Warthur
Aptly named indeed, since this EP is very much one of those releases which divides Black Flag fans into two camps - generally (and simplistically) speaking, we're talking those who thought that Black Flag got worse and worse the more they drifted from their original hardcore style, and those who enthusiastically embraced late Flag's post-hardcore experiments. These four instrumentals establish two things. The first is that, much as the Minutemen had been demonstrating in their own way for years, mashing up jazz influences and a hardcore punk attitude is big and clever. The second is that Greg Ginn is a damn fine guitarist.
Depending on whether that sounds unutterably naval-gazey or absolutely fascinating, you probably already know which faction of listeners you fall into here - but that doesn't make the EP redundant, because as well as providing an acid test for who really enjoys a fat slice of experimentation with their hardcore, it's also a nifty little listen in its own right, and perhaps the one Black Flag release where they follow this particular direction with the most purity and consistency.