10 Hard Rock Albums You Need To Listen To With Headphones
4. In Utero - Nirvana
To say that Nirvana had an impact on 90's rock is an enormous miscalculation. Once Nevermind was unleashed upon the music world, hair metal was out the door and the entire alternative rock revolution was underway. While the baby clad effort was what brought the band to the top, there was a whole new level of intrigue when In Utero came out.
Recorded by legendary indie producer Steve Albini, this album is one of the harshest listens to come out of the grunge rock scene. As opposed to hearing the sound of an up and coming band, Albini's production puts you right in the rehearsal space, with Dave Grohl's drums hitting you in the center of your stomach. What's even more punchy than Grohl's drums are Kurt Cobain's mammoth guitar and vocals.
Written while he was spiralling into a suicidal state, the entire album feels like a kiss-off to everyone expecting something sonically pleasing. From the moment you hear the discord of "Serve the Servants" or the feral scream of "Scentless Apprentice," you hear a man who is free from any inhibitions and is unleashing his primal fury straight into your skull.
Nevermind certainly has its place in rock history, but In Utero is one of the most honest portrayals of a man at his wit's end, determined to speak his pain through his art.