The Age of Quarrel/Best Wishes by Cro-Mags (CD, Jan-1994, Another Planet)

"Age of Quarrel" is the follow up album to the "Before The Quarrel" demo album by "The Cro Mags." Why are "The Cro Mags" a corner stone in not just New York Hard Core Sound but American Hard Core Sound as well? Harley Flanagan, accomplished drummer of "The Stimulators" by age ten, America's First documented skin head ,as well as, "Cro Mags" bass player! Break neck drumming, Rumbling bass solos, Over drive guitar riffs and Throat ripping vocals. "The Cro-Mags" thrive in the studio from the first track to the last. I will leave it to you to decide which tracks are to be favorites. Although, "Before The Quarrel" is the demo version of this album, that disc should not be overlooked either. "The Cro Mags" hit your ears hard and leave you raw, a bare knuckle brawl set to music! Also featured on "Age of Quarrel" is "Best Wishes" which denotes a change in the band's line up but also displays why "The Cro Mags" have staying power! Additional live tracks follow "Best Wishes" with Harley Flanagan taking the lead on "Do Unto Others" and "Hard Times." This is New York Hard Core, this is also American Hard Core, a sound heavier than heavy metal and faster than punk rock! In this genre "The Cro Mags" become the infamous words of Edwin Torres' fictional hoodlum Carlito Brigante "Jump out in front, be the first, be the best, take your shot!" This album is worth the price of admission! Required listening for any hard rocking garage band, enough said...