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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Damaged

Black Flag

1981

Buy At Rough Trade
Damaged
Album Summary

Damaged is the debut studio album by the American hardcore punk band Black Flag. SST Records released it on December 5, 1981. The album was largely ignored by critics and the public at the time of its release, but has since been recognized as a classic and one of the most influential punk rock records ever made, appearing on a number of "best of" lists by fans and critics alike. The album was ranked number 340 on Rolling Stone's 2012 list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Pitchfork also ranked it number 25 on its list of the Top 100 Albums of the 1980s.

Wikipedia

Rating

2.85

Votes

12853

Genres

  • Punk

Reviews

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Mar 09 2023
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5

I'd like to hear Weird Al do a cover of Spray Paint, it's pretty much a polka already.

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Feb 14 2021
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4

If I could have Half as much Energy as a young Henry Rollins I would probably be the strongest man alive. This album is fast, loud, and relentless. The pace zooms along and screams of southern California and Reagan era anger. This is wild and untamed, damaged. But triumphant waving the black flag of rebellion. Makes me really want to have a TV Party

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Jan 17 2024
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4

There was a thread on the 1001 Albums subreddit recently asking whether people took the context of the album (when it was released, impact, influence, etc) into consideration when reviewing records or if people rated albums solely on whether they liked the music or not. The majority said they rated solely on whether they like the music or not. I’m not one of those people. I think it’s important to take the influence and impact of a recording into account. Here’s why: This is a list of 1001 albums *to hear before you die*, implying that these records were selected because of their importance, their influence and not solely on the basis of whether the editor liked the way they sounded. I look at it like this: If these are records that must be heard before you die, then at the end of this, a person should have a somewhat decent understanding of the many facets of modern popular music and, because of that, these 1001 records should be considered as to whether or not they are essential to understanding the course of modern popular music up until today. As a result, I’m often reviewing these albums not only on the basis of whether I like them or not, but wether I think you can tell the story of modern music without hearing an album on this list. In essence, I am rating the list’s viability along with the sound of the records. So, can you tell the story of modern music without talking about the Beta Band or Badly Drawn Boy or 4 solo Morrissey records? Absolutely. Can you tell the story of modern rock music without talking about Black Flag? Doubtful. Whether it’s due to their status as a forerunner of hardcore punk, their influence in cultivating an underground music scene in America and exposing the world to that music scene through their incredibly influential record label, SST Records, Black Flag is a band who is essential to the story of modern music and their inclusion here is more than warranted, even if I don’t love every second of their music.

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Oct 23 2020
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5

There's so much that can be said about this album. It's a cornerstone piece of hardcore punk history. This was one of the albums that began the spit into hardcore as its own genre and put Henry Rollins - the world's scariest boyscout - into the spotlight. It's rough and agressive and very socially concious. It's just damn great and I love it. Full marks.

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Sep 23 2021
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1

I don't mind punk, and I often don't know the lyrics to songs because often to me the singing is just an instrument. But, if singer's voices aren't instruments and they're just screaming, I have to be able to understand what they're screaming about. And I can't. I can occasionally pick up a sentence here or there, but otherwise it's just the same chord and same drums and same screaming endlessly. It either has to sound good, or it has to have a message. This was neither. Every song sounded exactly the same: Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-THRAAAASH Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-THRAAAASH Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-THRAAAASH Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-Thrash-THRAAAASH Sounded like a garage demo of someone on their 3rd week with an instrument.

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Jan 06 2023
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5

Damaged is a quintessential hardcore album and one of the most influential punk albums of all time. The music is noisy, messy, and invigorating. The lyrics are at times funny, angry, anti-authoritarian, and surprisingly empathetic such as the track 'Life of Pain.' Black Flag is a conscientious standard bearer and this album is truly phenomenal.

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Feb 25 2021
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4

Tremendous. Mixed perfectly, not JUST power cords and screaming. Deserves legend status for genre

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Feb 03 2021
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2

I guess this is what neo nazis listen to or something.

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Mar 16 2022
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3

A real slobberknocker. Funny, hateful, even sad. Who doesn't feel a twinge of sympathy when Rollins garbles something like "… I'm confused, confused... don't wanna be confused... Don't even feel a thing, no... I don't wanna see... But you can't make me long for your life and security"? I checked my book and, yep, Chuck Eddy approves. Though he notes they went rapidly downhill from here. Anyone listening to this with two ears and a brain could tell you that was the only place they were ever heading.

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Aug 13 2021
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2

"Style : Hardcore Punk." Il suffisait de lire ceci sur la page Wikipédia de ce cher album pour savoir que la note n'allait pas dépasser 2.

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Jun 04 2021
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1

trash for 14 year olds angry at their dad

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Jun 11 2024
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4

4.5 How timely, I just saw Black Flag last weekend at No Values… and they sucked. I actually left about halfway through their set to go get some pizza. If you go to one of their shows nowadays hoping to hear anything that sounds even remotely like this album, you’re going to be disappointed - Henry Rollins bounced a while ago and has since been replaced with professional skateboarder Mike Vallely, and, well, it’s not a great combination. In fact, it’s borderline unlistenable - I don’t know what the hell happened when Mike V joined, but somehow, one of the most iconic punk bands of all-time turned into a shitty cover band. Anyway, there was a time this band truly was great (I’m assuming they were great live as well - too young to have ever seen them with Rollins), and this album is probably the best exemplification of that. I mean, just the opening track Rise Above is proof enough - like, if you’re putting together a top ten list of punk anthems, there’s no way it doesn’t make the cut. It’s one of my personal favorites of all-time, and it’s just one of many bangers here - other favorites include: Six Pack, TV Party, Spray Paint, and Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie, though honestly, everything here is great and gets me in a particularly angst, mosh-y mood (meaning the album has done its job). That all to say, I have a lot of favorite punk albums, and I’m not sure this one quite reaches the level of others. I do think the back half of this isn’t quite as strong as the first, and the fact that the music cuts off abruptly in between certain tracks has always kind of bugged me as well. Still, it’s a damn good album, and one that laid the blueprint for all of punk to follow by introducing the “hardcore” to “hardcore punk” (Well, these guys and Minor Threat). As much as I love The Ramones and Sex Pistols, this album made them look like the Billboard Hot 100. Want to end with this - speaking of No Values, the festival was a strong reminder that punk music runs through my blood through and through. I mean, music in general is my happy place, but it’s something special when it’s loud and fast (though Bright Eyes and The Smiths will always hold a special place in another part of my heart). When I die, there better not be any sappy, black tie-wearing pity party going on, everyone I know and love better get a keg and blast some great tunes as loud as they can. Gabba gabba hey!

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Oct 07 2021
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3

Like if Neil Young goes hardcore punk, very good.

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Nov 19 2024
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5

Damaged is the debut studio album by Black Flag, originally released in 1981. What a landmark recording in music history. One of the early hardcore records. And man this thing is packed with energy. Right off the bat with "Rise Above". It immediately draws you in. Many would say this isn't their best album, but it's so damn good! You 100% need to hear this before you die.

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Jan 26 2022
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5

Big Black Flag fan and this is arguably their finest

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Dec 23 2021
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5

crystallized angry angst punk. there is an inner rage within all of us that can headbang to this. can't tell if these lyrics are dumb or brilliant

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Dec 03 2021
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5

Classic punk. Fast, aggressive but still with some tongue-in-cheek satire.

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Sep 16 2021
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5

In isolation the album is a solid 4 but she consideration is given to the influence this has had on a lot of the music I love today it's easy to justify the big 5. Imagine the stares going on between the drums and bass during the intro of No More. Accidentally fucking listened to it in shuffle, only the second time I've done that in 243 albums which is a pretty good run. Hate doing that though.

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Feb 24 2021
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5

Every song is good-great (the guitar in particular) and fun. Its Henry Rollins debut and a band that revolutionized punk music. About as iconic as you get

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Mar 10 2021
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5

Slightly shocked I've never listened to this before. Pretty timeless.

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Jun 04 2021
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5

Sin skips. Energía caótica. Cool en general. Me gustó como inicia con rise above y también me gustó thirsty and miserable. Mención especial a Sixpack que es una pendejada. Mood: me sangran los oídos.

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Mar 12 2021
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5

Have owned this album on vinyl almost thirty years and it still holds up. A classic hardcore album that is intense, humourous and brutally good!

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Apr 19 2021
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5

FUCKING FUCK YEAH! This is LA punk right here. This band was one of the original, and most influential punk bands of all time, and you can't tell me listening to any track on this album doesn't make you just want to mosh. while i got into punk later in life, this band helped shape what I liked to listen to and opened me up to bands like NOFX, the Descendents, Rancid, and so many others.

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Nov 20 2024
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4

Great record. Despite what my wife said when she walked into the kitchen with me playing this a 6:30am.

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Jul 26 2024
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3

These workmanlike rockers are elevated by Ginn’s skronky guitar, which sometimes sounds like Ornette Coleman. Rollins is an excellent barker; I had fun with this.

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Jul 26 2024
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2

So this is what Henry Rollins did when he was younger? I was surprised how "adolescent" the themes were e.g. I'm bored, don't wanna watch TV. The Coasters via The MC5. Not bad, but doesn't hold my attention

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Mar 09 2023
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2

Music was alright just not my top choice. This is what you’d play to scare someone away from your house if they had over stayed their welcome

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Nov 22 2022
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2

Five years late, and thereby a little laughable - punk had a very short shelf life and this was released after it had passed it's listen by date. If it had been released when the band was formed, in 1976, then it would deserve to be here, but as a mediocre copy of british punk, it should be consigned to the bargin bin

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Dec 12 2021
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2

Oh Hank, calm TF down. Playing live in bands was fun but having a punk band on the card was always rubbish. Bass players always on the down stroke is fun though. I can live without this thanks

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Dec 12 2021
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2

Black Flag raised some red flags with me. Had to check if they were Nazis, apparently not at all, but some of their listeners are, not their fault but not my bag.

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Aug 13 2021
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2

Je tiens a presenter mes plus plates excuses suite a ma review d'hier. En effet, il est bon de savoir que j'écris ces reviews sur mon temps de travail. Je me dois donc, afin de rester un employé modèle aux yeux de mes collègues, de taper ces reviews que vous aimez tant à une vitesse phénomènale. De plus, il est courant pour moi de rédiger ces reviews avec un Cracker à l'épautre dans la main droite, afin de pouvoir me substanter par la même occasion. Il est donc parfaitement compréhensible que quelques fautes de frappes se glissent entre les lignes. J'ai, par dessus le marché, la facheuse tendance, et ce depuis mes plus jeunes classes, de ne pas me relire. Cela m'avait notamment valu de complétement louper mon entrée en matière, lors d'un paragraphe argumenté sur les mémoires de la guerre d'Algérie. Je tiens d'ailleurs à rappeler à tout le monde que sans l'intervention de Pierre Mendès France (dit PMF, a ne pas confondre avec Pierre Menès ou encore Jeremy Menez France), dieu seul sait dans quelle situation se serait trouvée notre belle nation aujourd'hui.

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Jan 29 2021
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2

Started off enjoyable but quickly got a bit bored as every song essentially sounds the same. If this was an EP just consisting of the A Side it'd easily be a 4. But its not, so its not.

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Jun 20 2021
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1

Generic punk rock. Nothing special standing out to me here. Six Pack and Tv Party are heavy influencers to The Chats with novelty themes of getting drunk and being a lad. Other than that, it’s just a 35 minute racket. Toward the end of this album I was questioning my existence and my sanity.

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Nov 09 2024
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5

Raw power hardcore punk music. Rollins is angry and he shows it through every song. My favorites: Six Pack TV Party Thirsty and Miserable Room 13 Must-listen if you say you like punk music. 5/5

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Oct 10 2024
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5

Black Flag's Damaged is one of the greatest debut albums in the punk rock genre. Infused with fury, humor and the decency to keep things short and sweet (with a few exceptions), there is an unrelenting intensity across Damaged's thirty-four minutes that would have been laughable if it were any other band (okay maybe Dead Kennedys would have done something similar). It's only in the album's last few minutes where we hear the band drift into a far slower, yet no less menacing, tempo that would be expanded upon in subsequent records. But that's for later. Damaged is essential listening for anyone willing to delve into the American side of punk rock.

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Oct 06 2024
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5

Absolutely seminal, one of the most influential albums of all time, absolutely bangs.

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Sep 30 2024
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5

i am a massive punk fan. this type of grimy, filthy, and typically offensive (at least to some listeners) music is what keeps my faith in music as an art form. being able to just say whatever over simple riffs hits the same way that roadside graffiti hits for me. a simple statement that says "fuck the mainstream" and exists for the sake of creation. id love to see more punk as i keep doing this project.

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Sep 28 2024
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5

Full marks for lack of subtlety. I have a huge soft spot in my heart for Henry Rollins.

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Sep 08 2024
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5

Great album of course, with one of the best opening songs, only discovered this album years after its release, it has this typical early 80s american guitar, so like it very much. Well-timed record as well (as I am currently reading Corporate Rock Sucks about SST records).

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Sep 04 2024
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5

A pivotal album for hardcore and the indie DIY movement. It takes a couple of listenings but this album is perfect. Raw, ironic, and fun - damaged has it all!

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Jul 23 2024
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5

I mean no disrespect to other hardcore punk albums when I say that they had no reason to show up other guitarists in the genre as hard as they did with this album. Every song's riff isn't just technical thrashing, but elaborate guitar riffs that are not only extremely catchy and raw, but are just straight up nasty, and paired with Henry Rollins' "on the brink of death" vocals leads the album to perhaps one of the most earnestly aggressive and destructive punk albums of the 80s. There is no wonder in my mind how this became such a massive hit, as only as the album went on did I find myself into the style more and more, and while the vocals did take some getting used to, returning to the earlier songs after going through the whole album had me realize just how consistent this record is, and featuring fifteen tracks and still pulling that feat off is quite the achievement. It's juvenile in the most charismatic of ways, and while perhaps it can come off as a bit dumb, sometimes that's what you need to get through a day. Great record, I look forward to checking out their sludgier follow-up.

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Jun 24 2024
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5

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Quintisential angry young men doing what they need to. But this manages to add in good hooks without turning into Greenday style pop punk. Good lyrics, the bass slaps and Henry Rollins is a beast.

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Apr 17 2024
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5

de cover vertelt het al : dit is een agressief plaatje... Rollins op zijn best...korte krachtige songs, met maatschappijkritische en ook hilarische teksten...

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Apr 11 2024
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5

Angry anthems for the jaded and disaffected. At age 51 this album still resonates with me as much as it did at 15 when I heard random tracks on a mix tape given to me by a school mate.

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Feb 21 2024
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5

I think hardcore punk might be my thing. Though as angry as usual, there are little bits of comedy thrown into this album. 100% influenced Nirvana and grunge. Feels like a bedroom that used to be a basement.

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Jan 19 2024
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5

Album 74.. probably the first I've really loved having never heard any of the artist's songs before. I didn't think I'd like hardcore at all, it always seems quite inaccessible, but this is great. I loved the proper punk attitude: anti establishment and unashamedly aggressive, with some spots of sarcastic humour in the lyrics as well. All delivered with an energy and PUNCH befitting the subject matter.

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Jan 09 2024
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5

I didn’t know I had such an affinity for 80s hardcore, but based on how my ratings are looking on this project, it looks like I do. This has all of the jagged edges and noisy interludes that you could ever want. Great stuff.

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Dec 22 2023
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5

кайф. открыл для себя хардкор панк рок благодаря этому альбому. супер эмоциально, драйвово, грязно, болезненно и жизненно. это тот альбом который я хотел написать в 15 хд. Генри Роллинз монстр. плюс концептик тут есть, целый путь борьбы с собой травмированного (по настоящему) человека, прям чувствуется как он пережил все эти эмоции. вот будь я в плохом эмоциональном состоянии - заслушал бы до дыр. а так, себе конечно добавил, но хз когда вернусь к нему, слишком уж болезненная музыка. короче кайф оценка - 9/10

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Dec 22 2023
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5

A hardcore punk classic - genre defining.

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Dec 22 2023
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5

Noisy, messy, deceptively simple, plenty of variety, a nod to the past while shaping the future - it's safe to say I'm a fan!

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Dec 08 2023
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5

Rise Above- 5/5 Spray Paint- 4.8/5 Six Pack- 4.5/5 What I See- 4.7/5 TV Party- 5/5 Thirsty and Miserable- 5/5 Police Story- 5/5 Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie- 4.9/5 Depression- 4.7/5 Room 13- 5/5 Damaged II- 4.8/5 No More- 5/5 Padded Cell- 5/5 Life of Pain- 4.9/5 Damaged I- 4.7/5 Total- 4.9/5

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Dec 01 2023
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5

punk black flag. so fun, so fast.

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Nov 23 2023
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5

This album was great! Love punk!

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Nov 22 2023
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5

Eerste punkalbum die ik ooit luisterde, in mijn tienerjaren. Dacht altijd dat het enge harde muziek was maar hierdoor kwam ik erachter dat het ook grappig en mijn kant van de politiek was.

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Oct 19 2023
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5

Just so energetic and trashy and fun and unable to take itself seriously. It's a totally American take on punk-rock and it's all the better for it.

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Oct 18 2023
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5

Punk rock classic. Love the intensity!

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Oct 13 2023
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5

FUCK YES. I love this album so much.

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Oct 05 2023
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5

Good fun. I especially loved the TV party one. Reminded me very much of my mid twenties.

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Sep 11 2023
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5

I was dreading the global reviews on this, and they were what I expected. Here's the thing. If you've never heard Damaged, it's going to sound like a samey racket. But if you were around 14 when you discovered it, it's going to be a foundational record. Guess which I am. Equal parts sarcastically funny, furiously angry, and heartbreakingly sad, it's a vital touchpoint to the evolution of punk rock, hardcore, and metal. But, also very much a "you had to be there" record. I get the objections, but I will always love it.

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Jul 29 2023
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5

"My name is Henry and you're here with me now" A classic of hardcore punk. Some Black Flag fans hate Rollins on vocals, but I think the rawness on display here just elevates everything else. I love this album, have since I was an angry young man and I continue to do so as an angry approaching middle age man.

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Jul 24 2023
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5

I listened to a little Black Flag here and there in college. TV Party is the door I walked through to really appreciate this group. Through a friend I listened to this many times back then. Today I wasn’t looking forward to listening to this. I expected this to sit poorly with me 36 years later. Turns out we sit together great. I appreciate the introspective and socially conscious lyrics. The music is still really catchy. While I no longer have the energy to jump in a mosh pit, I definitely can spend 35 minutes kicking back to this with a glass of wine! A real surprise that I love this as much now as I did back then!

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Jun 26 2023
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5

An absolute classic when it comes to punk and hardcore. This changed everything when I first heard it

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Jun 23 2023
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5

Even though I am not a Henry Rollins fan, this was fantastic.

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Jun 22 2023
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5

Punk covers a pretty wide spectrum, but if someone asked me to show one album to represent the genre this would be my pick. Fast unconventional instruments, screaming and taking the piss out of society, just really that sense that this is the opposite of what is expected of how one should behave. Tv party was hilarious, mocking how people will get together to hang out and not talk at all. Henry Rollins is one of the all time great. Not an album I would just put on to listen to, and usually wouldn't give a five to an album based on that, but this is a critical punk album and I think warrants the rating despite not being to my personal tastes at this stage of my life.

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Jun 21 2023
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5

I was looking for something fast but not as heavy as metal. Lo and behold, I am recommended one of hardcore punk’s best albums. It’s just what I am looking for. Favorite track: TV Party

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Jun 13 2023
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5

fuck yeah, this is how you start a Monday morning. I have never listened to this album in full but know so many of the songs. First heard some of them as a little dude watching Repo Man. This a great

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May 24 2023
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5

From Black Sabbath to Black Flag. If this is truly random that is awesome. Henry Rollins at 20 was a force of nature. The rest of the band was not far behind. Goes on my list for its influence on the genre, but the raw power of this record is incredible. I understand the genre is not for everyone - my Mom was not a fan - but the bursts of energy that come through in every song was impressive to me at 21 and is equally impressive four decades later. TV Party received some airplay but is not indicative of the rest of the songs. I would suggest What I See and Damaged (both I and II) as prime examples of Black Flag's fast and loud credo.

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May 18 2023
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5

Gotta love the classic LA hardcore

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Apr 21 2023
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5

Was tempted to give this album a 5 on impact alone, but it's still a little too rough around the edges and inconsistent to garner the perfect rating. But man oh man, is there a lot to say about this one. I've mentioned it before, but I listened to it because of the chapter about Black Flag in Our Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azzerad (imo a must-read for any music fan), and it didn't really resonate at the time, but it definitely FELT like something that I could understand the influence and importance of, especially given Black Flag's reputation and how popular their iconography became, along with the legend of Henry Rollins. Anyway, this album is incredibly important as a harbinger for the production of American music, and I have no issue proclaiming that many, MANY bands that I love today simply would not exist if it weren't for Black Flag. EDIT: changed my mind, it's a 5. Standouts: Rise Above, Six Pack, TV Party, Thirsty and Miserable, Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie, Depression, Damaged II

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Apr 16 2023
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5

I've only heard of Black Flag a little bit and I ended up really like this album! I didn't really know what genre they played other than just general rock but I was pleasantly surprised.

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Apr 14 2023
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5

A key album in the American wave of punk. An early gateway into what would later become hardcore music. This album brings back so many memories from playing skating games as a kid. Rise above might be one of the best American punk songs, no questions asked.

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Mar 09 2023
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5

Very enjoyable Listen from a band I’ve been into for a minute. Really led the charge for punk music and set a trend. Like any album there was some down spots but it’s a fast paced punk rock rump. Henry Rollins has some crazy shit to say about frozen yogurt .

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Dec 05 2022
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5

OH YEAH!!!!!! That clears your sinuses. I remember listening to a punk playlist from America and was a little underwhelmed. There was some great pop and garage rock, but it lacked attitude. Then I heard this cacophonous blast of guitars, drums and angry vocals. Just when it couldn't get any better they threw in these shouted extras from the rest of the band. It won't call it harmonies or a chorus, it just sounded like a bunch of blokes with beers telling from the front row. Then I realised they were singing about getting pissed (drunk) and I knew I'd found something special. A great thing about Black Flag is that they've moved on and showed all their musical influences in later albums. This album is a fantastic blast of anger and confusion.

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Nov 04 2022
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5

An essential for anyone who wants to get into hardcore. Not only is the energy unmatchable but the classic tracks just keep on coming. Honestly one of my favorite albums. I keep returning to it.

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