10 Perfect Hard Rock Albums That Are Insanely Dark

At the start of 1993, Nirvana could have pretty much gone any direction they wanted to go. Considering their last album Nevermind was the launching pad for alternative rock and made them legends of the genre, the record label would have probably tolerated them making a bluegrass record if they wanted to. Instead of doubling down on the hooks of their last record, Kurt Cobain got a lot more raw for In Utero.

Considering all of the caustic sounds of this record, this feels more like the band Cobain wanted Nirvana to be in his head, being as much informed by punk style production as pop hooks. The opening single Heart Shaped Box practically served as a great litmus test for the record, giving fans a taste of the harsh assault that Steve Albini's production was going to give you.

Once Kurt passed away a few months afterward though, people started looking at In Utero in a completely different way. Since he was dead by suicide, there were many different themes of self loathing on this record as well, with Cobain feeling like a puppet of the music industry and not being able to express himself properly without having someone overanalyze his actions. This may have been the record that he wanted to make, but it certainly wasn't happy. It feels more like a cry for help.