Perhaps the best album to emerge from the quagmire that was early-'80s California
hardcore punk
, the visceral, intensely physical presence of
Damaged
has yet to be equaled, although many bands have tried. Although
Black Flag
had been recording for three years prior to this release, the fact that
Henry Rollins
was now their lead singer made all the difference. His furious bellow and barely contained ferocity was the missing piece the band needed to become great. Also, guitarist/mastermind
Greg Ginn
wrote a slew of great songs for this record that, while suffused with the usual
punk
conceits (alienation, boredom, disenfranchisement), were capable of making one laugh out loud, especially the protoslacker satire
"TV Party."
Extremely controversial when it was released,
endured the slings and arrows of outrageous criticism (some reacted as though this record alone would cause the fall of America's youth) to become and remain an important document of its time. ~ John Dougan