Before Henry Rollins, before the 6-minute metal breakdowns, before 4 horizontal bars became a legendary symbol for loud and hard rock music, Black Flag had already become a prominent force in the just-beginning California hardcore scene, and in the process had become the bane of every L.A. cop's existence. They inspired literally countless other bands to take their anger out through music, and it's no surprise. If ever there was a perfect introduction to hardcore punk, this album is it. From the moment the opening chords of "Nervous Breakdown" hit you, you're hooked. This is punk rock at its leanest, meanest and downright loudest.
Despite the fact that "The First 4 Years" is actually a compilation made up of several LPs (including the legendary efforts "Nervous Breakdown," and "Jealous Again"), it still sounds remarkably cohesive. Every song has a distinctive edge to it, despite the fact that nothing here veers far from the hardcore punk template. Every song seems to build on the one before it, building into a crescendo of pent up rage and frustration that is finally unleashed with the cathartic "Damaged I."
The vast majority of the material compiled here has become legendary. "Nervous Breakdown" and "Jealous Again" are practically required listening for any punk fan. Lyrically, the band explores a variety of topics, from race relations with "White Minority," to the fallacies of binge-drinking on "Six Pack." The one constant that is clear in every song is a pure, undistilled rage against the status-quo, against authority figures, religion, capitalism, ex-band members, and anything else that happens to piss them off.
The musicianship on "The First 4 Years" is surprisingly well-done for a hardcore album. Greg Ginn's legendary guitar playing sounds particularly menacing here. Even though the album covers the stints of several singers, it isn't enough of a change to be distracting. Instead, it makes the album seem more diverse and unpredictible.
Overall, if you're a fan of hardcore, punk or any combination of the two, and you don't own "The First 4 Years," you need it. Many other bands would imitate this style in years to come, but none would do it quite as well. A full 25 years after most of this material was recorded, it's still a stunning example of punk rock at its most violent and abrasive, played to perfection.
