What do you all think about the hardest bass album? I would have to put my money on Rage Against the Machines' Self-titled debut album. What do you think?
-Woody

Hardest sounding? Hardest to play? Hardest to understand? Define Hard for us.

Sorry about that, like RATM, Hardest *Sounding*.

hmmm...hardest? I dunno...I've prolly never heard all of them, but I would have to say anything with Billy Sheehan on it...he's heavy and aggressive without taking the whole spotlight...even plays some difficult parts.....every once in a whole...

Well, I always referred to Born Again from Black Sabbath as the most oppressive album I ever heard, so I guess that could get mentioned. Also, the bass tones that The Clash leaned towards was that harsh, blown speaker kinda sound, so they can get mentioned for Combat Rock. I might even consider offering up Defenders of the Faith from Judas Priest; there's some powerful bass there, and using the octave splitter on "Love Bites" makes the floor rumble.

I am still not exactly sure what is meant by "hard" as a description of tone. But anyway, I would nominate Jean-Jacques Burnel of the Stranglers. The sound on "Rattus Norvegicus" is just so "abrasive" from the very first note of the very first track!

He is also "hard" in other senses - black belt karate - and when I saw them in the late 70s, he carried on playing now matter what - at one gig the roof was pulled down by "exuberant" fans and JJ carried on without missing a note, through it all!

hell, for the fun of it, I'll say Killers by Iron Maiden.

Acacia I was going to say Piece of mind I love Steves Pbass tone nobody gets it like him. I agree with gweimer that Born again is a Geezer driven album I love Ian Gillian's vocals to but the Mob Rules with Geezers distorted solo's on Slipping Away had to be the best.

My definintion of hard is different, and one of the hardest albums ever is Bob Marley's compilation: Legend. Read the insert. "...the hardest rythm section in jamacia..."

For the sheer power of it I would say the Ramones Rocket to Russia.

id have to say double nickels on the dime by the minutemen

Doolittle by the Pixies. Really any Pixies album. Kim Deal wails.

Could you possible mean "heavy", Fleaisgod?

I'd vote for the "Chronicles" EP by Darklands (they're from Scandinavia). I'm probably one in 100 people who have this EP, but man, you should hear the bassist roar. Heaviest bass sound I ever heard.... heavier than mine (and that means something).

KoRn... all of their stuff is "bass driven." Just think about it, all their songs are thump ta bump da pop thump...

if your looking for somthing with bass drivin songs that sound hard but are super easy. its gotta be The Smashing Pumpkins first album 'Gish'.

Primus anyday.

Loads of bassplaying.

whoa..

Primus - Pork Soda. the album starts out with a little banjo diddley, and then Les slides down to his low b. it continues with tripelits revolving around b, d and c. Speaker RuuuumbbuuullllliiinGg

I think Rush's 2112 is the heaviest "bass driven" album out there. I love the distorted grindy tone on it. It's a heavy message, too; A society where music is not politically correct.

OK...
HARD (difficult): Jamiroquai, Pretty much any of them.
(Really funky and hard to duplicate,
specially on "Canned Heat".)

HARD (heavy): KoRn, Pretty much any of them. (He
really beats the sh*t out of his bass!!)

HARD (abrasive): Static-X, Wisconsin Death Trip. (God, I
love that dripping distortion sound.)

HARD in the 1st degree: Watchtower - Control & Resistance (Those guy's are either mutants or cyborgs...)

HARD in the 2nd degree: Anything by <b><i><big>Motörhead</big></b></i> - This is where it all began...

HARD in the 3rd degree: The Mistakes - The Mistakes [Surgeon General's Warning: This album can actually be <b>hazardous</b> to your mental health!]





[Edited by JMX on 09-15-2000 at 05:44 PM]

KING FOR A DAY,FOOL FOR A LIFETIME-Faith No More this album started with just bass and drums!

Iron Maiden: Killers
Number of the Beast

There are so many that fit the category for different reasons, but I don't think we can leave out Slayer in such a discussion. Also, I have to add in Pantera, too. Also, some of the death metal bands from Deicide to Morbid Angel and even Sepultura.

Jason Oldsted

driving bass
double nickels by -minute men
hemisphere -rush
number of the beast -maiden
the plauge- infectious grooves
in rock -deep purple
sabbotage -black sabbath

To JasonOldsted: I really loved "Roots",what a HEAVY album that was. What about "Badmotorfinger"? Ben Sheppard played alot of interesting lines.