Archive frequency 09-B

The Music is Reversible!

Recovered audio index / ongoing restoration

Tape Vault

Search the resurrected collection by artist or song. Every recovered case has a stable link that the Documentary Field Guide can use as evidence.

Need the history behind the noise? Open the Documentary Field Guide →

Archive ready.

Showing 91–105 of 144 recovered cases.

And Justice for all cover
Released: 09-07-1988
Archive notes: You have to use your imagination to hear "KILL THE LORD"
Case 052 Permanent link

Metallica

Album: And Justice for all Song: Blackened

Forward:
During the "Opposition..Contradiction..Premonition..Compromise etc."

Alleged backward phrase:
Murders'.. I love satan.. "KILL THE LORD" over and over

Legacy clip unavailable
Metallica / The Black Album cover
Released: 08-12-1991
Archive notes: Thanks to tff28 for submitting this.
Case 079 Permanent link

Metallica

Album: Metallica / The Black Album Song: Enter Sandman

Forward:
Off to never never land

Alleged backward phrase:
I am the man.. The man is powerful

Metallica / The Black Album cover
Released: 08-12-1991
Archive notes: Thanks to tff28 for pointing me in the right direction on this one.
Case 080 Permanent link

Metallica

Album: Metallica / The Black Album Song: Enter Sandman

Forward:
In your closet in your head.. Exit Light.. Enter night.. Grain of sand.. Exit Light.. Enter Night

Alleged backward phrase:
yes, say I'm a snake.. Yeah, I'm the snake.. It's for you.. Say I'm the snake.. Yeah, I'm the snake.. Praying for me is forthbringing..

Ride the Lightning cover
Released: 07-27-1984
Case 149 Permanent link
Alleged phrase Listener allegation

Metallica

Album: Ride the Lightning Song: For Whom the Bell Tolls

Forward:
For whom the bell tolls, time marches on (reverb) for whom the bell tolls

Alleged backward phrase:
Ohhhh Satan moves on on on on (unintelligible) Ohhh Satan moves

St. Anger cover
Released: 06-05-2003
Case 150 Permanent link
Alleged phrase Listener allegation

Metallica

Album: St. Anger Song: Some Kind of Monster

Forward:
We the people, are we the people, we the people

Alleged backward phrase:
Oh we believe, Oh we believe, Oh we believe

Thriller cover
Released: 11-30-1982
Archive notes: The official short film frames the forward song around a confrontation between rival groups. This archive card concerns a separate reversed-verse allegation; neither the video’s story nor the ominous interpretation demonstrates a planted message.
Case 053 Permanent link
Alleged phrase Listener allegation

Michael Jackson

Album: Thriller Song: Beat It

Research / recording source →

Forward:
They'll kick you, then they'll beat you, then they'll tell you it's fair, so beat it, but you want to be bad, just beat it, yea, beat it.

Alleged backward phrase:
I do believe it was Satan in me

Legacy clip unavailable
Blood On The Dance Floor cover
Released: 03-21-1997
Archive notes: Thanks to idris_mohammed for informing me of this.
Case 078 Permanent link

Michael Jackson

Album: Blood On The Dance Floor Song: Blood On The Dance Floor

Forward:
Blood On The Dance Floor chorus

Alleged backward phrase:
O Satan (repeated)

Psalm 69 cover
Released: 07-14-1992
Archive notes: Thanks to Zugly_Monster for submitting this information.
Case 091 Permanent link

Ministry

Album: Psalm 69 Song: Just One Fix

Forward:
Never trust a Junkie

Alleged backward phrase:
Christ is so Stupid

Psalm 69 cover
Released: 07-14-1992
Archive notes: Another original backmask brought to you by Underground Noize!
Case 092 Permanent link

Ministry

Album: Psalm 69 Song: Just One Fix

Forward:
It sounds like "Don't use the force"

Alleged backward phrase:
It's yours baby!

N/A cover
Released: 09-16-2002
Archive notes: Thanks to Scottieboy143 for pointing this song out!

Missy Elliott’s acknowledgement of the reversed Work It hook applies to Case 120. This separate submitted passage is not automatically verified by that account; preserve it as a listener interpretation pending its own comparison.
Case 119 Permanent link
Alleged phrase Listener allegation

Missy Elliott

Album: N/A Song: Work It

Research / recording source →

Forward:
During the 'cuttin-n-scratchin' at the end of the song you hear "Ladies"

Alleged backward phrase:
Missy Elliott

N/A cover
Released: 09-16-2002
Archive notes: Missy Elliott has explained that the computer reversed her vocal by mistake; she kept the result and wrote the hook around it. Earlier archive interpretations of other passages remain unverified.
Case 120 Permanent link
Studio technique Artist acknowledged Field Guide Reel 02

Missy Elliott

Album: N/A Song: Work It

Research / recording source →

Forward:
A reversed vocal follows the lyric about flipping and reversing the recording.

Reverse reconstruction:
I put my thing down, flip it, and reverse it.

N/A cover
Released: 09-16-2002
Archive notes: Thanks to Scottieboy143 for talking about this song the forums!

Missy Elliott’s acknowledgement of the reversed Work It hook applies to Case 120. This separate submitted passage is not automatically verified by that account; preserve it as a listener interpretation pending its own comparison.
Case 121 Permanent link
Alleged phrase Listener allegation

Missy Elliott

Album: N/A Song: Work It

Research / recording source →

Forward:
If you're a fly girl get your nails done

Alleged backward phrase:
That's why Missy play and forfeit

Broken cover
Released: 09-22-1992
Archive notes: He even whines when you play his shit backwards
Case 054 Permanent link

Nine Inch Nails

Album: Broken Song: Gave Up

Forward:
Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up in flames

Alleged backward phrase:
Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you

Legacy clip unavailable
Rock Steady cover
Released: 10-29-2001
Archive notes: An inherited listener interpretation with an ordinary-language reading. No evidence of intentional construction has been located; it is retained as a useful contrast to the archive's many occult transcriptions.
Case 122 Permanent link
Alleged phrase Listener allegation Field Guide Reel 05

No Doubt

Album: Rock Steady Song: Hey Baby

Forward:
Girls say, girls say

Alleged backward phrase:
Yes sir, yes sir

Celebrity cover
Released: 07-23-2001
Archive notes: Thanks to Scottieboy143 for submitting this backmask information. Please post any comments/remarks you may have in the forums.
Case 123 Permanent link

NSYNC

Album: Celebrity Song: Pop

Forward:
bout the car I drive or the ice around my neck... that you recognize that it's just about respect

Alleged backward phrase:
and survived by touch of the time... and our mind was sacrificed