For the 40th anniversary of the CRO-MAGS' "Age Of Quarrel" Harley Flanagan has rerecorded the album, set to be released on BLK II BLK records on November 13th.
Turnstile guitarist Meg Mills helps out on "It's The Limit"...
From the label...
40 years ago, New York City’s CRO-MAGS defined the metal-punk crossover with 1986’s landmark album, The Age of Quarrel. The intensity, influence, and groove of that record not only still echo today but are marked (and fueled) by the explosiveness of the band itself, which has persevered and built a lore and reputation as dangerous as the band itself. Now helmed by founding bassist and vocalist, Harley Flanagan (who assumed frontman duties for CRO-MAGS with 1989’s Best Wishes album), it’s time to bring the quarrel to its conclusion with this celebration of the legendary album itself.
Joining Flanagan on this revisiting of CRO-MAGS classics including, “Hard Times”, “World Peace”, “Malfunction”, as well as the addition of the 1985 demo-era classic, “Everybody’s Gonna Die” are former bandmates, (AOQ guitarist), Doug Holland and former Suicidal Tendencies and CRO-MAGS axeman, Rocky George as well as members of modern MAGS acolytes, Turnstile and Rise Against. Produced and mixed by Arthur Rizk (Power Trip, Blood Incantation), 40 Years of Quarrel not merely revisits a pivotal crossover classic but pours new fuel on the fire for old devotees and new converts to the CRO-MAGS cause.
The history of Harley Flanagan and his band CRO-MAGS is integral not just to the history of hardcore, but to modern metal, rock, and punk itself. With roots stretching from the shadow of Warhol and the Velvets to CBGB’s hardcore matinees and L’Amour Brooklyn thrash-a-thons, all the way through current generations of punk and extreme metal, CRO-MAGS are the connective tissue. Just ask the likes of Dave Grohl, Green Day, and Turnstile. CRO-MAGS stand side by side with Black Sabbath, Motörhead, and Metallica as both an influence and a gamechanger.
The brainchild of a 14-year-old Harley Flanagan, CRO-MAGS began in 1981 while Flanagan was playing drums for The Stimulators. By 1982/83, he had recorded the primal CRO-MAGS demos — four songs that would become the blueprint for the seminal 1986 release, 'Age of Quarrel.' Initially a solo vision, Flanagan wrote and played all of the music himself. In 1985, alongside guitarist Parris Mayhew, vocalist John Joseph McGowan, and drummer Mackie Jayson, the genre-defining 'Age of Quarrel' demo was recorded. The full-length album followed in 1986, with Doug Holland of Kraut joining on second guitar.
Explosive both on and offstage, CRO-MAGS have had a tumultuous history, to put it mildly. Through multiple lineups, six studio albums beyond the original demos, and more than four decades of worldwide touring, CRO-MAGS remain one of the most iconic bands in American hardcore and metal. Today, the band is led by Flanagan on bass and vocals — a role he has held since 'Best Wishes' (1989). He remains the only member to appear on every CRO-MAGS release since the band’s founding.
From John Joseph...
BUYER BEWARE- This is NOT a reissue of the original Age of Quarrel album. These songs were re-recorded with only one original member from the 1986 release. We poured our hearts and souls into making that album. And never received a dime. It wasn’t just a collection of songs - it was a moment in time created by a specific group of people, under circumstances that can never be duplicated. For one band member, 40 years later, to re-record those songs is whack. Albums are part of history and should be left alone. You can’t recreate that chemistry four decades later with an entirely different lineup. This is a cash grab. The original Age of Quarrel is the record we created together in 1986. That’s the one that made history. Please spread the word as many people are wrongly thinking this is a re-issue. It isn’t and we had nothing to do with it.
From Harley Flanagan...
WHY WAS AGE OF QUARREL RE-RECORDED
It all started with the making of the movie “Wired for chaos”
But ultimately there where several reasons….
Because none of the people who played on the original record ever got paid, and none of us ever received an accounting for sales of the album.
I could never get the original line-up to re-record it. For years, I tried to get everybody to the table, to get on stage together, and, up until recently, I was trying to get the rights to Age of Quarrel and Best Wishes back using the Copyright Reversion Act. But I could not get anyone to come together to get their own music back.
Now that window is closed.
We had to re-record some of the songs fromAge of Quarrel for the feature documentary soundtrack to Harley Flanagan: Wired for Chaos (Lightyear Entertainment, RexPix Media, copyright 2025) because they could not license the originals.
During that process, I decided to re-record the rest of the record.
To pay tribute to this album, I have gathered some of my friends, current members, and members of other bands to re-record these songs that have meant so much to so many people, me included.
Now, 40 years after Age of Quarrel was released, everyone who wrote the songs will get paid by ASCAP and BMI accordingly, and the rest of the proceeds will go to charity.
I'm doing my best to make it right.
These songs belong to the fans.
I am washing my hands of this and trying to clean the bad karma off this record.
Love wins.
My quarrel is over.
Harley Flanagan