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5 underrated rock albums with a tragic backstory

These five underrated rock albums make incredible listens today, but their tragic backstories might change the way you listen to them.

1. “Mamonas Assassinas” by Mamonas Assassinas

Mamonas Assassinas was a pop-rock band from Brazil. Their only studio album was released in 1995 and the outstanding Latin rock hit sold more than two million copies in just a few months.

Unfortunately, the band was not blessed to enjoy a long and successful career. Just one year after the release of their debut album, the entire band died in a horrific plane crash near the Cantareira Mountains en route to São Paulo, Brazil. The band had just finished a stellar show in Brasília. Each member was planning to spend some time with their loved ones before touring Portugal. The band, the pilots, a crew member (who was also a member of the family of one of the members) and the band's bodyguard were killed in the crash.

2. “Youth Anthems For The New Order” by Reagan Youth

If you grew up as a punk in the 1990s and 2000s, you probably already know this album by hardcore punk band Reagan Youth. Youth hymns for the new order Several re-releases and singles followed before the band disbanded in 1990 after former President Ronald Reagan left office.

It was a fitting way to end the band. However, any chance of a reunion with the original lineup ended in 1993. Lead singer Dave Rubinstein tragically committed suicide at the age of 28. His death followed the death of his then-girlfriend, who was murdered by serial killer Joel Rifkin. Rubinstein's mother died the same year after being accidentally hit by a car.

3. “Guitar Romantic” by Exploding Hearts

The record from 2003 Guitar Romantic is the only album by American punk rock band The Exploding Hearts. The group was a talented quartet of musicians who produced punk rock, glam punk and power pop.

Tragically, three of the four band members (Adam Cox, Matt Fitzgerald and Jeremy Gage) died in a car accident in July of that year, just months after the release of their album. Each member was only in their twenties at the time of their deaths.

4. “The Strain” by Teeth

This is one of the few underrated rock albums that really stays with you, and the tragedy that followed its release was pretty predictable.

The burden was the last wish of a terminally ill musician named John Grabski. Grabski wanted to make a grunge album produced by Steve Albini. For the uninitiated, Albini is responsible for a number of famous grunge albums, including In the womb by Nirvana and Surfer Pink by Pixies. Albini complied, and the result is a bittersweet 2012 album about living with cancer and dealing with one's own mortality. Grabski died the same year.

5. “Hospice” by The Antlers

hospice was released in 2009 by indie rock band The Antlers. The concept album tells the story of a New York hospice worker and a patient dying of bone cancer. The story is about their romance and inevitably takes a turn for the worse as the patient struggles with her own traumas and the advancing disease in her body.

The metaphor behind this underrated rock album is quite tragic. According to the band hospice is a metaphor for abusive relationships. The band's frontman, Peter Silberman, has been extremely reticent to reveal details about the album's concept. This has led many to believe it is partially or entirely autobiographical. Be that as it may, the album itself is clearly inspired by tragedy.

Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer

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