Minor Threat – Minor Threat

Minor Threat, compiled in 1984, collects the band’s early EPs Minor Threat (1981) and In My Eyes (1981), presenting foundational tracks in one volume. The compilation offers a stark, concentrated burst of early hardcore: sprinting tempos, raw guitar attack, and Ian MacKaye’s confrontational vocals. There’s little ornamentation—no elaborate bridges or solos—just immediacy, brevity, and force. Tracks such as “Straight Edge,” “Filler,” and “Out of Step” exemplify the band’s blend of moral urgency and punk paranoia, captured with minimal production and maximum tension. Even though it’s a compilation, this collection functions as a cohesive statement of intent from a band setting the blueprint for D.C. hardcore. Its influence extends beyond punk — it helped seed the straight edge movement and inspired countless underground acts to embrace DIY ethics and unvarnished expression. To listeners new and old, the record remains a pulse-quickening entry point into a sound that refuses excess and thrives on conviction.

Reviews

“The posthumous Minor Threat compiles the band’s two initial 7-inch EPs … the twelve selections effectively define the city’s hardcore sound, with a powerhouse adrenalized rush … if you haven’t heard them … you have never — repeat, never — heard hardcore.” – Trouser Press