Classic punk fans are in for a treat when most of the original Black Flag lineup releases What The... on November 5. It will be the "official" band's first original LP since 1985's In My Head.
Flag's considered one of the fundamental American punk bands thanks to its contributions to the West Coast hardcore scene during the early '80s. The band churned out six releases between 1981-'85. However, founder and de facto bandleader, guitarist Gregg Ginn, shut the band down suddenly in 1985. Although dormant for 20 years, the Black Flag label has become a legal issue in recent years. Most accept the "classic" Black Flag lineup as having Henry Rollins as its vocalist, but original singer Keith Morris has been touring with other band members under the title FLAG, which drew a lawsuit from Ginn. The guitarist's new, "official" Black Flag lineup is the exact same as the band's '70s setup, except for Morris. Rollins shall not be returning either.
It seems as though the album will feature an approach similar to the band's earliest records, such as the classic 1981 debut Damaged, as it features 22 songs coming in at under 44 minutes. The album art also replicates the cartoonish style featured on most of the band's '80s albums, although the splotchy mohawked head on What The... is even more amateurish than the covers of My War et al. The full tracklist for the album is below.
1. My Heart's Pumping
2. Down in the Dirt
3. Blood and Ashes
4. Now Is the Time
5. Wallow in Despair
6. Slow Your Ass Down
7. It's So Absurd
8. Shut Up
9. This Is Hell
10. Go Away
11. The Bitter End
12. The Chase
13. I'm Sick
14. It's Not My Time to Go-Go
15. Lies
16. Get Out of My Way
17. Outside
18. No Teeth
19. To Hell and Back
20. Give Me All Your Dough
21. You Gotta Be Joking
22. Off My Shoulders
