Perhaps the beginning of the end for Black Flag according to some … Hard to believe they released three studio records in 84, plus the live one; that Unicorn lawsuit really messed with this band’s output but not their ability to write. The 82 demo as a five-piece that never materialized into a record is maybe the one album we wish we had, but instead we got My War with a non-existent bass player.
That said, this album grew on me after pretty much rejecting it out of hand for many years, whereas now I like even the dreaded side B, which is a dirty, sludgy, dirge-laden masterpiece. Rollins’ rants and raves like a mad man in the grips of a paranoid breakdown just add to the mind-bending atmosphere.
Band politics aside, they managed to break the mold once again. If everyone in the crowd hates you, and you’re literally fighting the crowd night after night - you’re probably doing something right.