My War is the second full length album by the American hardcore punk

Hardcore punk

Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...

 band Black Flag

Black Flag (band)

Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...

. It was released in 1984 on SST Records

SST Records

SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...

.

Black Flag's founder and primary songwriter Greg Ginn

Greg Ginn

Gregory Regis Ginn is a guitarist, songwriter, and singer. He is best known for being the leader of and primary songwriter for the hardcore punk band Black Flag, which he founded and led from 1976 to 1986....

 played bass guitar

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

 in addition to his usual guitar; "Dale Nixon

Dale Nixon

Dale Nixon is a pseudonym used by several musicians:*Greg Ginn, founder of the hardcore punk band Black Flag, used the name to credit himself on several releases and as bass guitarist on the record My War...

" (credited for playing bass on the album) is a pseudonym

Pseudonym

A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...

.

My War was released after a long period where the band could not release any albums due to a legal dispute with Unicorn Records.

The first six songs on the a-side of My War are similar to the material on 1981's Damaged

Damaged (Black Flag album)

Damaged is the debut studio album by the American hardcore punk band Black Flag. It was released in December 1981 through SST Records. In 2003, the album was ranked number 340 on Rolling Stones list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time....

, but the three songs on the b-side proved that Black Flag was moving away from the band's early, fast-paced material. All songs on side B are played at about half the pace of the band's earlier material, each clocking in at over six minutes, and display a doomy

Doom metal

Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...

, ominous sound indebted to Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...

. My War is generally cited as being a major influence on many bands in the sludge metal

Sludge metal

Sludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting...

 and grunge

Grunge

Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...

 genres. Two of the songs featured on the album are solely written by Chuck Dukowski (My War, I Love You) though he was no longer a member of the band by this point and does not perform on the album.

Track listing

Side A

1. "My War" (Dukowski) – 3:46
2. "Can't Decide" (Ginn) – 5:22
3. "Beat My Head Against the Wall" (Ginn) – 2:34
4. "I Love You" (Dukowski) – 3:27
5. "Forever Time" (Ginn/Rollins) – 2:30
6. "The Swinging Man" (Ginn/Rollins) – 3:04

Side B

1. "Nothing Left Inside" (Ginn/Rollins) – 6:44
2. "Three Nights" (Ginn/Rollins) – 6:03
3. "Scream" (Ginn) – 6:52

Personnel

• Henry Rollins
  Henry Rollins
  Henry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ....
  
   - vocals
• Greg Ginn
  Greg Ginn
  Gregory Regis Ginn is a guitarist, songwriter, and singer. He is best known for being the leader of and primary songwriter for the hardcore punk band Black Flag, which he founded and led from 1976 to 1986....
  
   - guitar, producer
• Dale Nixon
  Dale Nixon
  Dale Nixon is a pseudonym used by several musicians:*Greg Ginn, founder of the hardcore punk band Black Flag, used the name to credit himself on several releases and as bass guitarist on the record My War...
  
   - bass
• Bill Stevenson - drums, producer
• Spot
  Spot (producer)
  SPOT, , was the house producer and engineer for the influential independent punk record label SST Records. He recorded, mixed, produced or co-produced for most of SST's pivotal acts between 1979 and 1985...
  
   - producer, engineer, mixer
• Raymond Pettibon
  Raymond Pettibon
  Raymond Pettibon is an American artist who currently lives and works in Venice Beach, California.-Early life:...
  
  - artwork