The Age of Quarrel

The Age of Quarrel is the debut album of Cro-Mags. This album is a mix of hardcore and metal songs. Especially the guitar riffs and tempo changes sound very metal. I understand it is a classic in the hardcore genre, but listening to it nowadays it does not sound very special. Still a decent album with several good tracks ("We Gotta Know", "Signs of the Times" and "Malfunction").

15 songs in 33 minutes - that's getting to the goddamn point. I hadn't heard this since the late-80s when a good friend was trying to get a bunch of us into the NYC hardcore scene by making us mixtapes and passing them around the dorm. It's retro-funny to hear it now, but to be fair it's not something I've ever liked. I will say that they were actually pretty tight in retrospect; if any "mainstream" comparisons can be made I definitely hear some Mötorhead. As for whether it should be in the book, I don't remember enough of the hardcore scene influence to figure whether it should be these guys or someone like Bad Brains or the smaller acts like Token Entry, Minor Threat, Gorilla Biscuits... someone should represent I guess and I'd defer elsewhere. TL;DR: a slice of the angry late 80s. Just seems sort of funny/silly now. 4/10 2 stars IMO: Belonged in the book? No.

Loud trashy shit. Fun for a few minutes. Manages to outstay its welcome despite being one of the shortest albums ever submitted

Finally some good music here.

Straight ahead knuckledragging punk, hell yeah

Oh hardcore. 15 songs, 33 minutes (most songs under 2). I was not heretofore aware of the subgenre Krishnacore, which really seems like something from fiction. Hilariously ling former band members list, hilariously hardcore band drama (including stabbing). Anyway, another band name I've known forever but never listened too. Off the bat much heavier than I'd expect for hardcore, actually a really interesting bridge between punk/post-punk/hardcore and metal. I do think the vocal style is limiting, but interesting lyrics. I wasn't getting the Krishna consciousness but hey.

Made my morning 2x speed

Fine enough chugga wuggas from the 80s

Favorite Track: We Gotta Know

All the songs sound the same, with no light and shade - just an angry boy shouting at you for half an hour or so.

Some great hardcore punk with some thrash elements, I've known of this band for a while but hadn't listened too much. Not much to say here, this LP gets in and gets out and says what it has to say quick! Been enjoying the run of punk LPs here on the user list that are one and done in 30 minutes of furious noise.

Solid hardcore. Gets a bit boring as it veers into the more metal end, but good fun altogether.

Better punk music

Cool oldschool hard-core

Hardcore classic

It's fine but at this point, this exact album has been on the list about 10 times. My personal rating: 3/5 My rating relative to the list: 3/5 Should this have been included on the original list? No.

Punk drifting into grunge, it has lyrics I think

Rating: 6/10 Best songs: It’s the limit

I am sorry but I really did not like this. This type of rick or whatever is not my vibe at all. I do understand why people might like it, it's a niche of rock. Just not for me (like ever again).

Meh-tal.

The history of this band is more interesting than the music of this band

I have nothing pivotal to add to the 2-star review that's currently located towards the top of this section. It perfectly nails why this submission is extremely dubious. Only four more things: - I will personally give *one star* to this LP myself, for the reasons stated in that review up there, PLUS the ones below. - I really want to laugh when I read those reviews going "solid hardcore", "cool oldschool hard-core", "better punk music", and "hardcore classic", with the reviewers then only giving three stars to this record... This speak VOLUMES, doesn't it? Seriously, guys and gals... Either your take is deluded (and influenced by old farts who can't tell shit from shinola in the genre), or your grading is. Take your pick. If you asked me, I'd say those half-assed reviews betray their authors' knowledge that Cro-Mags' debut is (mostly) horseshit. But what do I know, huh? 🤷🏼 - I sort of got invested in the hardcore scene at the onset of the noughts, and everyone I knew took Cro-Mags derisively. So it's pretty funny to revisit this album today, and remember all the jokes we made about this criminally overrated act. What "stands out" the most for my ears today is how technically limited the band was for the all-too-numerous metal elements they injected in their songs. The vocals are super grating. Some of the drum parts are awful. Only the extravagant guitar solos make an impression, but they're so laden with clichés for today's ears they become laughable as well. - When Cro-Mags drop the metal shtick and return to hardcore punk proper (the two songs with "streets" in their names, that follow one another, or "Hard Times"...), they become a bit more decent -- even if said songs are totally devoid of original features. Compare this with Minor Threat or Gorilla Biscuits, who tackled the genre with so much vital energy, sincerity, inspiration and even melodic pizzazz at times, and weep, Cro-Mags fans. Heck, even if you prefer rougher NYC hardcore, Sick Of It All released ten times more impressive albums a decade after this debut -- more inspired, more technically savvy, and certainly more impactful LPs. Like, that's the type of slap in the face I expect in that music genre. So weep *again*. In short, I hated this record. And I guess that you can't really blame someone leaving a sourpuss review to one named *The Age Of Quarrel* anyway. Quite a bomb indeed, lmao. 0/5 for the purposes of this list dedicated to essential albums. 5/10 for more general purposes (4 for the musicianship and production values + 1 for the artistry) ---- Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 Albums from the original list I *might* include in mine later on: 288 Albums from the original list I won't include in mine: 336 ---- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 122 Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 141 Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 314 (including this one) ---- Salut Émile, Tu pourras lire ma dernière réponse sous le *Little Criminals* de Randy Newman. A+.

I like my music heavy. But this proto crust punk is just not very good. There is nothing new or exciting here. Just crappy songs with a crappy singer.