The Age of Quarrel | ||||
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Studio album by Cro-Mags | ||||
Released | September 1986 | |||
Recorded | 1986 at Eastside Studios, New York City, U.S. |
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Length | 33:44 | |||
Label |
Profile Records Another Planet (1994 reissue) |
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Producer | Chris Williamson | |||
Cro-Mags chronology | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic |
The Age of Quarrel is the first album from the New York hardcore band Cro-Mags. It was released on Profile Records in September 1986 and subsequently re-released by Another Planet in 1994, along with their second album, 1989's Best Wishes, on the same disc. The video for "We Gotta Know" received airplay on MTV at the time (during their alternative/underground specialty show 120 Minutes and later on the heavy metal-hard rock show Headbangers Ball), and was one of the first-ever clips on MTV to feature slam dancing and crowd surfing.
Most of the songs are executed at speed with vocals from John Joseph, which inspired sound-a likes. However, "Malfunction", "Seekers of the Truth", and "Life of My Own" are slower songs that foreshadowed the more metallic influences on their next project, the crossover thrash bracketed Best Wishes.
The title refers to Kali Yuga, this term originating from the Sanskrit language can be translated into the "Age of Quarrel", "Age of Deception" or "Age of Illusion". Kali Yuga is the fourth age (and current) of the world in the Sanatan Dharma or Hindu tradition, characterized by general degradation, spiritual degeneration, and illusion;
The image on the front album cover is a photograph taken during the Operation Castle nuclear test.
"It's the Limit" was featured in the 2008 video game Grand Theft Auto IV. It was featured on the "LCHC" radio station, referring to Liberty City Hardcore. Since Grand Theft Auto IV is modeled on New York, they chose to use this song as it is part of the NYHC (New York Hardcore) Scene.
Critical reception to The Age of Quarrel has been met with positive reviews and ratings. Vincent Jeffries of AllMusic awards it four-and-a-half out of five stars and claims that "the Cro-Mags helped define the East Coast hardcore movement with their now legendary debut, Age of Quarrel." He later states that "Age of Quarrel is loaded with hardcore classics like 'World Peace,' 'We Gotta Know,' and 'Street Justice.' On these cuts and throughout the record, Mayhew presents what were at the time cutting-edge post-Motörhead punk/metal riffs, and the entire group execute their roles with passion, dexterity, and extreme focus. It's practically impossible to understand or appreciate New York hardcore without first spending time listening to Age of Quarrel."