10 Near Perfect Punk Rock Albums

Punk is like the cockroach that doesn't die after the nuclear holocaust. Punk's original heyday flittered out of existence, along with Sid Vicious in 1979. The Sex Pistols were over, the Clash were straying into new territory, and the new fad was hair metal and new wave.

Punk retreated out of the limelight and scuttled into the cracks of the underground. It slowly remerged with an even harder, meaner shell. Hardcore was the sound of the streets of LA and Washington, D.C. It was the music of the disenfranchised youth. The term 'gutter punk' was coined to describe the homeless young fans who flocked to underground shows.

Groups like Minor Threat, Butthole Surfers, Circle Jerks and Fear all emerged as the pioneers of this faster, more aggressive art form. Black Flag had been one of the earliest true hardcore groups. In 1981 they released their debut studio album, Damaged. It fast became the holy grail of hardcore records.

The group's second album alienated many fans, however. It was heavier and far slower than the usual hardcore sound. Instead of two minute songs of constant thrashing, the record incorporated Sabbath-esque riffs and tempo changes. They even brought in the odd guitar solos - a thing unheard of, in hardcore. The album sounded like it was recorded in a dingy basement and often times Henry Rollins' vocals were completely lost in the mix.

For all that it's one of the greatest punk albums ever made.