Customer Reviews

Before The Quarrel

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

The previous reviewer is mistaken about a number of things. First, Hardcore evolved strictly from punk rock and it had nothing to do with metal. The combination of hardcore and metal was known as "crossover" or, more commonly, "speedmetal". Second, THIS CD started NOTHING; these recordings weren't even released until WAY after the fact. I believe that the record that the previous reviewer is referring to is "Age of Quarrel". This is NOT that record, rather it is the demos that were recorded before making that record. Third, while "Age of Quarrel" was a good record, it certainly didn't give birth to the NYHC scene, which was in existence YEARS before its release. Bands like Agnostic Front, Urban Waste and the Abused all made landmark NYHC records before the Cro-Mags. That being said, this is a great CD, and since "Age of Quarrel" has long been out of print, this is really your only chance to hear what the Cro-Mags sounded like before they devolved into a Krishna heavy metal band.

This IS indeed the original Age of Quarrel. Back in 85 or 84 when i was a teenage skin, I bought a tape from John Joseph for $5 at CB's. It was labelled as Age of Quarrel (on cro-mag-non records) and this CD is of that very tape. I'm not sure if it was a demo or not but it certainly isn't the same stuff which would be released as the Age of Quarrel LP a few years later on Profile records.

I've always preferred the mixing on the tape as opposed to the LP, it had a much heavier thrash sound more reminiscent of how they sounded live rather than the metallic sound they grew into.

John Joseph's vocals are really intense on this as opposed to the LP where he seems muddled underneath all the guitar work.

(btw, as far as the dispute over who started speedmetal. it was Leeway. it was all their fault. they had their "enforcer" demo tape circulating throughtout New York back in 1983 i believe. blame them)

I bought the original tape and like many other fans in NYC was not happy with the mixing on the record. I am so pleased that this is now on CD.
I went to school with a couple of the band-members and it was explained to me that this was NOT a demo and was supposed to be their first album but either they didn't have the money to press the album, or the recording levels were not right for the record. Either way its the best of their stuff. and in my opinion the best to come out of NY/HC. Better executed than Agnostic Front's Victim in Pain with a more scope intellectually (I know its a bad word in Hardcore but f*ck its 20 years later man) Its not just songs just about "the street." or reactionary political statements in favor of or against the long-gone Reagan Administration (I love "World Peace")
I'd like to point out that Macky who was the drummer on these recordings but not pictured on the CD cover was also the best and most talented HC drummer to play at CBs and in the NY scene.

Cromags! Nuff' said. By many standards, these guys were the founders of the NY Hardcore scene and this 1st release truly defines the band. 13 tracks of original tunes and unmatched style. This CD was the 1st to creatively combine punk with metal..which became "Hardcore". If there's one album in the entire history of Hardcore to own, this is it. To this day, no band has been able to duplicate this bands style. John's vocals are totally original, totally unique, totally insane. The bands music simply cant be copied. BEFORE THE QUARREL comes with a huge insert packed with photos and band history. The CD is worth buying for the music alone, the added insert only increases its value. Get this CD! Hear where it all comes from.

Well, since the previous reviewer tried to get snobby on the guy before him...I'll return the favor! Actually mister know-it-all of hardcore history, if you weren't 19 years old doing your junior thesis on NYHC in the eighties and instead actually lived thru the time period, you would have your facts straight! This recording is actually the demo cassette that was on the streets (and in every kids walkman!) a good two years before the album was released! Everyone had it, traded it, and the cro-mags legend began...it was way heavier than anything else at the time, seeing as this was the same time as Agnostic Front's Victim in pain! They didn't turn the metal influence up until two years later on the Cause for alarm lp. These recordings are a crucial must for any diehard NYHC fan...and most definitly one of the most influential recordings in NYHC history!

The Cro-Mags were at the forefront of the New York crossover hardcore scene in the mid-1980's, second only to Agnostic Front. Their extremely powerful, angry sound inspired the current generation of Headbanger's Ball-type music, from hardcore standards like Hatebreed, to pop-thrashers Pantera, to death metal.

This is the original recording of what became the Cro-Mags' quintessential debut album, "Age of Quarrel." Those new to the band should start with Age. Though remixed, the production of "Before the Quarrel" is rough as compared with the follow-up--especially the vocals. Age... does much more justice to John Joseph's loathsome and dynamic voice. Before... is closer to what the band sounded like live. There are two bonus tracks not found on Age... "Everybodys Gonna Die" is a faster track similar to "Survival of the Streets," and "Dub" is an unneeded instrumental that sounds like a studio warm-up (there's no collaboration here--just drums and bass doing their own thing).

One thing is really irritating about this release. I mean no disrespect to the man, but this seems like another Harley Flannigan ego trip--from the packaging to the remix, it has Harley all over it. The album art is a collage of early band photos--almost all of Harley. The band roster lists Harley as Bass and Vocals before John "Bloodclot" Joseph. Interesting considering the only vocals Harley may be responsible for are the chorus chants which are clearly not him alone. The bass track is the most prominent in the remix--he is a good bassist, but it seems unnecessarily loud on several tracks. This reminds me of Danzig's bastardization of Misfits classics when he remixed several 80's standards deleting Jerry Only's original bass tracks and laying down his own 90's rerecordings for the "Collection" album.

The CRO-MAGS are the ULTIMATE case of a band who totally blew their load and peaked on their first trip into the studio. The CRO-MAGS entered the studio in late-'84 and early '85 to lay down demo versions of the songs which would later comprise their debut LP the "Age of Quarrel" released in 1986. Only one problem. These "demo" versions absolutely make the later LP versions of the songs sound like weak imitations. "Before the Quarrel" captures a band totally rip-roaring and ready to record, and hence these 13 tunes explode with the anger, speed, and power which typified the American hardcore scene from '78-'85 or so. So if you're a hardcore punk fanatic and are interested in checking out the CRO-MAGS this CD IS ALL YOU NEED!!! Truly one of the best demos in hardcore history. If you're a total NYC hardcore freak then you're probably going to despise the sentiments I've just expressed and want to move on and pick up all the later CRO-MAGS material. But for those of us into American harcore punk like Negative Approach, early-Black Flag, DRI, MDC, Crucifix, YDI, The Fix, SS Decontrol, F.U.'s, Poison Idea, Minor Threat, Void, Siege, etc., etc., then "Before the Quarrel" is really the only CRO-MAGS recording which absolutely MUST be a part of your collection. Let me put it to you this way. I'm no fan of the CRO-MAGS (or much of the later NYC scene stuff), but the demo session captured on "Before the Quarrel" is devastatingly powerful late-era American hardcore and aside from Agnostic Front's EARLY output, probably NYC's finest contribution to the American hardcore legacy...

This band was, at that time, great. 'Before the quarrel', even if not as amazing as 'the age of quarrel', their first official album, represents what hardcore or simply rock'n roll should ever be : rebellion without a pause!

this cd is listed for the early recordings before the age of quarrel cd.OK well there is a couple of unheard songs and early incarnations of AOQ songs but nothing special but great for the collectors shelves.

Dude, I love the Cro-Mags and love this record because I love them, but it's basically the Age of Quarrel album as a demo. It's great because it's raw, but if you're going to buy only one Cro-Mags album, buy the Age of Quarrel.