tendencies, or a few screws loose, but I found Kollaps to be one of the more fascinating listening experiences provided by this list.

Surprisingly accessible, I was expecting something weirder and unlistenable but these are really just pop songs when you get past the banging and the angry German screaming.

Annoying.

Curious as hell. Didn’t always stick though.

2.5 rounded down i think this is just a different brand of weird than me highlights: tanz debil, spionagedub, lünebest (feb 13 2026)

I would rather listen to this album than the Slim Shady album so that is enough for a 1 star and F+ rating.

I think this might make me reevaluate how I rate these albums. There have been several that give me basically no reaction, and I gave them 2 or 3. This definitely got a reaction, but not a good one, and for that it gets a 2. The forgetable albums will probably start getting 1s. I don't want to finish this, but it's a bit like watching a trainwreck where I'm not sure I can not look. Is it better if I did speak German or does the unknown yelling add to the atmosphere? Note: I tapped out in the middle of the 8th/Title track.

First listen Saved 0/14 Top track: Kollaps

Meh, whatever. Generically percussive and shouty. Some of it is okay, and I like the silliness of "Futuristischer Dub," but overall... not great.

only a square could think this is the worst album on the list

Unlistenable nonsense. I will say at least it was more interesting than the slipnot album. I would listen to this over that. To be clear, I hope to never listen to either ever again.

Unlistenable noise. Could not get through even two songs before I started skipping ahead. The title song was the least offensive, but absolutely nothing here would bring me back.

I always want to try and say at least one nice things about these albums. So here’s my one nice thing: I’m glad “music” like this exists so it could evolve into what would become the industrial sound. Now that we have that out of the way. Ooof. This really is a tough album to listen to. Was it really vital I hear this in my lifetime? At least I have a new contender for music to clear out a room at the end of a party.

The objective was accomplished. Gonna chalk most of this up to Germans being a weird lot

Unlistenable.

It's definitely a noise that's about it. I might give it 1.5 Stars due to the creative effort to make all this noise, but there is no half star system here, so 1 it is

Nah

Brother. Makes you genuinely appreciate music. This feels not good. Worst Song: whatever the one where he starts drilling and banging on T-beams. Steph auf Berlin. Best Song: Vorm Krieg — was just a grainy recording of a wartime 40s/50s song for like ten seconds. My briefest and most appreciated reprieve. A ‘real best song’: Spionagedub — By far the most comprehendible song; has some form of rhythm, a lil funky. 1/5 (if this is the lowest I can go).

Mwah, EN has been some pretty great records right after their debut, Halber Mench comes in mind, which is so much better. l very much like their overall sound, but on this record I do not care about the "songs" and hate the shrieking guitar noise, which prevents one from turning the volume up (a necessity for this type of music).

Experimental, industrial, repetitive, ..., interesting! I remember listening to much more accessible work from them in the past, but this was still worth a few listens.

Inventive, radical, pioneering, influential. Excellent band name as well. Fully justified that this is on the list.

Still seven tracks to go but I can safely say: nope.

No.

no way Jose.... how did this get on the list ????

With all the bad reviews was expecting a sonic assault. Instead it was background music while answering emails.

I'm not sure what about this qualifies as "must hear before I die." I'm pretty sure this is " must hear as you're checked into hell." Gotta give it to them though, I never really believed anything would make me want to go back and add a star for Bjork. Holy fucking shit this album is terrible.

What is this???

Da fuq

I don't know what I just listened to

Y'know, I don't have much a defense against this thing being one of the lowest rated albums on the website. Like, yeah, I'm not gonna blame aggregate taste for putting it down here; sonically speaking, it's for sure the absolute hardest album I've heard yet to get into. But I don't think it's **as bad** as its status would imply? For one, I expecting it be nothing but noise: no melody, just clattering and shreiking for the sake of it under the excuse of it being "experimental." But there actually **is**, however, composition, and some kind of melody line to latch onto. It's an incredibly **unusual** melody line to most ears, but it's still **there**. It's not completely thoughtless and thrown together like I'd've otherwise assumed. Then there's the second factor here, and that's the fact that it absolutely belongs here on this list. Like, there's two things I personally want out of this list: albums generally considered the greatest of all time (RS500-core), and interesting shit from around the world. This **absolutely** scratches latter. Believe me, chances are more than likely you're not gonna come out of this album liking it, but I garuntee you you've never heard anything like it before, and you'll be all the better for it. I mean, seriously, I can't tell you how many American and British albums my group's listened to that're flat 3 and I've gained nothing whatsoever from them. "That's sure **this** genre," "that's sure **that** genre," etc. I want more stuff like CLUBE DE ESQUINA, CALL OF THE VALLEY, RUM SODOMY & THE LASH, ZOMBIE—and, yes, this. Random, obscure 80's New Wave or post-punk albums won't broaden your horizons. But this will. It's absolutely worth at least one run-through. And at any rate, **this** is the lowest rated album on the whole website and not **Kid Rock**? The heck are we doin' here, people? Goodness me.

While of course influential to the industrial genre popularized by Nine Inch Nails, to be honest, the tracks at the beginning where it's basically just a pure noise record were really making me consider giving this a 1, but thankfully it picked up in the more digestible second half. I'd give 3.5 but that first half is such a pain on the ears that I'm going down to 2.5 bumped down to 2.

I’m honestly at a 3. Look, it’s very clear to me that this is not “music” in the traditional sense at all, and to categorize this as industrial music ala Nine Inch Nails or Slipknot or the rest is the equivalent of calling the first Gramophone recordings a podcast and then being offended when you can’t understand anything. It’s a narrative album, and it just happens to be a very loud and very bold one, with really ballsy choices for 1981 and the understanding of “music” as we both knew it then and as we know it today. Does that mean it’s one of the 1001 albums you should listen to before you die? No, not by a long shot. Does that mean I’m mad I listened to it? No, not really. I’m honestly impressed by what’s here – yes, the first few tracks are loud as hell, and the choice to drill directly in my face while yelling at me is about as dejected as I’ve ever felt in this album experience… but then I just sort of got over it and it started to click. Seriously – I did end up liking this. It’s not an album you add to a playlist, not by a fucking long shot, but it is sort of a journey in sound and a genuine attempt at a story, I think. I have no idea what the story is because of my stubbornness to look it up and the language barrier, but I think it’s genuinely effectively communicated through the soundscape alone. I knew the English titles of these tracks because they’re listed on Wikipedia, so that gave me some level of context to work with, but besides that, this was all up to the soundscape to tell those stories, and I really think it worked. It’s not that good of an album by any means, but for my money’s worth, it’s a genuinely enjoyable listen, if a bit awkward and uncomfortable, but I think it’s supposed to be. I don’t think it’s worthy of being the worst album by ranking on the site – it’s disingenuous and an overreaction from people who gave up after the first few tracks. For me, it’s enjoyable enough to earn a 3. This is probably a miracle, and a little bit of a pity bump up from a 2.5, but I don’t care – I did like it.

Wow, this is by far the worst thing I've ever heard. It's actually painful to listen to. The only way I'd be able to finish this is if there was money or a gun involved. 0/10 Would I listen again? Absolutely not

I bought this album back in the pre-internet days when finding this kind of music was a bit of a challenge. Ordered it via a record store in Edinburgh. This album started my love of Einstuerzende Neubauten's music, and I've followed their albums since then. This album is a massive rush of heavy percussive music made with heavy duty metallic objects, some are 'found' objects, some constructed. The album sleeve has a photo with the band and their kit laid out - reminiscent of the back sleeve photo of Pink Floyd on their Ummagumma album. I'm not sure this would be the best pick of Einstuerzende Neubauten's catalogues - later albums become increasingly contemplative, but by golly it's an album this list needed to have. I notice that recent CD versions of this album include the cassette-only release Stahldubversions. In style this would be classed as 'industrial punk' I guess, and Einstuerzende Neubauten was one of a number of bands of this style. They did have an influence on subsequent bands, particularly as Fairlight samplers enabled the incorporation of 'found sound' into pop music. I'm thinking of Depeche Mode's 'Construction Time Again' for example.

Not really sure what the hell I just listened to for 56 minutes but that’s 56 minutes of my life that I won’t get back. This sounds like my 2 year old niece in the kitchen just banging on shot while my nephew screams over it in the most abrasive way. I’m sure there’s someone out there who loves this shit, I would like to meet them and pick their brain because maybe I’m missing something…

Wtf

Ah man I lost the text I had in here before but basically I was not sure what to expect. Turns out these guys pioneered the whole industrial music genre. I like the uneasy feeling it evoked, almost sinister. I need to find a better way to describe that. I liked the german.

Heftiges Brett und harte Kost. Völlig zurecht auf dieser Liste. Taylor Swift kann einpacken.

I know it’s meant to be alternative and experimental, but it wasn’t for me and didn’t end up finishing the album.

So that's what industrial Krautrock is supposed to sound like. Interesting, but slightly painful

Enjoyed

There were few points on this album which were listenable. I thought the title track was good but apart from that it was genuinely atrocious.

This is for sure going to be the hardest one for me to rate. While the music itself is horrible, it does get to me somehow - more so than a lot of other albums I’ve rated low on this website. It’s certainly 56 minutes that makes you question what we mean when we say music is ‘good’.

This album does some interesting things but also doesn't really go anywhere and becomes a little boring at parts

STOP IT. Just stop.

A whole bunch of Home Depot commercial sounds. Glad this album made it onto the list with 0 Weezer representation. 1.2 stars