Punknews.orgPunknews.org Logo
Review Navigator

BackForward

Features

 

Contests

 


Reviews



When the word 'hardcore' is said, what comes to mind? To some, its Victory Records and bands like Earth Crisis and Snapcase. To some, its NYC bands like Agnostic Front and Sick of it All. To some(the idiots) it's bands like Slipknot and Limp Bizkit. Yet to others, its Harcore Holly, the WWF wrestler. Well, to me, hardcore = Minor Threat.

At a time when bands like the Clash and the Ramones were just getting recognition, Minor Threat was making noise of their own. I was 2 years old in 1983, the year they called it quits, but each time I listen to this album, I feel like I'm in the middle of a basement pit. 26 songs, all bursting with talented musicianship and speed, not to mention Straight Edge lyrics, which I'll leave alone. All the songs are taken from 7 inch's and previously released records, but 'Complete Discography' is the jewel for the modern punker. The cd booklet contains a great picture catalog that gives an intimate feel to the whole experience. To make a long story slightly shorter, this album opened up a door to me that has never been closed. I love pop-punk, I love skate punk and thanks to Minor Threat, I love hardcore punk. Every band who plays with the least bit of intensity owes Minor Threat a debt of gratitude, and that's that.





People who liked this also liked:
Operation Ivy - Operation IvyThe Clash - London CallingDescendents - Milo Goes To CollegeRefused - The Shape of Punk to ComeAlkaline Trio - GoddamnitJawbreaker - 24 Hour Revenge TherapyAgainst Me! - is Reinventing Axl RoseThe Lawrence Arms - Oh! Calcutta!Against Me! - As The Eternal CowboyNOFX - The Decline



Please login or register to post comments.
What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
  • Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
  • Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
  • Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
  • Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

    Posted by dreadpiratered on 2009-05-19 12:49:15

    This record just lives forever, Its great that i picked this up 15 years ago and theres still kids today comming into the shop who just heard it for the first time and love it.

    Posted by nandorude82 on 2008-12-10 16:30:27

    A great hardcore band.... They're so important how bad brains,bad religion in h. C. History

    Posted by FroggerWithMyLife on 2008-11-30 16:26:54
    My Score:

    Minor Threat, providing an outlet for angry kids in high school since 1980

    Posted by nonicknameatall on 2008-11-18 02:11:38
    My Score:

    FUCKIN LOVE MINOR THREAT!
    such and great cd.
    sux i never got to see them. tho..i was born way to late
    i blame my parents for not making me sooner! SHAME!!
    haha

    Posted by ramsey on 2008-11-13 08:58:21

    kickass

    Posted by fletcher70 on 2008-09-27 08:25:02
    My Score:

    harDCore MINOR fuckin THREAT....legends

    Posted by C-Men on 2008-06-29 00:41:58
    My Score:

    minor threat is awesome!

    Posted by TommyPickles on 2008-03-20 18:35:27
    My Score:

    Minor Threat are the epitome of hardcore.

    Posted by shark-e on 2008-03-17 20:20:18
    My Score:

    Calm down, homies. You don't need to be straight edge to appreciate Minor Threat, just like you don't need to be an uninformed liberal to appreciate NOFX, nor must you be a depressed heroin addict to appreciate Elliott Smith. Just appreciate the ground they broke, and don't get too caught up in every little thought the writer may or may not have had at that particular point in time.

    Posted by Xithyl on 2008-02-19 21:19:13
    My Score:

    Perfection.

    Posted by Jesus_H_Christ on 2007-08-18 00:14:04
    My Score:

    This was the first hardcore CD I bought and it totally ripped me apart. This hardcore at its finest.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 23, 2007 at 12:03 PM (EST)

    Sadly my friend, St.Anger,Metallica's worst albulm by far, is still way better than this garbage. "SAD BUT TRUUUUUUUE!" I still fight edgers. -Snakes

    Posted by thurstonXwhore on 2007-02-13 22:27:17
    My Score:

    "i just can't see how people can get into this shit, but then again i'm just redneck metal head, who loves to pick fights with straight edge kids"

    Indeed. I can't see how people can listen to St. Anger and beat up straight edge kids. Then again I'm not an asshole.

    This album topples anything any other "hardcore" band has done. It's fast. Passionate. Positive. I love shooting up and listening to this, it's amazing.

    Posted by spuddee on 2007-02-09 07:09:29
    My Score:

    My absolute favorite album ever! I'll never get tired of it.

    Posted by maxethunders on 2007-01-26 00:38:41
    My Score:

    I'm not straight edge at all but I still find myself singing along.

    Posted by The_Wayfarer on 2007-01-19 14:55:28
    My Score:

    Ah, yes, the straightedge scripture of Ian Mackeye. Love it. I won't lie. Of course that's because I am straightedge.

    Posted by Mrdogg45 on 2006-12-14 15:43:56
    My Score:

    What more can be said about this record? Even if you don't like the songs, you have to appriciate the influence it had over punk for the next 25 years. No band has come along and inspired as many as Minor Threat in a long time.

    Posted by Snakes on 2006-08-18 20:00:36
    My Score:

    i just can't see how people can get into this shit, but then again i'm just redneck metal head, who loves to pick fights with straight edge kids

    Posted by totalstranga on 2006-07-25 23:17:48
    My Score:

    more like 5 hundred stars. made me shave my head. 'nuff said.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 8:25 PM (EDT)

    You guys know Ian Mackaye thinks the straight-edge thing is a joke and you all missed the point right?

    Just thought people should be reminded that Minor Threat was talking about individuality, not joining up to an empty "movement" created so you can feel you belong to something. I used to not drink or do drugs, but I never once referred to myself as "edge" during that time.

    Posted by punksxe on 2006-05-01 15:27:12

    This is great straight edge punk. the music is fast and catchy and the lyrics are very inspiring. If all those crap bands on MTV had a positive outlook like this band then maybe there would not be teens in rehab because of drugs or teens joining gangs and getting killed or tenn girls getting pregnant from there shit hole boy friends........ just a thought FUCK MTV UP THE PUNX SXE SXE SXE SXE SXE SXE SXE the way to be

    Posted by xGLEBExCOREx on 2006-03-23 22:02:11

    i cannot stand harliners and i cannot stand posiXtoughguys. but i have numerous edge friends, and i hate those who give the movement a bad name even if i'm not an edge kid.

    Posted by xGLEBExCOREx on 2006-03-23 21:58:35
    My Score:

    amen brotha, amen, minor threat is amazing (also props for the basement pit mention!! first mosh reference i've seen on this site)
    i agree, everybody needs this, and i'm no SXE kid either.
    it's just great.

    Posted by wannabepunktony on 2005-10-08 01:35:10
    My Score:

    Score for Hardcore Holly and Crash (R.I.P.) - super heavyweights for life.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, June 18, 2005 at 8:48 AM (EDT)

    10/10 4eva.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 12, 2004 at 3:04 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Punk rock kids who don't own this album need to get beaten up by the cops. And I'm not sXe. Seriously, you need to own this album. Vinyl, CD, or the recently remastered CD version (with the green cover instead of red), whatever.

    Posted by lordcronus on 2004-06-07 20:50:17
    My Score:

    In my 3 favorite albums list. Every song is good, its intensity really brings something to the table. Buy it.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 16, 2004 at 4:25 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    no need to review this...it's just one of the greatest albums ever

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, September 3, 2003 at 9:48 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    best hardcore album of all time. period.

    Posted by pimpmastaphat on 2003-01-12 03:18:24
    My Score:

    straight edge sucks.....punk is dead

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 24, 2002 at 9:05 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    i'm not straight edge but i support the ideals. i just can't understand the violent hardliners who beat the shit out of people who aren't sXe. it makes no sense. they don't drink, smoke, or do drugs because they feel it is damaging to themselves. but hey, there's a guy that's smoking! let's go beat the shit out of him, that'll teach him to not hurt himself! ...makes no sense.

    AWESOME album by the way.

    Posted by xStreetPunkx on 2002-02-28 18:22:09
    My Score:

    There's nothing wrong w/ Straight Edge! It's all about learning to control your habits, and not letting them control you. Since I've become straight edge, I can say I'm much happier w/ myself. Anyway, it's those goddamn hardline kids that ruin straight edge! Anyone who would jump you for smoking and drinking is not straight edge; they're called nazi assholes! I wouldn't want others to shove their views down my throat, so I don't shove mine down theirs; it's that simple, just as Minor Threat intended it!
    Back to the album, this is definitely one of my all-time favorites, and worth nearly any amount of money to buy!

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 11, 2002 at 4:34 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    its sad that sum 41 has been read 6000 times and this hasnt even reached 500. its a sick fuckin world

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, July 27, 2001 at 1:42 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Question: Where can I get this album
    I've looked for it, can't find it

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 11, 2001 at 11:13 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    These guys were awesome, I give them credit for writing good songs and actually having some sort of ideals to stand behind, unlike most of the other aggresive meatheads of their day.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 10, 2001 at 8:43 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    They toured with Social D on the "Another state of mind" tour as I think it was called, and those guys used t oeverything from beer to heroin. Anyway, pick up the tape of this tour if you want some good Minor Threat footage.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 10, 2001 at 7:32 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Great album, truely one of the best punk albums and bands ever. To those hardline kids who like to beat people up for smoking, drinking, that is just plain stupid. punk is a scene that beleives in tolerance and acceptance of those whose veiws are different from our own. Minor threat knew this, i dont think ian would care if people smoked or drank around him, hell minor threat did a tour with black flag, and those guys did everything.

    Posted by ud_kid on 2001-07-10 14:42:55
    My Score:

    To anyone interested in seeing them live, video taped atleast, try dischord records. They have a video of them live, I think at the 9:30 club. Also, check out Another State Of Mind. It's great to see Mike Ness holding a beer sitting on the same couch as Ian McKaye. Something those hardline kid should look into. Last I heard, you can't get drunk by just being around beer, and second hand smoke should be considered breaking your edge. I'm not an advocate for drug use or abuse, but I do appreciate someone not taking drugs to do something positive in life. Too bad not many sXe kids actually do anything positive. DESCENDENTS, 7 Seconds, those are bands that I think of that have actually done something positive.

    Posted by coldjuly on 2001-07-10 13:49:25
    My Score:

    Yeah that kind of shit is just stupid...jumping you at a show for smoking??? I have nothing against drugs..i just choose not to do them..if you want to drink and smoke go ahead its your life.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 9, 2001 at 11:32 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I am straight edge and proud of it. I grew up on this band...and with minor threat you wouldnt have a lot of these hardcore bands around today...most bands in hardcore today are just a bunch of shit...listen to some judge or gorrila biscuits and some youth of today...

    Posted by sickboi on 2001-07-09 18:07:00
    My Score:

    Don't try to tell me not to say "I hate straight edge" until you've had 15 straight edge kids try to jump you and 2 friends for smoking cigarettes and enjoying a beer at a show. I read about people like that in history class a few years ago, they were called fucking nazis.
    I like some of the kids, just the overall scene has left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 9, 2001 at 6:05 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    One of the most important hardcore/punk releases ever

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 9, 2001 at 5:16 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    It's not stupid to hate Straight Edge. I don't hate it, but I don't prefer it. Some people have their opinions. It's not wrong to hate religion, and it's not wrong to be religous, and so forth. Anyway, Minor Threat were a great band.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 9, 2001 at 5:13 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I dont think they are the BEST hardcore band,(Probally Black Flag, DK, Bad Brains) but they are definitly one of the greats. I hate Straight Edge, but the band is great. And it's not like Ian was trying to shove his views down your throat, (unlike some others bands these days). He was just offering an alternative.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 9, 2001 at 5:06 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    One of the best fucking bands ever, I wish I was alive and a fan during their day, because their love shows looked intense. I love this album, and I recommend it for ANYONE who considers themselves a punk rocker.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 9, 2001 at 5:05 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I'm am not str8 edge, but to say "I hate straight edge" is fuckin stupid. How bout, "I hate hardline"?

    Posted by sickboi on 2001-07-09 14:49:14
    My Score:

    I hate straight edge, but I love Minor Threat. I remember when I first heard these guys (1988), fucking blew my mind away.