A classic, which I played to death as a teen. Doesn't really sound like anything else of the time, especially the icy rush of tracks like Jigsaw feeling. I have finally warmed to the version of Helter Skelter, but am still not buying the story about the lyrics to Hong Kong Garden, given some of their other efforts (Arabian Nights, for one).
The Beatles released Let It Be only eight years before The Scream came out. It sounds like a musical lifetime has shifted in that period when you listen to the Banshees debut compared to The Beatles. The music of 2026 is very similar to that of 2018. Sure, the Banshees weren't alone responsible for this transformation, but The Scream does show what is possible when you refuse to play alongside the established rules. It's still accessible, with the rhythm and SHOCK tunes! Hong Kong Garden is a little, erm, awkward these days. Still a great debut.