Hardcore Punk Essentials

Playing on the original roots of punk—namely short, fast and loud songs—hardcore punk stripped away even more of the nuance and made songs that were even faster and louder, as a rebellion against the New Wave that came to life in the late ‘70s. The result is bands like the Cro-Mags, with screaming guitars and screeching vocals anchoring songs that often clock in under two minutes. Rhythmic elements come to the fore in the chunky and danceable basslines of The Misfits or the buzzsaw guitars of Black Flag. Sometimes, like with Bad Brains, the volume and the harmony come together to create a jarring yet thrilling wall of noise.