10 Legendary Rock Bands That Got Darker Over Time
2. Nirvana
As 1992 began, you couldn't escape the grunge bandwagon if you tried. In the midst of the hair metal movement growing stale, the sound of Seattle was ready to dominate the rock charts, with acts like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden bringing a more organic flair to their songs. And leading the charge was Nirvana, and Kurt Cobain was absolutely pissed about it.
Even though Nevermind became one of the most important records in the history of rock and roll, Kurt became instantly jaded about his fame, often slagging off his own record and thinking that the production sounded far too slick. So when it came time to see what else they had to offer, Kurt was determined to make the kind of record that he always wanted to make, hooking up with punk producer Steve Albini and going berzerk.
From the minute you throw on In Utero, this is clearly a much different offering than the band that gave you Smells Like Teen Spirit, sounding a lot more abrasive and becoming almost hard to listen to in spots. While this was a creative win for Kurt at the time, this is one of the more uncomfortable records to listen to in the wake of his suicide. Looking back over the lyrics, you can tell that Kurt was not in a good place during this time, making illusions to being constantly unhappy and not wanting all of the success that was being thrust upon him. While Kurt would commit suicide months after the record actually came out, listening to this record sounds like he's actively trying to nullify his life.