Punk is a genre that is too often thought of only as a “sound.” Distortion-ridden guitars, heartbeat drum patterns, and monotonal yet hyper-aggressive vocal performances usually come to mind when the phrase “punk music” comes up in conversation. The misconception about the word “punk” is that it’s first and foremost an attitude, rather than a genre of music. Things unrelated to music can be punk. Cyberpunk and Steampunk, both under the umbrella of sci-fi media, contain many elements of the “punk” aesthetic and attitude. “Punk” can also be used to describe a certain style of clothing and fashion, usually with hard jewelry and black leather jackets. Punk is an umbrella term for all of these different types of expression, and the main thing they all have in common is a sharp and fierce defiance of those in power.
Black Flag’s Damaged encapsulates the punk energy to the fullest extent, with the opening track “Rise Above” saying enough in its title alone to get the anti-establishment memo across to the audience. Paired with lyrics such as “Society’s arms of control / Rise above! We’re gonna rise above!” and “They distort what we say / Rise above! We’re gonna rise above! / Try and stop what we do / Rise above! We’re gonna rise above!” It’s clear that Black Flag aren’t attempting to be subtle about how they voice their views on society. This outward, aggressive and in-your-face delivery is exactly what you’d expect from something calling itself “punk.”
The record continues with its critiques of American society in different ways, such as on “Six Pack,” which plays like a satire of the “macho-alpha male” stereotype, as well as “TV Party,” which makes fun of the American obsession with television. It’s hard not to see the satirical nature of these tracks when you hear lines such as “I know it’ll be OK / When I get a six pack in me,” six pack being a double entendre for a pack of beer, as well as the physical six-pack you get from working out. Another example of the comedic critique of American culture on “TV Party” comes in the bridge, where Henry Rollins sings, “Don’t talk about anything else / We don’t wanna know / We’re dedicated / To our favorite shows,” making fun of people who don’t care about anything outside of their television set. With the prominence of television media in the 80s, it’s only fitting that a punk group like Black Flag would be anti-TV, in order to be defiant to the norms and popular culture of society.
The lyrical content and vocal performances on the record are met with some of the most raw-sounding instrumentals you can find. The “punk rock” vibe is cranked up to 11 on this project, with distortion so fuzzy you can sometimes barely distinguish individual notes from each other, and drums so fast you barely get to hear each snare drum before the next one comes. Although the guitars are so heavily distorted, the technical skill of the guitarist is still able to shine through the mix to create melodic contrast to the relatively monotone vocals, which fit perfectly with each other. Heavy emphasis on the open hi-hat and frequent use of the crash cymbals only add to the chaotic and raw aggression of the music. All of these factors blend together in such an anarchic manner that it’s impossible to stay calm while listening.
Damaged isn’t a punk album because of how it sounds. If you were to subtract the lyrical content and the energy behind the vocals, you could call the instrumental “hardcore rock” and wouldn’t necessarily be wrong. The thing that makes this project “punk” is the unrelenting anger and defiance found in the vocal performance and lyrics. Once you add those elements on top of the instrumental, true punk is found. Through their rebellious writing, instrumental skill, and unyielding raw energy, Black Flag created a piece of art that can be pointed to as “the definition of punk” for generations to come.
