This documentary film addresses the birth and evolution of hardcore punk rock from 1979 to 1986 (although the packaging says 1980-1986). The documentary boasts extensive underground footage shot during the height of the hardcore movement. It features exclusive interviews with early hardcore punk music artists from bands such as Black Flag, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, and many more.

The structure of the film concentrates on the regional nature of the scenes in the United States, with special attention given to Los Angeles, New York, Washington, and Boston. Other scenes were barely mentioned or completely ignored, including Chicago, Seattle and Minneapolis-St. Paul, or Canadian cities such as Vancouver and Montreal.

The directors emphasized the views of those witnesses who believe that the American hardcore scene was over by 1985, but glossed over the fact that it was getting stronger in certain areas. For instance, members of the Cro-Mags were interviewed extensively for the film, but the directors neglected to ask or include a discussion of the fact that the band's seminal release, The Age of Quarrel, took place in 1986, and influenced a new generation of New York-based hardcore bands in the late 1980s.