Search - Neurosis :: Pain of Mind

Influential political hardcore

Ryan | california | 04/16/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Pain of Mind" (1987) is Bay Area hardcore pioneers Neurosis' first album, a much different effort from their later material. Whereas later Neurosis, as y'all know, is sludgy, experimental, even tribal metal, this is balls-to-the-wall metallic hardcore punk, from back when they played Gilman Street every other weekend with bands that would go on to achieve superstardom (Operation Ivy for example).But aside from the novelty of hearing one of the best-loved underground metal bands in their punky infancy, this is still a really good album, and highly influential to many political punk bands even today. Most songs are rough-and-tumble mid-tempo scorchers, with quite a few thrashy outbursts thrown in as well. At times, the melodic, metallic guitar lines and almost growled vocals recall latter-day crusty hardcore bands like His Hero Is Gone and current faves From Ashes Rise and Tragedy. Honestly, without the foundation laid by Neurosis on this record I doubt the whole Memphis/Portland DIY hardcore punk sound that's all the rage these days would have developed.Other tracks, with duelling male vocals and speedy, Discharge-esque riffs and drummming, remind me a lot of Aus Rotten or other similar bands. But whereas Aus Rotten bores the hell out of me, Neurosis doesn't, so that's a good thing.This album, along with releases from earlier groups like Christ on Parade and later groups like Filth would cement the East Bay hardcore sound -- I'm not talking AFI here, I'm talking the nihilistic, PO'ed, metallic brand of hardcore punk played by smelly guys with dreadlocks in dirty black clothing. The echoes of "Pain of Mind" still ring today in the DIY punk scene. Good album."

Have some respect

D. K. Malone | earth | 02/27/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can understand how people who became Neurosis fans due to their material from the mid '90s to now would be taken aback when hearing this, their 1987 debut album, for the first time. Hey, imagine how we original fans felt back in 1990; We were introduced to Neurosis through this album (or their demo) and the Abberation EP that came out afterward. They were a raging hardcore band. In 1988, if you were still into hardcore, you were into Neurosis. When the second album (Word As Law) came out, it was a little off-putting to some fans. It was still kinda hardcore, but it was different. It was experimental. A little sterile sounding. Slightly artsy-fartsy. 'Post-hardcore', I suppose. And then the third album (Souls At Zero)... that was when they really changed. And not everyone thought it was for the better. The word "pretentious" was thrown around quite a bit by some fans, and the record was nicknamed "Sales At Zero" by some. But that was the direction they wanted to take and they've pretty much stuck to it ever since. Next thing you know, everyone had tribal tatoos and pierced eyeballs and stopped bathing. But yeah, some of us were able to adjust and get into the new approach. Still... this is how it began. So show some respect, ya freakin kids."

No title

Sepulhead | Boston, MA | 12/30/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the same band that recently recorded "the eye of every storm?" It's hard to believe. I already had a few neurosis cds and I just got 5 more in the last week because I liked them so much. One of them was this. I haven't had a chance to really get into it yet, but I wanted to offset some of the other reviews. Yes, it's completely different from the later albums, but that is to be expected. A sound like Neurosis had on "through silver" doesn't just create itself overnight. This is a hardcore album, and I don't typically listen to hardcore, but considering how amazing Neurosis is, I think it's worth getting just to hear where this great band started out. The songs are pretty cool too, I like what I know of it so far (i haven't listened to the second disc at all). It's weird to hear Neurosis playing fast. Bottom line is, if you like neurosis later stuff and you just want to hear that and nothing else, than don't get this. But if you are open minded about music, and you want to hear an important part of musical history and an album that started it all for one of the best bands around today, then definitely look into this. Personally, I wanted to get a complete picture of the evolution of Neurosis. It's really amazing how a hardcore band like this turned into the band we know and love today (with the exception of those people who have been there from the start) and I think it's worth getting this for that sole reason. It's really no farther from TSIB than the eye of every storm is."