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Black Flag

My War (1984)
Black Flag

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Contributed by: BrandonSideleau
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on April 17th 2002

During the period between '81 and '84 we all know well that Black Flag were involved in a legal battle with Unicorn/MCA that ended up keeping the band from releasing any new material or anything with their name on it throughout the battle's duration. But, when the dust settled in 1984 Black Flag rose once again, this time with a slightly heavier sound and a very muscular Henry Rollins. This was a major turning point for the Flag, and, although they lost many of their "Punker than thou" followers, they created an original, heavy, hardcore sound that to this day hasn't been recreated.

My War is one of the band's best albums and show's off the band's diversity and variety in styles and tempos. Songs like "Nothing Left Inside" and "Three Nights" reveil a "slow burn" angry, heavy style later seen commonly in Rollin's early solo work, it works beautifully on this album. Another stand out track is "Forever Time", a loud, brutal screamer written by Mr. Rollins. Ansd then of course there is the classic title track, that is classic Black Flag and is easily one of the hardest songs ever created.

Overall, every song on the album is excellent and it was far too underrated and bashed, really they had come up with something brilliant. The production is a bit snotty, but that isn't the bands fault. If you're going to buy only 1 Flag album buy "Damaged", but this- along with "Loose Nut" and "In My Head"- is an excellent and creative album.

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scientistrock (April 21, 2008)

This album is abhorrently underrated.

The_Wayfarer (January 19, 2007)

Best Black Flag album.

Anonymous (April 30, 2002)

Enough with the homophobic "jokes" please.

CallingLondon (April 24, 2002)

no, but i read your review of the snuff CD and...oh...wait...

Anonymous (April 24, 2002)

quit bashing scott you fucktards. if it weren't for his posts you wouldn't be setting this as your homepage like I do.
I disagree with a lot of his comments, but seriously have some respect and most of all get some intelligence.
Scott's intentions are never questionable, he does this shit cause he likes it (and the free cd's). I say to all the people that flame others on here, try typing out why you disagree with whatever was stated with comments that can make us all think a little bit.
oh yeah. Black flag kicks ass.
glad they aren't around anymore though cause if they were we would never have been able to be blessed by Rollins band.

Anonymous (April 23, 2002)

SCOTT appreciation week? more like gay pride week.

has anyone even read his review on snuff- numb nuts?

seek (April 23, 2002)

The reason they don't find punk music offensive today is BECAUSE IT FUCKING ISN'T, at least the music they are signing isn't. I mean, of course they can find Black Flag offensive where they don't find Blink 182 the same. Then again, they now see the opportunity to again push punk as a fad, just like they did in the late 70's. So I suppose it is both of those things combined, though they still wouldn't put out Damaged if it was written today. And to the anonymous person "dissing" Scott. You want to talk about him being fat... oh whoopidy fucking do. He knows he is better than some sniveling cock who wastes his time on the internet trying to put people down. You know the guy? So why the fuck do you go online to babble your bullshit. I mean, don't you have the balls to say it to the guy personally, instead of on a computer? Not that saying it to his face would make you any better. Get a hobby that doesn't involve spending 50 minutes trying to type up a few sentences in an attempt to put someone down, all the while fingering your asshole to a Dutch kiddie porn version of the Teletubbies.

Anonymous (April 22, 2002)

Top marks for this album

Leave Scott alone you inbred fucks.

Anonymous (April 22, 2002)

Yeah, I hate scott.

Anonymous (April 22, 2002)

Hey scott admit it you don't get punani cuz you're made of biscuits and gravy so you don't do anything but sit online. Get a coke habit or something dude.

moldy (April 21, 2002)

but there is a world of difference between black flag and blink 182. MCA would still never want to release anything by black flag today

CallingLondon (April 21, 2002)

or maybe the people that work there have changed since the 80's and the people deciding record contracts like punk rock.

Anonymous (April 21, 2002)

Sounds more like good business sense to me. Punk's become a lot more mainstream so obviously big labels purely motivated by cash will wish to be in on the action.

Slick Nick.

Anonymous (April 21, 2002)

Funny thing about MCA, in the 80's they deemed punk to offensive and violent to be released (for example Damaged), but now they're snatching up punk bands from the underground like no tommorow. Strange, eh?

callinglondon (April 21, 2002)

ok this site would probably suck ass if it weren't for scott. half the news items are put up by him, and he does write good reviews. people can be so cruel.

Anonymous (April 21, 2002)

Dude, seriously, enough of the Scott bashing. That guy fucking rules, and he keeps this site going! I'm up for a SCOTT appreciation week... who else is in?!?

Anonymous (April 20, 2002)

I love all of black flags stuff pretty much, i just ordered in family man, half spoken word, half instrumental
and scott man you do a great job on this site
fuck everyone else

SOYBOMB (April 20, 2002)

lmao,
he said "fatty fat fat"

that is so preschool

Peace,
-SOYBOMB-

Anonymous (April 20, 2002)

And then when Scott does post a review, he gets critically mauled by everyone under the sun. So he's neglecting girls for the opportunity to get ridiculed, mocked and disrespected by a great deal of people... I think something's wrong there.

Slick Nick.

maverick (April 20, 2002)

To that first guy:
Dude, I've said that I'm fat a million times on this site. Shit, just go to my webcam. As for girls not liking me, that's pretty much a given, too. Why? Because I spend all my time on this goddamn site providing fresh content for all of you.

I don't like Black Flag all that much, though I've only heard a few random things [one of them being the instrumental 12" - bad idea]. This score is for that 12".

-Scott

Anonymous (April 20, 2002)

This is one of those albums that I think is good straight through, but not great. Not my favorite Flag album (that goes to The First Four Years, Nervous Breakdown may be the perfect punk song), but still a good album. Unlike a lot of people, I like the direction they took. I'm glad they stretched themselves instead of making the same punk/hardcore album over and over. I think some of the songs drag on a bit longer than necessary, the riffs are great and Rollins sings like no other. Definitely a good album.

-Hamish

P.S. A rather amusing discussion of this album appeared on the ALL board once (most hardcore ALL fans are also Black Flag fans). People were talking about Britney and her merits as a musician. Someone posted: "there are two type of music fans, those who have heard Black Flag's My War and those who haven't. Britney is most certainly the later."

P.S.S. Bill Stevenson (ALL/Descendents) joins as drummer on this album. They had no bassist, so Greg Ginn played under the pseudonym "Dale Nixon." Brian Baker played guitar on Dag Nasty's Four On the Floor using the same pseudonym because he technically couldn't play on the album because of an unfulfilled contract.

Anonymous (April 20, 2002)

I'd like to say that i know that guy scott who posts here and he's a fat fuck. No one likes him at all he just talks about how's fat and how girls don't like him cuz he's fat. He's a fatty fat fat. But for real i'm not lying.