Damaged

Hardcore punk built from distorted guitars, pounding drums, abrasive vocals, and relentless energy feels like being shoved into a cramped room where everyone is shouting at once and the amplifiers leave no space to breathe. The rawness and aggression are unmistakably, simply too much noise competing for attention, leaving me more overwhelmed than engaged.

next up we've got the debut of black flag, considered to be one of the first ever hardcore punk rock bands. loud and abrasive, this album clearly took a lot of time to make from its inception to its recording, and yet according to wikipedia people just didn't give enough of a shit when the album actually came out in stores. punk historations seem to look at this album fondly in retrospective reviews. the band ended up rerecording tracks from this album years later. these guys are spittin in the microphone and flipping off their audience the whole time. it's hardcore to the level where you can easily imagine the stupidest moshpit, with a lot of dudes spinning around like helicopters. truth be told, it's so unbelievably hardcore that it actually made me chuckle at points? clearly my reaction wasn't the first thing the band probably wanted out of a listener, but it's a good, positive chuckle. this album was an entertaining listen, it's definitely not my cup of tea but it gave me a really clear window to this sort of stuff. this is a very very strong 3.5.

This is a special album. 1980 and all the fury and unresolved angst of teenagedom already worn out. The contrast of LA's self-destruction, led by a DC native, with DC's positive hardcore, is really a thing to behold. Ginn's guitar powers through. Robo's drums sound great. Unfortunately, the mix is muddy (by design?!) and despite parts sounding good, overall it doesn't...rise above that pretty poor choice. Rollins, god bless 'im, isn't yet up to the task of carrying the future weight of Black Flag's legacy (though I do think the b-side suits him better). The album just doesn't sound alive the way Black Flag was alive in concert. I'll admit I'm too young to know - I had the pleasure of seeing Flag live and it kicked ass, but am aware it's not the same thing. This album is that it's like Carole King (didn't see that one coming, did you?): the covers are better. Pretty much every version of Rise Above sounds better than this one. Black Fag's Gimme Gimme Gimme is a lot more fun. While I love a lot of what's going on here due to it coming around at a time in my life when this kind of noise and expression was what I needed, I know that for all its faults it's still pretty unique. Definitely a hear it, but while it's special, it's also not...great?

Got worse as it went on

Shouty Shouty

3/5

I get its influential but its not that fun of a listen

Rabia con guitarras, un disco agresivo y abrasivo, guitarras pesadas que funcionan como un asalto. El único problema es que cuando llevo 7 canciones escuchando a Rollins criticar a la tele o al gobierno, me aburro.

Black Flag - Damaged Thought I’d like this a bit more as I’m a big fan of Fugazi and I like Henry Rollins solo stuff. A bit samey. Maybe required a couple of listens Standout track: Damaged I ⭐️⭐️⭐️

You know what? These 15 short, energetic tracks rip. Black Flag has riffs and an ironic, fun delivery that made these fly by. I’m too old for this to go in regular rotation at this point. But it was some punky fun.

angsty but great hardcore record, rise above is such a good start to this. henry rollins isn't my favourite vocalist ever but he does have the perfect voice for this kind of album.

Before today I had three songs from this album liked and I thought I was gonna have a great time. Unfortunately, I was correct to like those three songs and only those three.

hmm. was ok

This is a tough one: On the one hand, Henry Rollins and Black Flag are among the absolute icons of hardcore punk. On the other hand, hardcore punk isn’t exactly my absolute favorite. So today, I’ll keep it short: Yes, of course you have to be familiar with "Damaged". But also: Yes, I understand anyone who doesn’t like it.

Some people don’t just rate albums based on whether they like them or not but instead think it’s important to take the influence and impact of a recording into account. You know, nerds. Half the lyrics on this album are about wanting to die and barely managing to stay alive but most of the 32 members/past members of this band are still kicking around in their sixties and seventies playing shitty music and yelling about things. Also, you needed 32 dudes to play three notes and scream?! This was apparently recorded before Henry Rollins was held captive for a decade in a VH1 documentary television commentary talking head recording booth. Anyway, this sucks.

punk monster icon

This is one of the albums that changed my mind on punk rock.

Idk man sounded like shit to me

A solid release in punk. This album probably exemplifies hardcore punk. The blitzkrieg-like tempo, the gang vocals, the short-form songs, the manic lead vocals, etc. Even though this album has a very noisy and aggressive feel to it, some of the lyrics are completely silly. Like in "Spray Paint" and "TV Party." The music totally doesn't match the lyrics for those songs. The album is quite lo-fi, which has a charm, like the overall muffledness it's as if I went to one of their shows with no hearing protection. The album eventually ends on the song "Damaged I" which is a hint on what's to come on My War. Who would've thought a punk band would conform themselves? A lot of people I suppose. I guess they thought Black Flag were a pop band that were going to limit themselves to a very specific sound. I found this a lot more enjoyable than I believe my first two listens, I definitely gotta throw this on again when I have like 35 minutes to spare. I recommend this album but I wish My War was on the list instead if it had to be one or the other. Highlight Song/s: "Six Pack", "Gimme Gimme Gimme" and "Damaged I"

Some dated lyrics but still sounds new. Would have loved to have been at one of these shows back in the day.

Classic hardcore punk for sure, but lacks some the elements that are key to the genre. Later Black Flag records are actually more emblematic of the genre than this imo.

I think you had to be there? I have so much context for 60’s music because of the docs like Woodstock. I do not have that for punk and even if I did I don’t think it’s as coherent a story.

Dang! Really liked this. It sounds contemporary enough and shitty enough to be acceptable punk to my ears. Love how Bass drives a lot of songs. TV Party was my favorite. Punk bands today like The Chats copy some of that absurdity (especially with the chanty background choruses).

Really fun. TV Party might be the best song I've ever heard.

Ironically, I came out unscathed from this experience. Some moments are actually decent and somewhat coherent

Six pack Tv party

I’m a My War guy but they are unleashed and confrontational and awesome here. He is completely emotionally unleashed and Greg assault’s his guitar serving u violent asymmetrical riffage. Drive

It's punk. Very punky punk. I like the punkiest punk to rock out to.

Emblematic of an era

Always loved this album. Vinnie Gimmie Gimmie is my favorite from it, but the album as a whole is great.

Maso

For 34 minutes this album brought me down in to the sweaty basement of some bar in L.A. I got pushed and shoved, my toes stepped on, and beer spilled all over my new shoes... And loved every minute of it. This feels entirely authentic in a sea full of copycats and posers, these guys definitely deserve some credit to be some of the first to pull this sound off.

An absolutely ferocious cornerstone of hardcore punk music. What’s not to like here? Also, to the reviewer who writes: “I guess this is what neo nazis listen to or something”, please read up on hardcore punk’s history with nazis. Black Flag are anti-fascist to their core and are staunch supporters of punching nazis in the face; a sentiment that needs a bit of a resurgence unfortunately.

No

Not one of my favs I actually think I found something I don't really like that much, nothing about this was appealing at all would not recommend

i like punk and i think it's amusing and has some stuff to say

I don’t know if I ever listened to Blag Flag before this. I thought I knew what they sounded like but this is so much more melodic, not heavy and…funnier than I was expecting! I’m a bit sad I didn’t listen to this when I was 15, I would have enjoyed the droll social commentary offered up alongside the punishing riffs!

"Punk music placeholder", the album. Seriously, it was exactly what you could imagine punk rock is, with a high dose of teen angst. It wasn't BAD, just... Typical.

Listens: 2.5 Standout Tracks: Rise Above, TV Party, Gimme Gimme Gimme First, the important part: I have reached 500 album out of "1001". Yes, I know its actually 1089 albums (plus user-submitted ones) but 500 is a cooler milestone than 544/545. So yea. I feel less enthused than I did at 250, but I am still enjoying this. I've found plenty of new stuff that I really love, even more that I categorically enjoy, and have also confirmed some long-held beliefs: I have a strong hatred for twangy traditional country music. The 1980s is far and away my least liked decade. I am also a "wordsmith". I've written reviews for 99% of the albums I've reviewed. Here's my updated stats: 5-Star Albums: 69 (nice) 1-Star Albums: 23 Average Rating: 3.29 (+0.02) Favorite Decade: 1960 (up from 1950s) Thumbs-Up'ed Reviews: 9 (+4) Albums on the List that I have listened to before starting this project: I can't be bothered to keep track of this stat anymore. I am certainly not going to go counting out 500 albums right now. --------------- This album is another miss for me on the Punk genre. It's pretty noisy, discordant, with only mediocre minimal instrumentation. The whole thing feels washed out. I am also really not a fan of "chorus" that occurs on some of the tracks, where Henry Rollins (TIL) is going back and forth with the backing vocals, like on TV Party. What I do appreciate is the social commentary. Six Pack and TV party are excellent criticisms of *gestures broadly* the way of life in most parts of America, in the 1980s and even presently. I also recognize the importance of the scene, and respect the music, even if I don't personally find it all that enjoyable.

I enjoyed listening to this. Socially and artistically, there is much merit. I don't think I'll be adding this to my personal collection, but I do think it requires at least a second look from me. ⭐⭐⭐

Cool punk

Henry Rollins, fuck yeah (8/10, 5/5 on this scale)

Influential hardcore punk band. The sound was cleaner and the songs more structured than I expected. Good guitar player (Greg Ginn) with Henry Rollins singing. Typical adolescent lyrics. I can't listen to a lot of this at once but this a good example of the genre. TV Party is funny and was in Repo Man movie.

Felt uneven, the good parts were good but fell back on too much incoherent yelling

4/10 - Not as bad as some hardcore metal but still not my thing

it could be seen as whining. but i feel that this album really showcases a style of music that is very cathartic, personal and important as an outlet to the destructive way of life that thrives in certain environments. i think that if more people did music like this, the world would be a better place. not because there were less crazy and damaged people. But more of them, of us, would have a reasonable outlet to all that negativity and weight. The lyrics are direct, the music is functional an fast. It's raw and aggressive. I feel compelled and seen in some of it, and it's that good for me, for these reasons.

Este álbum se siente como un grito desesperado. Es un ritmo ansioso y ruidoso que no deja espacios ni para respirar. El sonido juega un rol tan importante en la atmósfera, que se vuelve el protagonista de la obra. Junto a voces que no buscan sonar limpias, amplifican este sentimiento. Si bien no es para nada mi estilo, hicieron un trabajo impecable en el album, logrando emitir esas sensaciones que el rock puro busca transmitir. Los instrumentos, las voces, silencios y todas aquellas decisiones que tomaron lograron generar esa sensación desperada y ansiosa que buscaban transmitir.

That was a long 34 minutes! I wish American punk bands had the wit and energy of their British cohort.

just bad music man, every song is exactly the same and boring, cant understand how this is on the list, saved 0/15

voy a suponer q no dormir a la noche y haberlo escuchado a primera hora de la mañana no ayudó, pero posta no puedo pensar en volver a escucharlo así que me tendré que quedar con mi primera impresión que fue por favor que termine ya

Man, I am just not the right target audience for this. This was a dreadful listening experience for me.

Sounds like the singer is about to puke the whole time. Hate the way that sounds.

Fuckin A goddamn right Black Flag!! 5

TV party is soooo good I always imagined them to be super self-serious but there are a lot of like character songs. Still mostly didn't do anything for me.

Не, я понимаю, что отцы панка и всё такое, но слушать это невозможно

#190/1001 🇺🇸🏴 From Sinatra yesterday to Black Flag today. I wonder what the old crooner would have made of this? Its a long time since i've listened to it but i bloody love it. The influence of Black Flag cannot be underestimated and whilst they didn't sell as many records as they should have (Read This Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azzerad) they certainly paved the way for the American alternative scene of the late 80s / early 90s. Best Tracks: Rise Above, Six Pack, TV Party, Police Story, Depression.

Where have I heard "TV Party" before? I wanna say Futurama?? Yup confirmed. That was the only slightly lit spot. Wow this album was unbearable.

no thanks. did-not-finish

Think not of Damaged as a dusty relic of a bygone age, but rather as a living, breathing testament of unyielding human resolve. Herein lies the fury of a desperate troupe who, possessing naught left to lose, did fling their very souls into thirty-five fleeting minutes of spinning wax. 'Tis a heavy, hostile tempest—yet utterly vital. If this mighty din stirreth not thy blood to strike thy fist against the stony wall, then surely, gentle listener, cold death hath already claimed thy silent heart.

The guitar work on this record directly or indirectly influenced so much of my favourite guitar stuff. It sounds so brilliant in parts. Some of the raw punky sounds in general are fantastic. I really wish it wasn't slightly let down by some pretty dumb subject matter in places (e.g. Tv party.) I guess punk shouldn't need to be political or anything but this sometimes feels extra conformist.

Not sure about hardcore.

The 3 M's of Black flag: conscious musicality with knucklehead muscularity, lampooning adolescent masculinity. Also "TV Party" being one of the rare hardcore songs with a sense of humor enough to reach the general populace, My boss has a copy of Damaged in the crate of random normie college year records in our server room.

Black Flag is in my top 5 favorite bands of all time list, so this isn’t really even fair, but Damaged is an incendiary powerhouse of an album. If you like aggressive punk rock or hardcore, it’s got it all: combustible and atonal guitars, a muscular rhythm section (including Chuck Dukowski’s guttural picked bass), and killer economical songs that don't so much build as explode from the outset. It’s pretty remarkable that Henry Rollins had just joined the band and waltzed into the studio to record this ready-to-go batch of songs, because he sounds like a feral animal and fully inhabits the role. The band would never really sound like this again, but there are a couple tracks on side 2 that foreshadow the slowed-down sludge direction they would inflict on their apoplectic punk followers on My War.

I don't even listen to Black Flag (damn glad I did just now) but I would trade any of the numerous Elvis Costello or Nick Cave albums for some reason on this list for another one or two of these Black Flag puppies.

Foundational.

Serious about fighting the good fight. Unserious about everything else. Perfect punk but doesn’t 100% rock my world

That was fun I liked that. I knew their top song but never listened to an album of theirs before. I like the guitar tone. RISE ABOVE WE'RE GONNA RISE ABOVE

Banal, talentless trash. (Unless I’m really missing something…?)

Ugh. DNF.

Shit was cool at first but then it morphed into them just screaming into the void on distorted guitar rifts & im overly cool on that

4.5 Classic but almost quaint by today's standards

Punk demasiado gutural para ser punk

DEATH GRIPS SAMPLE caught in the first 5 seconds of the album TS SO TUFF. otherwise, not my kind of music at all. W political takes

There are btter option

Tv party so true

Quite enjoyable. Music for drinking white cider on a park bench on a rainy night in November.

On the fine side of a racket

3.5 rounded up for nostalgia.

Baffling

Just a bit of a racket

Not that great 1.7/10

Classic, of course. There are much more iconic punk albums from this time that are better but I do get why this is here. It was good to listen to this again.

At first I thought I might enjoy it because the punk vibe was there, but it just kept being angry and yelling. By the time I got to Gimmie, Gimmie, and Room 13 I just really wanted it to be over. It wasn't really giving anything new or different, just yelling

TV Party was fun but the rest of this was too loud and noisy for me. I appreciate an angry album on the 4th, but it just wasn’t doing it for me.

While this album features sometimes interesting guitar work, it still lacks a certain musical variance and musically interesting ideas. Every track almost sounds the same. While there are certainly worse albums, it is nothing I would consider "special" or "good", more so "average".

The TV Party they mock so ruthlessly sounds absolutely off the chain compared to anything that I have attended in the past couple of decades...

Tv song is great but other than that I was booed

It's okay.

Decent album to end my journey on

I am Henry Rollins, hear me ROAR! Me angry, RAAAAAHHH!! The government is bad!!! I want to.. watch tv and drink beer? (!!!!) Black Flag is one of those bands where I think two things are true: 1. You Had To Be There, and 2. The influence is outsized compared to the qualify of the actual music. It’s very easy to dismiss punk, and hardcore punk like this in particular for sounding samey. A lot of punk was made by people who could barely play instruments and thus three-chord-punk was born- very basic stuff with the same drum beats and guitar riffs with whatever angry vocal you wanted to throw on top. It didn’t matter if it was good, it just had to have the attitude. Even the Red Hot Chili Peppers once said on “Funky Crime”: “p(f)unk is the attitude.” That said, this album definitely came equipped with the DNA that set hardcore punk into motion: you’ve got everything from micro songs, to anti establishment textures, to chillin with the homies songs, and even some filler! The album does have a fair amount of variety in terms of structure, which is more than you can say for a lot of punk albums, especially early ones. A lot of these guys showed up at the same time, immediately following the Sex Pistols and Ramones- Black Flag, JFA, Adolescents, Minor Threat, which gave way to Suicidal Tendencies, NOFX, and others who expanded on the “skate” side of things and less political. This one is tough to rate though. On influence alone it’s a 5, but personal enjoyment is more like a 3. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 it is.

Good rock thx

Boring modality.

erm ik vind punk wel leuk maar deze was echt mid..

dit s echt lege punk

A very influential album whose legacy probably exceeds the actual quality of the music. The simple and brutal Punk assault hits hard at first, but the impact is short-lived. The mark left behind is just a t-shirt with the Black Flag logo on it, available at your local Walmart.

Downloaded this while heading into the wilderness and then listened to it a bunch more times over a few days because it was one of three albums on my phone. 3.5

when i first moved to the region i live now, i got stuck in a terrifying dangerous dirt-road snowstorm with only the voice of the 19yo on college radio playing a Songs About Television rock block to focus on as i spent two hours caaaaaaarefully navigating what in the summer would be a fifteen minute drive. all this to say, i have a soft spot for TV Party. the rest is not super my speed; all very samey, but hey, it's a debut album and i can't argue with 34 minutes. 2.5

I’m not going to say that I love this album but I do feel like I have to grade it on a bit of a curve compared to the rest of the punk on this list. Going into this project I had a guitar hero 3 level of understanding of punk and I thought I actually really liked it. Then I listened to all the punk bullshit on this list. You have to give this album credit because they actually care about sounding like real music instead of having their heads so far up their own asses they think completely deconstructed music is somehow the apotheosis of western music tradition. So props for not being assholes.

Punk Rock, 1981 -> 1

Das Album trifft mich eher als Zeitkapsel denn als Genuss. Die Wut ist echt, der Sound roh, aber vieles wirkt heute mehr wie ein chaotischer Schlag ins Gesicht als wie Musik, die ich freiwillig nochmal anmache.

An essential piece of hardcore punk. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

I’m at a 5. Just some good pained rage, really. Henry Rollins doesn’t have the most musical voice (and at times, he could definitely use a lozenge), but what he lacks in melody, he makes up for in spades with frustrated delivery. A lot of these tracks cover the woes of pained people & a desire to have that pain be seen, heard & perceived past the platitudes of the time. Whether it’s alcohol abuse, drug abuse, societal power dynamics & perception, or just the struggle of coping with constant suffering, this album lays it all out bluntly in a way that’s kind of impossible to ignore. Musically, while it’s a little bit reliant on walls of sound to create the backing atmosphere, when this album wants to turn up the guitar / drum work, it usually hits well, & I found myself enjoying most of the 35 minutes here. My biggest nitpick is that tracks do just abruptly end, though that might be a consequence of the streaming era not allowing the same flow as a vinyl might’ve had back then. I’m assuming the hard cuts on a record player would just go right into the next track in a slightly more satisfying way. The only track that didn't really hit for me on a first pass was “Room 13”, if only because it’s rather repetitive & it just isn’t as effective as portraying pain as the tracks surrounding it. Other than that track, I’d say everything else worked for me. It’s not a great album from a purely musical standpoint, as the lack of a more traditional structure throughout does leave a slightly homogenized effect on the album. However, if you can find the empathy to actually hear what Henry is saying & see this album as the reflecting mirror of people’s struggles that it intends to be, what comes out of it is engaging & really entertaining. I think the 2.86 on the site is frustrating, because it just shows people are judging this on the sound & not the content inside. Yeah, I’d probably give this a 3 too if I were just going off of how it sounds, but the entire package hinges on feeling these tracks & truly listening. I think they did a great job of doing that while balancing a decent sense of musicality to everything, and for my tastes, it’s a pretty easy 5.

My favorite thing about this album is that damaged ii comes four tracks before damaged i because who the fuck cares.

I liked this better than I expected to be honest. These are some amazing riffs, super fast and raw and I love the angry vocals. I’m just not sure if I’ll return to this a lot.

Very raw, sounds incredibly dated now. Just angry.

Henry Rollins is an angry man.

3.0

In the right mood, this is a fun album

Good punk album ..Rollins doing his thing.

I’ve learnt my lesson with hardcore punk, it’s a no from me

Sounds really good at start but my tolerance of this kind of stuff was filled around mid album. Not something i would listen to full album, but few songs here and there refreshens the day!

Kinda refreshing one on this listening project. Punk has never been my thing and this ensures this view while still being cool album to get familiar with.

#422 / 1089 Heard before? ❌ ✅ Revisit? ❌ ✅ First album with Henry Rollins doing the vocal duties. Music is very much US hardcore punk, while not exactly my thing, this band has similar vibes to the stuff I've listened to in the past. Easy 3/5, but not quite 4.

Good memories.

Sorry skater punks, this one is not for me. TV Party was juvenile fun though.

# Playlist Track - Rise Above # Notes - I can appreciate this. It has this raw, really grinding sound that works like kryptonite on old, conservative bores. Still, I don't *enjoy* it. - It's worth knowing, it's hugely influencial and you can be excused to think it just rounds like "regular angry teen" but this is one of the defining reasons angry teens sound like that. - Find this in the right moment in your life and your mind will be blown.

I like it

Great classic punk album! Love it!

I like a lot about this album. The guitar sound is great. Fast and to the point songs. Rise Above is a great opener, a classic punk anthem. And some of the themes were ahead of their time, specifically Depression, it’s not the lost nuanced, but I don’t think mental health was talked about much in 1981.

Punk en su máxima expresión, bastante digerible

Vissa bangers men rätt enformigt också

My name’s Henry and you’re with me now

not bad overall, good punk album

8/10

Teenaged me would have been all over this - bit much for me now 🤣

Seemed like good punk. Just not up my alley

C'est pas si pire mais torieux c'est sûrement le maximum que je peux supporter en terme de qualité d'enregistrement de marde. 2.5 étoiles

This was brilliant. It took the punk messaging against the establishment and both managed to praise and criticise anarchy- admitting that they in themselves are 'Damaged'. It's a brilliant record.

Cool, another punk album…

Naw

Decent

I'm ready to run through a brick wall (3.5)

Decent. A high 3

Damaged was certainly a wild ride from start to finish. This album reminds me a lot of GI by Germs in a lot of ways. This album knows how to get right to the point as these songs are only around 3 minutes and i also like how this album doesn't take itself too seriously especially in songs like TV Party where the lyrics are hilariously stupid in the best possible ways. I thought i was gonna have a problem with the mixing of this album when i scouted ahead a bit but for what it is, it sounds fine. My only real problem is that these songs can feel quite samey and there is 15 of them so that doesn't help matters. Even so, this album was definitely a fun ride. Best Song: TV Party Worst Song: Spray Paint

I can understand it's influence. You can hear it clearly in early Fugazi records, but not really for me.

Archetype punk music. I'm a fan Highlights: "Six Pack," "TV Party," "Police Story"

I wanna kick something but alas I am listening from my desk job

Knobs, load of rubbish

2.5 - Meh

This kind of rock is too aggressive for me.

Ahh. Punk rock at its punkiest. I remember “TV Party” was played on Dr Demento back in the 80s, but didn’t know anything else…

It’s just a bit shouty init. I’d probably enjoy it a bit more on another day

didn't even open it - black flag i am sure is awesome for those who like this genre - i appreciate them, but it's NOT my sound can't bear even a minute

This is me driving. I’m calm and collected until I’m not. It’s not anger but the sport of it all. All speed, determination, adrenaline…

Who knew nihilism could be so fun. '81 must have been a tough year.

Fucking badass record. Hardcore as fuck, cover is iconic, and the mix is......super quiet on spotify for some reason. Whatever, I just turned it up louder. Black Flag not only makes absolute ragers to thrash to, but also funny catchy (heavily distorted) pop tunes like "TV Party". Awesome. Henry Rollins is also cool

what you would expect from a hardcore album from the 80s

That's certainly noise.

never again. noise pollution

Henry Rollins can get it. I'm not as angry or as punk rock as I was 30 years ago when I first heard this album. It still stirs all the right emotions, though. I think this project is sending me on another mid life crisis because after listening to Damaged today, I told off one of my professors and I screamed at a wasp by my front door. I've been a nice, suburban substitute teacher for too long and I want to feel that angry fire again. Thanks Black Flag.

No compromise

It’s a thin line between hardcore punk and heavy metal.

Not my jam.

I liked it mostly, minor threat came on after and blew it out of the water

I could write a long post about the importance of this music for the future of punk, indie, and DIY. Its essential influence can’t be stated enough. I could write about a new intensity it brought to punk - expanding beyond political and social displeasure (though that’s included) to also include intense personal/emotional struggles, humor and satire, fury and anger [most were there previously, but not in the same directness and heaviness]. But I won’t do that. I’ll give you the image that runs through my head when I hear this album. Staring in the mirror, I rip my eyeballs out. I run straight through the wall of the second story of my house and pummel into the ground, creating a huge crater. Being unable to see, I throw my eyeballs and accidentally hit a grandma in a crosswalks. She falls, and while I aimlessly wander to go assist, an observing cop comes to beat me relentlessly with his baton. While I’m bloodied and bruised, a Mack truck proceeds to run us both over. This sets off the explosive in my pocket, blowing everything to dust. With nothing left, I casually stroll back inside, reinsert my eyeballs, and proceed with my day with renewed energy and vigor despite the world crumbling around me. If that’s not your experience when listening to this album, you’re not alive.

Classic album. Hardcore classic. 5/5

When I want hardcore punk, this is exactly what I'm talking about. They tackle vandalism, getting drunk, crooked cops, rebellion, depression, and psych wards, and they blaze through it all in less than 35 minutes. Of course, "TV Party" is an absolute classic and "Six Pack" was a total banger. Henry Rollins brings an insane level of raw, unhinged aggression on vocals that makes every single track feel dangerous. Greg Ginn's guitar work is just pure, messy chaos, yet it keeps the momentum moving at breakneck speed. It is abrasive, ugly, and totally uncompromising. This is the definitive blueprint for American hardcore, and it leaves you feeling exhausted in the best way possible. Favorite song: "Six Pack"

There's some anger in this one

He produces a lot of saliva. Very recorded in my parents garage core.

I get it, but it's so sloppy

No private session used for Spotify. Quintessential american punk.

Vrmt pas mon genre de musique :(

Six pack

Хз, достаточно разъебно, чтобы не ставить 3, но недостаточно запомнилось для 4. 3,5.

I can imagine a time and a place for punk, but in general it’s not very pleasant to listen to.

I see the influence, but not my music

They're like Rage Against the Machine, if Rage was a high school garage band, Zack hadn't yet had his voice change from puberty, and they sucked.

ça n'est pas possible, mais je ne peux pas, c'est pas mon style du tout.

No More was the standout. I appreciated how it started off slow before building into typical punk shite.

just sounds like yelling to bizarre sounds.

Strong 3,5

нормалек, но в свое время, видимо, были круче. (у дейва гроула тату с ними)

A ver como para escucharlo tranquilamente y agusto es horrible 🙉, solo que al ubicarlo en el 81 🤯 te das cuenta de lo imnovadir que era y como abrio un nuevo camino a la musika y pudo influir a posteriores bandas de punk y hard metal, de su lugar en la musika y en esta lista. Casi le doy un 3 solo es que... el Hard Metal... 🙈 aveces se podria catalogar de antimusika 🤢 aun asi, los hay buenos 🤏🏼 y muy malos 🤌🏼 No coincido muy biem con estos estilos 🤷🏻‍♂️

I think these guys are damaged. Decent Punk album

A good hardcore punk album. I enjoyed this. Kinda cool to see punk evolve to this harder style so long ago. I thought this was gonna be a more mid 80s style.

It’s giving Robbie from Gravity Falls

Tbh I didn't hate it. I even tolerated it

Blessedly short.

I am definitely not drunk/angry enough to enjoy this.

Awesome punk rock album from beginning to end

Not my favorite genre but I can telll it’s good for what it is

Pretty good!

Obviously very influential punk. Just some guys having a good time. How can you not listen to TV Party and have a good time.

It was okay for it's genre but nothing I prefer to listen to on a regular basis.

“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” -the Wikipedia page I think that says everything. This record is full of early punk bangers and deserves its flowers.

Day 278 Highlights Six Pack TV Party

The sequel band, Skull and Bones, did not do as well and costed the published millions of dollars

Punky Fave track: Six pack

Decent punk. 3/5

Plenty of thrash here, wasn't bad, but there's better out there.

Ive enjoyed this more on other occasions. Its clearly good. Maybe im not in the mood, maybe it doesnt feel as fresh Its good. Nothing against it lad. Good

Cracking punk thrash noise.

My issue with hardcore albums is that they tend to be one track played a dozen times with different lyrics. It's not bad, but I'll never pick it to play again

Meh

Listening to this I am immediately transported to a hot and sweaty room, my ears ringing the next day. It's energetic and angry, I liked it a lot. Favourites: Thirsty And Miserable Police Story No More Damaged I

3.75

I can appreciate their influence and appeal to punks but not melodic enough for me.

Not my cup of tea

Hugely influential Punk album. Quite aggressive and raw. I didn't like it very much. Key tracks: Thirsty and Miserable

I was expecting a 35-minute wall of ANGRY MAN YELLING. There was a fair amount of that, but it was understandable. It's not just a torrent of screaming. The drum work is SOLID. The guitar work is there, but it's rough and choppy and distorted, which is exactly what you expect from a punk album. What you don't expect is the frat-boy brattiness of "Six Pack" and "TV Party". You don't expect the juvenile litany of first-world problems. You DON'T expect how YOUNG Henry Rollins sounds. It's approachable punk and had me nodding my head at times. It's still not my style. My Rating: 4/5

Fun punk! Love Henry Rollins and this album sounds awful in a charming way. Just a little one note for me

#notforme but TV party will always slap

3/5 Timeless lyrics and raw instrumental energy brings the score up.

Great punk but I still just don’t really like punk

Gear: Grado Hemp Artwork: 🤜💥🪞 Production: 📏💩😖 Music: 🏎️😡🪧 Rating: 🏴🏴(🏴)/5

Well recorded for a very early 80s pink album. I totally get the energy here and I reckon the gigs were hardcore. Not my scene and while I don't really enjoy this, going to give it a 3 because did actually help me focus on some work tasks this morning.

This was such an interesting album to me. "Raw" and "Wild" are the words I want to use for the singing and instrumentals. I feel like it all worked together, though. Very different, but it oddly enough caught my ears.

Incredible album! Punk, but not just punk… heavy and emotional! Visceral!

A punk punch.

I can understand its influence on some of my favorite bands but couldn’t get all the way into it myself

Now more than just a reference in the updated Boys of Summer song. Not in a good way

Déjà écouté avant. Le punk hardcore dans sa plus pure expression, sans chichis, sans nuances, sans ornements. Juste un déchaînement brut de riffs stridents et d'aboiements primaux débités à toute vitesse pendant 35 minutes. Quitte à ce que le cocktail abrasion + répétition devienne carrément difficile à avaler à la longue. C'est une esthétique de la colère à laquelle on adhère ou pas, personnellement j'adhère plutôt, jusqu'à un certain point en tout cas. Top : Rise Above Flop : Room 13

Damaged is definitely the word. Crap.

Not a fan of punk really. An entertaining and biting record but it lacks any change of pace. Not bad but didn't convert me either

I imagine this was influential but just wasn’t for me

Liked it more than I suspected beforehand. I did like the more lighthearted ones better, like TV party. Seeing listener numbers, probably more people agree with that.

I feel like I've already had this record, though I can't be bothered to check now. It's raw. It's solid. It's pretty damn caustic.

Teenage me would have been all over this and whilst it's something different now, I don't think I vibe with it. It's not bad at all though, just no emotional connection. Almost feels like a radio station I'd change over immediately on GTA.

very punkish sound, kinda like it

Absofuckinglutely.

Guys, it’s bad on purpose. That’s the aesthetic.

Demasiado dark, no me gusto

Gets in, gets the job done, gets out. Loved it.

Like others, I wasn't looking forward to this when I read it, but, man, it was a great time. I had forgotten how good the rocking anarchist rage felt. Musicality aside, it is an exercise in early-Gen X-no fucks to give angst and I'm here for it. 4.

Not for me - all I heard was noise and yelling with a bit of drums and guitar.

I expected to like this one more than the last, however despite an OK start and some decent musicality, I found it really got a bit much by the end. Perhaps it's just because the Circle Jerks one was so short. I was willing this one to finish before the end.

A SoCal hardcore album two days in a row? Cool! I liked this one a lot better than I liked the Circle Jerks. Same sort of sound, but I think I like Henry's vocals a lot more. There's a certain diy ethic to this album as well. Genuinely a fan.

It’s funny to me that old punk music sounds like it’s just 1 take of the whole band and if there are any mistakes or mistiming, they just roll with it. “Hey your rolls and fills are kinda off time” nah keep it, that’s punk “Are you sure the melody fits in with the song?” Yeah man, that’s punk This album can feel a bit exhausting when listening to everything back-to-back. That said, this is iconic punk rock.

This feels like the true quintessential punk album. It’s got the right mood, the right lyrics, and the right production. It’s sounds like a bunch of angry, disenfranchised guys who just need an outlet for their frustration. They don’t always play or sing perfectly, but they capture the feeling of rage and fighting that we all experience from time to time. Must listen.

8/10

What is this feeling? This feeling of…kind of enjoying punk music? Don’t get me wrong, this won’t make it into my regular rotation. But, there is something oddly real about this album. This isn’t a whole album about “woe is me, life is bad, fuck the man”, it’s like 4 15 year olds made an album but didn’t try to make it anything more than that. The TV party song made me laugh out loud at the absurdity of it - why did you write a whole song about watching TV? No further meaning? The emotions and rawness come through on this album far more than others. The songs all have the same mood but there is variation in chords, structures, etc. so that it doesn’t drone on. I’m coming in with a 6/10 today, against all odds!

Not for me

Punk Rock is always good!

It was alright

Damaged de Black Flag es un álbum crudo, intenso y profundamente introspectivo. Más que música para escuchar casualmente, se siente como una descarga emocional llena de frustración, rabia y conflictos internos. Refleja el sufrimiento y las tensiones del día a día de forma directa y sin filtros. No es un disco para escuchar todo el tiempo, pero su fuerza y autenticidad lo convierten en una obra impactante. 5/5

Really a toss up between the Stooges and Ginn for the epitome of how a loud guitar should sound. Rollins has never really done much for me as a vocalist, although I used to enjoy this writing and spoken word stuff. Live footage from the jazz/sludge era really shows how much of a presence he was, not yet quite the cartoonish sack of self-loathing/worship he would soon become, but vocally, that just doesn’t come across nearly as hard as Ginn, Dukowski, even Robo for all his faults.

Nop

1001 albums to hear before you get real damage 78# gimme hardcore punk me like SCREAMINNN This band was a staple on Hardcore punk making one of the most important albums to the genre beginnings. It's frantic, high paced, seems dumb but has meaning, like on Six Pack, appears to be just screaming six pack cause it's funny, the meaning being a person who isolated himself becoming drink addict and believing that a six pack will just save him, even the six pack has more value than his girlfriend lol. Don't become an alcoholic. The deliver is always kind of funny and full of energy DAMAGE, MY DAMAGE i would love to see minor threat have a place in the list, but i don't believe it

Henry Rollins voice is the absolute epitome of the hardcore punk sound. Its that strained shouting voice that sounds frantic and almost unsure of what the next thing is that he is going to say. And it is clear to see that a number of hardcore punk bands like AFI and the vandals have been inspired by this style. The songs are loud and full of dirty thrash guitar. It almost feels like the vocals and the instruments are in a competition to see who can drown.the other out. It makes me think of clubs with cheap beer, plastic glasses and sticky carpets. So reminiscent of my student days. (3.850)

I don't think I've actually ever listened to this. Very rough around the edges. But so influential it's undeniable at this point.

Not my thing but sounds surprisingly modern

He keep screaming

Screaming about beer and TV

p478. 1981. 2 stars. Angry, unpleasant US punk that sets the template for later thrash metal. It doesn't mean it's any good though. Bonus point for keeping it short.

Pretty decent. It pains me to rate an album 2/5 after the awful German one that needed 0/0 stars.

Enjoyed this, but two listens is enough, given the plethora of bands that followed in that genre. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Iconic ★★★☆☆ (6/10) Total reviewed : 295 Already owned : 68 Purchased : 15 To buy : 3 Nope : 209

I should be angry; really just feeling nothing.

Very fitting to get this album after ABBA. Felt like a breath of fresh air. Nothing fake about it. Listening to this makes you want to open a slightly warm beer while walking to a dusty concert with your friends who don't like to talk about jobs and relationships. Instead, they talk about the current affairs and what's wrong with the world. A bit too hardcore punk for me, but I will give it a listen again for sure.

This was horrendous. I did not have to listen to this before I die.

I only listened to this album for the first time six months before getting this on the list. I loved this album I think it’s the speed and aggression that hooked me in.

Edgy first song good

This has always been middle of the road punk for me. I’d go see it live but don’t put it on myself.

Solid album. Not always in a punk mood, but when I am, I can’t ask for much more.

I'm aware it's a landmark album and everything, but I just couldn't totally get into it.

High and low points. Classic punk sound but I do yearn for more punk messages lol also I have a headache so near the end it was getting rough

God energi og nogle spøjse tekster.

All energy no melody. Which I think they’d probably happily put on the poster. But doesn’t really work for me.

Not my thing at all but i totally get why it’s on the list. I imagine this is some people’s favourite album of all time… just not mine.

Ikke noe for meg.

Infantiler Lärm

Mad respect for 80s indie bands/musicians for their pushback against the industry and influencing a butt load of important bands to come. As for this particular album, this one sits near the top, if not the cherry.

Rough and raw, and I'm sure they were having fun, but I didn't like it much.

Found my new gym playlist. Badass West Coast punk.

Punk is not for me and outside of Six Pack and TV Party this was really not for me.

I was in college when this album came out, and I remember it sounding as revolutionary as it was. It's a style of music that can sometimes feel like too much. But other times nothing else will do. TV Party!!

To this’ credit, I liked this a lot more than any other punk I’ve heard so far. There was a lot of weird and cool guitar stuff happening, and by the end I didn’t even mind his voice that much. That being said I just don’t think I like punk, it’s too shouty for me. It’s cool but it really is just a little annoying, I really just don’t like it. Favorites: What I See, Life of Pain, Damaged I

This was pretty good. I didn't expect there to be so many background vocals. That doesn't detract from it it was odd to me. The Jefferson's reference on TV Party was great.

Too angry for me, but not as bad as metal.

117. not memorable

I guess this would be awesome live.. I enjoyed the TV Party song tho.

For a signature hardcore punk band they are much more looser than I remember, which I liked! The songs often have a start-stop feel of falling part again & again. Kind of harkens back to the hypnotic dark psychadelic aspects of The Stooges at points.

Blerg

This was an album of all albums

Dananananananananananananananana dananananananananananananananana da nana nana unda nana nana un Admit it, you sang the opening riff of "Rise Above" too just now. This album is foundational, raw, and real.

I can respect it, but it’s not for me. Too hard.

The vinyl came damaged but I won't return it.

Classic album - wouldve loved to go to a live show

I’m sure this is great for the right type of listener, but judging it just based on how I liked to listen to it and nothing about its importance to music. This album was not for me.

Tough album to crush on a Saturday morning. But it was a vibe I enjoyed and made me laugh more than it probably was intended to. Tv party really hurt my feelings and I love that.

More fun than I anticipated.

I would have rated this 3 or 4 in my youth but I now find it way too "shouty".

Such an interesting album. It has some fun uplifting tunes and some heavier punk songs. TV Party and Six Pack are definitely bangers while the title track is very emotional and intense.

Heard this back-to-back with Murmur by REM. The 80's sure were diverse. It's anarchic, hardcore punk from LA in the early 80's. In some places, it's pretty noise-heavy ('Damaged II'). It's all very simple and often fairly melodic, though. The anger is palpable and, generally, it's a fairly emotive record. I haven't rated this yet but I don't expect this to have a very high score. Punk rock this raw isn't for everyone, nor is it meant to be. It could be made by anyone with something to say, though, and that's the point. Anyway, it's effective, representative of a movement and an aesthetic and a politics of that moment and, in places, it's actually fun and catchy ('TV Party' is definitely facetious but it's a catchy song). Probably won't be most people's favourite album, any more than some Napalm Death would be. You shouldn't skip any of it, though -- it's only a half hour long and this is what a punk show in a dive in LA in the early 80's would've sounded like. Seminal but maybe not broadly enjoyable. 3/5

Oh, so THIS is the band Henry Rollins was in. I learned something today. Black Flag is one of those bands I know of, but had never heard from before. The verdict. Heavy punk rock. True punk songs need to be thrashy and short. Two minute songs are a punk staple, and they stay true to that so I'll bump them up a notch. This is perhaps a bit more thrashy with the vocals than I prefer, but still very good stuff.

Classic punk rock. Not my thing.

Nope

I like punk way more than hardcore, and this hits a bit too hardcore for me. Also, for a 35 minute album it feels very long.

Aún no crean mejor actividad que ver tele y tomar chela

punk

Gym playlist ig

absolute cheeks

Not my style but a couple of hits

Now this is some real-ass punk music! That is, of course, not to be confused with real ass-punk music, which is something that I want to stay away from. But yeah, Black Flag's Damaged is cool as hell. This album has all of the staples of hardcore punk, which makes sense as Black Flag is somewhat of a pioneer for the genre. Everything's here! The rowdy production, blazing-fast pacing of the album and its songs, lyrics comprised by a mix of heavy-handed politics and personal frustrations, chanting vocals courtesy of punk icon and Legend of Korra voice actor Henry Rollins, and many more elements all coalesce into the forming of an album that is the perfect example of everything that makes hardcore punk hardcore. Side note: isn't it funny that they got Henry Rollins to voice a villain in The Legend of Korra that literally just looks like Henry Rollins? I think that's funny. He did a great job with it though. Definitely one of the highlights of that show in its later seasons. Alright, back to the album. I don't have a ton to say, but that's mostly because the album kinda speaks for itself. It's very consistent, always energetic, and generally pretty great. "Rise Above" is just an excellent opener, and the 14 songs that follow do not disappoint. Damaged is great. 4/5.

Whilst it is apparent that a lot of this could have been averted through therapy / national service, it’s entertaining enough, in an infantile way.

This feels like the American version of the British Oi style of punk. It's music that I feel I ought to like more than I do but I just find it very middle of the road. It's a bit too simplistic for my tastes.

0/15 bekannt 5,5/10 Beste Songs: Rose above, six pack, life of pain

3,5

Usually I like most punk music but for some reason this just didn’t hit for me like I thought it would. I actually gave up on the last song and was like no I’m good. I just felt like it was kind of repetitive and aggressive in terms of vocals and vibes. Maybe it’s just not my thing but I could see why other people would enjoy this.

Hard-core is not my favourite kind of punk, but I appreciated listening to this tbh. And its probably a good intro to the genre.

Classic but apart from some bangers, not my thing.