Formed by
New York punk
child prodigy
Harley Flanagan
and guitarist
Parris Mayhew
, the
Cro-Mags
helped define the
East Coast hardcore
movement with their now legendary debut,
Age of Quarrel
. Originally released on
Profile Records
, the 15-track collection was later combined with the band's 1989 follow-up,
Best Wishes
, as a single 22-song package. Joining
Flanagan
(bass) and
Mayhew
(guitars) on
are vocalist
John "Bloodclot" Joseph
, drummer
Mackie Jayson
, and co-guitarist
Doug Holland
. Together, these musicians are considered the quintessential
lineup and this is their only recording together. Near record-setting member changes plagued the band and the considerable momentum created by this debut was never capitalized on.
is loaded with
hardcore
classics like
"World Peace,"
"We Gotta Know,"
and
"Street Justice."
On these cuts and throughout the record,
presents what were at the time cutting-edge post-
Motoerhead
punk
/
metal
riffs, and the entire group execute their roles with passion, dexterity, and extreme focus. It's practically impossible to understand or appreciate
New York hardcore
without first spending time listening to
. ~ Vincent Jeffries