‘Damned Flame’: how Belgian band Blast created the first hardcore punk single
The origins of punk and hardcore are endlessly disputed. Many trace the scenes back to early outsider musicians in New York or young bands rising through the ranks of clubs in Washington D.C. However, an unlikely claim to the origins of hardcore comes from Belgium. Oceans away from the likes of CBGB’s and the sweaty mosh pits of the American East Coast, an outfit called Blast had created the hardcore sound before Ian MacKaye even started high school.
Releasing their first and only single ‘Damned Flame’ in 1973, Blast were unlike any other group in Belgium at the time. In fact, it is not unreasonable to submit that nobody in mainland Europe was creating such a wonderfully abrasive, distorted sound as early as 1973. It would be another few years before the punk movement really took off in 1976, but even within the context of the early landscape, ‘Damned Flame’ still sounds stunningly original.
Blast is certainly the right name for the group. As soon as the needle hits the groove on ‘Damned Flame’, you can feel the raw power inherent in the song. Evoking the hardcore sound of Minor Threat, basslines of Motörhead, and the haunting vocals of The Damned’s Dave Vanian, the single takes you by storm. It is worth remembering, too, that none of those aforementioned artists had even thought about starting a band when ‘Damned Flame’ first dropped.
The single’s B-side ‘Hope’ maintains the signature driving drumbeat that would later characterise the D.C. hardcore scene. However, the song as a whole feels more akin to early 1970s hard rock groups like Led Zeppelin or heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath.
Originally pressed by little-known Belgian record label Majestic, the vinyl version of ‘Damned Flame’ has since become highly sought after by record collectors and punk purists. Selling for as much as £700, it is thought that fewer than 500 copies of the original pressing exist.
Far from being sought after, the opinions of the Belgian music-buying public in 1973 were much more varied. As bassist and lead singer Antonio Cucchiara explains, “Our public had different reactions. First of all, they were surprised. For some people, we weren’t hip enough. For others, what we did was genius.” The same could be said for most bands operating years ahead of their time, although it took Blast a lot longer to gain recognition for their contributions to hardcore.
For years, digital rips of the single floated around niche internet forums and record collector blogs; it was once debated whether the record even existed. Thankfully, it does and was repressed by Canadian label Death Vault in the 2010s. Although it took over 40 years for Blast to be appreciated for their incredible proto-hardcore sound, anybody who has heard the song will tell you it was worth the wait.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Punk Newsletter
All the latest Punk content from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.