Top 20 US Hardcore Albums

Fact Magazine tells us that hardcore is popular again, thanks to some history books, and bands like Fucked Up, Sex/Vid and Pissed Jeans getting 'noticed' by the indie crowd. Fucked Up vocalist Pink Eyes doesn't see it this way -"we're not the saviors of hardcore. We just made it safe for indie rockers. The H100's saved hardcore.", but whatever. Sidenote - throwing hammers to save hardcore is a noble task. In the article, Fact goes on to list the 20 best hardcore albums - maybe as education for everyone ready to be "DOWN WITH THE 'CORE!!`1!" now that it's officially cool? Anyway, the point is that this list could be a lot worse - there's no denying it features some crucial as fuck records, especially with reference to '80s hardcore. However, it could also be a whole bunch better. How? A few minor suggestions.

#1 - Black Flag should be No. 1 on the list. Why? Because Black Flag is always number one. Black Flag forms the fuckin' paradigm of hardcore in the minds of millions of people, and anyone who thinks that the Germs are better, well their parents probably drank paint thinner while pregnant or some shit.

#2 - If you can have Eyehategod on a list of hardcore bands, then Dystopia qualify too. Dystopia's Human = Garbage went so much further down the raw, fuck-my-life anguish path cut by bands like Void and Negative Approach, and so automatically takes the place of Take as Needed.... For me, one of the best measures of a good 'hardcore' band is how quickly they can clear out a room of hippies on acid, and there is no band better for "harshing some mellows". Neurosis are in almost the same boat, as in: probably don't qualify, but if they do, automatically replace Eyehategod.

#3 - Botch should be somewhere on this list - mathcore pioneers who never make you be all like "hey, that widdly bit they just played sounds retarded, these douchebags are just showing off". Would we have bands like Converge, Dillinger Escape Plan etc without Botch? Probably, but they'd most likely be horrible posi youth-crew bands. (Well maybe not, I'm just being dramatic, what a fucking horrible thought though...)

#4 I'm pretty sure there was a hardcore scene in Boston and New York at some stage. I'm not even going to get into this right now.

#5 List lacks powerviolence. I mean even if you're going to ignore the absolute rawness and desperation of bands like Man is the Bastard, No Comment and Crossed Out, Charles Bronson or Spazz should make this list for their retardedly awesome lyrics and use of vocal samples. Plus, even God knows they're both better than fucking Heroin. Maybe the fact that "it's cool to be into hardcore now" will mean a renewed interest in hardcore scenes and bands around the world, but in the words of St. Mark McCoy, what the fuck are these people going to do when it's cool to think for yourself?

P.S: Turns out the guy that wrote the article is a techno DJ or some shit.

I'm sure every asshole out there has their own suggestions on how the original Fact list could be improved. Add them below.