10 Hard Rock Albums You Need To Listen To With Headphones

With a name like Rage Against the Machine, you know that this band was not going to be a walk in the park. From the moment you heard their first riffs, this militant form of hard rock was gearing up to stomp out anything in its path. Even if you listen to the hardest metal albums of all time, this record is a blunt smack in the mouth.

Recorded at the legendary Sound City Studios in California, every member in Rage brought their A-material to this record, with Zack de La Rocha's lyrics sounding like he's on the verge of a mental breakdown with each passing take. Though the riffs tore through the thick fog of noise, the star of the show is Tom Morello's guitar, whose effects prance all over your brain with each track. These sounds were so off-the-wall that the band actually put a statement in the liner notes on later release to confirm that every odd sound was being produced by an electric guitar.

Fans may be a little lukewarm on the opening of something like "Bombtrack," but when the groove finally kicks in, it's some of the most explosive rock music you'll ever hear. Produced to a near sonic perfection, this is the closest equivalent to having a riot in your speakers.