Atomizer 1986 Album

Big Black

What I love about this record is that for as dark as both the music and lyrics are, there's no glorification going on. The darkness and abrasiveness of the music alone combined with Steve Albini's howls fit the subject matter disturbingly well, and the lyrics are eerily accurate. They describe themes of pedophilia, mental illness, murder, alcoholism, racism, and corrupt authority figures in a way that makes the listener feel the horror they're describing. They manage to let the listener know that they are not condoning these acts without having to spell it out, both through the sound and through lines like "this will stay with you until you die" on Jordan, Minnesota. It's also eerie how relevant most of these songs still seem 35 years later.