Reviews

For review and radio play consideration:

Please send one copy of vinyl (preferred), CD, or cassette releases to MRR, PO Box 3852, Oakland, CA 94609, USA.

Maximum Rocknroll wants to review everything that comes out in the world of underground punk rock, hardcore, garage, post-punk, thrash, etc. No major labels or labels exclusively distributed by major-owned distributors, no reviews of test pressings or promo CDs without final artwork. We reserve the right to reject releases on the basis of content. Music without vocals or drums will not be considered. All music submitted for review must have been released (or reissued) within the last two years. Please include contact information and let us know where your band is from!

Baby Killer Baby Killer cassette

HC punk in the image of UK82 and the punker end of US East Coast ’80s HC. This was kind of a fascinating listen—it’s hard to come up with interesting things to say about genuinely good, skillfully executed hardcore punk, but on repeat listens, I found a pretty unique lane here. There’s a subtle darkness to the feel of the band, not explicit post-punk or darkwave sounds, but something about the rhythm section made it feel like the 2010s UKHC of HOUNDS OF HATE or VIOLENT REACTION through the lens of someone who likes SUICIDE a lot. Might be an NY thing. Regardless, the songs are solid and the tempo and melodic changes are above average interesting  for this kind of stuff. Really enjoyed this.

Blug Now! More Than Ever cassette

Countless grimy demo tapes have passed through my hands over the years, and this tape is the grimiest—a magic-marker-scrawled, multi-generation thrift store cassette dubbed over to oblivion with impenetrable boombox rehearsal jams. There is a lyric sheet that came connected by rubber band that not only has words but also a rudimentary guitar tab for the players, and I’m convinced it came straight out of the rehearsal space as a 1/1 master recording (I had to rewind it myself). Is it good? It’s hard to tell, being a sonic black hole of room hiss, blasting feedback, and one-take chaos. On first listen, it kind of sounds like the SHAGGS with a distortion pedal, which isn’t a diss at all. Group chanting, feedback-tinged power chords, and ramshackle pounding fill the space. There are a couple of false drum starts on one song, which made me laugh because this shit’s not exactly in time anyway. So, good is subjective, but punk? Oh hell yeah. This crusty slab of plastic and tape captures the joy of bashing out chords and yelling what’s on your mind (sometimes all in unison). It’s the collective energy of creation and the purest distillation of DIY spirit. It’s a mess, and it’s awesome, and it’s beautiful. This tape isn’t streaming, but you can search for “BLUG 2” on the Bandcamp page of Olympia’s Music for People for a clearer listen. BLUG, let me know if you need the tape back.

Chaos Quitter / We Are the One 7″

Originally released in 1983, this CHAOS 7” was the first Filipino punk record. The first pressing is currently going for over a grand, so interested parties may want to jump on this reissue pronto. There are two tracks; the melodic “Quitter” on the A-side, and the punchier “We Are the One,” which is not the AVENGERS song, on the B-side. This is one of a few elusive grails that have recently become once again attainable thanks to a long-overdue reissue. Come, all ye completists, and joyfully fill thy gaps.

City Slang CS II cassette

Drum machine punk out of Dallas that ended up being a lot more fun than I had initially expected when I saw Barney Fife on the cover. Makes sense, though. Who better represents incompetent law enforcement than him? Very rock’n’roll-heavy with low, bluesy guitar tones. The vocals are what make this band for me—blood-inducing growls coming from the deepest depths of the singer’s diaphragm. It’s classic English Oi! with an East Texas twist. I didn’t think I’d come away loving this, but I do. Great work, and well worth several plays.

Coeur Chamade Coeur Chamade cassette

Hailing from Brittany, France, COEUR CHAMADE’s debut features five songs of melodic post-punk with an artsy undercurrent. The vocalist has a pleasingly subdued delivery that compliments the often meandering guitar lines. I’m reminded of LA FRACTION if they embraced a more laid-back indie approach. The songs are well-crafted, and I suspect that the members have played in bands that would be recognizable, though I couldn’t dig up any evidence to connect that assertion to reality. Regardless, this cassette is a good jumping-off point for a group with demonstrable potential.

Foot Fetish Foot Fetish cassette

This is jangly, this is aggressive. This is the sort of music where you alternately move up and down and side to side in a dirty warehouse filled with smiling friends in less than fashionable clothing. Come summertime, the warehouse turned venue will be gone, but this tape will serve as a reminder of a better than good time you once had. The most obvious touchpoint may be KC’s WARM BODIES, but this is its own twisted thing. This cassette contains the sort of fun urgency that people who live in cold-climate places are inherently born with. Cool guitar movements that are very BROWN SUGAR meets VANILLA POPPERS. I would advise you to buy this and just keep flipping it over ad nauseam.

Hasiací Prístroj Hej Hou Pivo Roul LP

It’s not often that I’m out carousing, perhaps because I’m neither a pirate nor an eighteenth century explorer, but if I were, I would definitely want Slovakian band HASIACÍ PRÍSTROJ as my soundtrack. The lyrics may or may not actually reference ale, but musically, these are good-time drinking songs, something more than hinted at by the sounds of a bottle opening and something being sparked up at the record’s beginning. The clinking of bottles at the start of the frenetic “Arabské Tango” seems like a bit of a giveaway too, as does their reappearance at the start of “X Pív Prosím.” Hej Hou Pivo Roul! is actually the second demo from the band, whose name translates as “Fire Extinguishers,” and was first put out on cassette, DIY fashion, in 1992. Now Czech label PHR is giving the set its first vinyl release, and it’s remarkable how up-to-date the album sounds. Sure, opener “Pivo” could have been recorded inside a tin can, but then either the production improves or my ears adjust and I quickly stop making allowances for the sound. Whatever the subject of their songs, HASIACÍ PRÍSTROJ is unimpaired on this varied yet coherent set that offers a mélange of punk styles, but is none the worse for it as it merrily careens between melodic hardcore, street punk, and folk punk. There are some proto-RANCID influences, a dash of DEAD KENNEDYS on “Hlavou Proti Múru,”, and “Pionier” challenges you to sing along, whether or not you know Slovak. All in all, the sound of a band that provides upbeat, carousingly good fun.

Ice & the Iced Rock ‘Pn’ Roll EP reissue

Despite years of devoted digging, you never came across an original copy of this elusive KBD relic in the wild. It’s okay, bucko, you tried your best, and look—now you can snag a fresh one that sounds and looks just like the real thing, courtesy of Berlin’s No Good records. This label doesn’t put much out, but when they do, they make it count, as evidenced by the justice they have delivered over the years to the likes of the MAD VIRGINS, X-PULSION, and now this much-sought Italian classic. Originally released as a small run in 1981, this four-song EP of rough-hewn and melodic fledgling punk has had obsessive types drooling ever since. Not only will your copy will come free of collector scum saliva, it will also include a two-sided 13×19” poster made by the band that was not released with the first pressing. The thing is, this reissue is even more limited than the original run was, so go ahead and get to it.

Klonns G.A.M.E.S. LP

KLONNS, Japan’s ambassadors of global hardcore, have returned with a fresh full-length slab to slam to, and trust me, you’re going to want to. G.A.M.E.S. finds KLONNS perpetuating their sound which combines the ferocity and ferality of classic Japanese hardcore with the metallic, tough-guy punch of NYHC to create a mutant of profound impact. Aggressive, brutal—these words don’t even begin to touch what KLONNS does on this LP. In fact, we just may need to rewrite the lexicon of hardcore, because KLONNS has changed the definition.

Lotti Bigotti Zártosztályharc 12″

Fun fact: the Hungarian language is closer to Finnish than it is to any of its neighbours. I wish I hadn’t slept through my linguistics classes, it is a fascinating topic. All this to say that I think Hungarian goes perfectly well with punk rock music, and LOTTI BIGOTTI is great at what they do. Hailing from the very active and lively Budapest scene, the band plays inventive and dark punk rock that experiments with post-punk and weirdo punk. They are difficult to pinpoint, but I am definitely hearing some Greek dark punk à la ΣΚΟΤΟΔΙΝΗ or older stuff like ΓΚΟΥΛΑΓΚ, but also ’80s Yugo punk like MRTVI KANAL and PARAF, and even X-MAL DEUTSCHLAND, but on the whole, LOTTI BIGOTTI really sounds like their own with that strange atmosphere, melancholy and bellicose at the same time, depressive but oddly dynamic and super punk and familiar. The combination of male and female vocals is well-organized, and the eight songs go fast, making the listener crave for more. I knew the demo tape but hadn’t given this one-sided 12” a chance (a bit of an odd format, but there you go), and the progression is obvious and impressive. Brilliant stuff.

Plastic Meat Losing It EP

Thrashy, fuzzy punk from Madrid that’s equal parts early ’80s-era California like the AVENGERS and rushed, spazzed-out pop à la DICKIES and BUZZCOCKS, the former reference not exclusively because the singer awesomely brings to mind Penelope Houston intuitions. The band lands in that fast, angular proto-punk sound that their fellow Spaniards and the Australians are doing so well right now. This is their second EP, burning through six songs in ten minutes, and just seems to be scratching the surface of what they’re up to.

Rat Cage Not Asking For Much LP

It seems appropriate that Not Asking For Much, the new RAT CAGE LP, marks ten years of stellar hardcore punk from mastermind Bry Suddaby. Across multiple compilations, splits, EPs, and LPs, RAT CAGE has always retained their core influences while expanding on their sound, and while I’d have probably said the same about their 2023 LP Savage Visions, this new record really feels like the band has leveled up and evolved into its most fully realized form. Between the ringing guitars on the opening notes of “Steady On Now” and the final shout-along finale of “Not Asking For Much” is a journey that twists and turns with USHC speed, Scandi-punk stomp, and British gruffness, especially in the lyrics department, which remains laser-focused on the increasingly difficult experience of living in the West. Every little touch sounds intentionally placed and perfectly executed, with big, beefy production providing the space for Bry’s vocals to be front and center throughout the proceedings. Each track has at least one if not multiple elements that stand out, but the vital urgency of “Marble Bench,” the anthemic (and acoustic) moments of “Grass is Greener,” the snotty call-and-response sing-along in “Dragged Through the Dirt,” and the excellent drum pattern shift in “Spiders in a Jar” are a few that stood out to me on first listen. I could go on for days, and by all means, hit me up to further discuss this masterclass of an album. In the meantime, here’s the TL;DR: throughout its 22-minute runtime, RAT CAGE delivers an explosive collection of tunes that are absolutely monumental, sounding more dynamic and inspired than ever. Essential listening.

Scatterbox Enemies LP reissue

Hardcore from Coeur D’Alene, ID? Hells yeah. I’m not gonna throw out names of similar bands because I want to be clear that this record is so much more than similarities. Well-crafted hardcore with melody tossed in here and there, and enough guitar riffage and gang vocals to make everyone happy. Info is a little scarce—it seems like the drummer has been in other bands, but I can’t find anything linking to any other members’ projects. Look, the only reason I think this is important is because their sound is that of well-weathered punk and hardcore, and it’s hard to believe that this would be a first band with such honed aggression and articulated sound. Thirteen songs that seem to go by way too fast. Coeur D’Alene, ID, huh…I think my ex-wife has family that lives in Coeur D’Alene, ID. Who knew that Coeur D’Alene, ID had cool things, too?

Sin Offering Guilty 12″

Imagine, if you will, CHRISTIAN DEATH, but if they went through a phase of loving prog rock, and you’ll be close to the sound of SIN OFFERING. SIN OFFERING does a great job of keeping the goth vibe flowing, but there are frequently instrumental moments that remind me of Roll the Bones-era RUSH with dark riffs that begin in the dirt and slowly ascend to the heights of Icarus. Guilty is SIN OFFERING’s latest sacrament, and it’s five tracks of palpable indignation wrapped in a black cowl, or an angry treatise on how darkened souls are created. If you like CHRISTIAN DEATH, DANSE MACABRE, or any amount of gothic inspiration, then you’re going to love this.

Society Reign of Flies LP

Solo basement tunes from Sim Hardin of MESH that seamlessly move between trebly, lyrically conversational contemporary punk like CRUELSTER and mellow, snaky interludes that could be lost VELVET UNDERGROUND song sketches. You never really know what to expect, but it makes sense taken as a whole. Killer power pop hooks catch you off guard, like on the tail end of opener, “Casualties of War,” and then you find yourself tapping your foot along to the rambling vintage country of “Gangstalkin.” It’s an interesting mix, and if you go with the flow, it flows, man. There are a lot of ideas on this record, and they fit together like a rough-edged, homemade puzzle, freewheeling and authentic. I’m going to play it again.

Under Pressure Retrogression LP

This band was featured on the famous New Breed comp back in the day and represented very much “the style at the time” for NYHC. After releasing a vinyl comp of their old demos, they’re back in the ungodly year of 2026 with new material…sort of. Some of this is re-recordings of older songs, some is outright new, but it reminded me heavily of what bands like SUBZERO and SHEER TERROR were doing in the mid-to-late ’90s—more melodic hardcore, but still breaking it down in the bouncy NYHC fashion (there’s an instrumental here that would have made me leave a mosh-sized hole in the world if I’d heard it live when I was eighteen) with the requisite toughness baked in. I feel like that era/sound of NYHC isn’t lauded as other eras, but it was formative to me and I love this stuff, so this is right up my alley. Wish it was longer, but I’m glad the band stuck to their guns and made this kind of NYHC groove for the old heads (not the oldest heads), and hope they keep at it.

Veradas Universal Relays LP

Very cool fuzzed-out psych/garage rock out of Portland. Sinister surf rock chock-full of groove, atmospheric vocals, and wah-wah guitars, with a little bit of desert rock thrown in there as well. At times sounding like a theatrical score, this is a very impressive outing from this PNW trio. Amazing to me that this was put together by just three people. Everything sounds massive and the song compositions are tight and well-constructed. This is an experience! Throw it on after a couple edibles.

Zabøgart Antek Ass“sing” cassette

Indonesian two-piece ZABØGART brings some raw and straightforward powerviolence to the table with their new cassette Antek Ass“sing.” Blistering drums, abrasive guitars, non-stop vocals, and occasional bursts of noise…just what you should expect. Nothing more, nothing less.

Ace of Spit Ace of Spit II LP

An experimental unit out of St. Louis, Missouri, ACE OF SPIT embraces atmosphere and organic decay on their second full-length foray. With roots firmly planted in minimalist guitar rock, the group’s raucous spirit and raw rumble pulls their sound over to the punk side, making for a rich listen. Just as soon as the melody of “Broadway Babylon” draws you in, the tribal drums and wandering leads of “Cole’s Chopper” leave you questioning just exactly where you are. The record is full of surprises like that, with basement-born buzz achieving unexpected range. The band reaches into the depths of instrumental surf rock and comes up to the surface with weird artifacts seemingly rescued from the bottom, as exemplified by the SHADOWY MEN-esque “Diaspora Rock” followed by the pulsating synth of “Parts List.” By the time we get to “Esther’s Room,” the waves are reduced to moonlit memories in the bleak, black expanse.

Bad Jesus Experience VII 10″

It seems that BAD JESUS EXPERIENCE has been around for a while, though this is my first encounter with their brand of chaotic, emotive hardcore. Off-kilter, angular, and discordant, BAD JESUS EXPERIENCE is the 2026 Finnish response to ’90s screamo like ONE EYED GOD PROPHECY, OTTAWA, ORCHID, THREE STUDIES FOR A CRUCIFIXION, etc. The most abrasive aspects of the genre propel this forward at a pace that feels pregnant with urgency and franticism, rooted in what was called emo before the term became associated with swoopy haircuts and teenage mall goths. Tough to endorse a band that calls themselves BAD JESUS EXPERIENCE, and the cover art is equally atrocious, but if you get down with any of the aforementioned bands, then you can probably look past those transgressions.

Blitzer The New Conspiracy LP

New LP from Berlin’s BLITZER that delivers a tight mix of brisk garage punk with a light egg topping, like the SAINTS meets R.M.F.C. with Peter Hook’s bass tone settings. The title track opens the record with a fast snare roll and post-punk guitar/bass interplay before erupting into some serious classic rock action, albeit reverbed to the center of the Earth and back. This band rips. They also bounce, like on the more playfully catchy tunes like “Dumb” and “Pylon.” BLITZER does a great job of refreshing the tried and true without falling into wacky schtick territory, and The New Conspiracy is a great punk record.

Calice Calice cassette

A grimy, multilingual melting pot of Rust Belt hardcore punk, CALICE is precisely the sort of thing I’d come to expect from the always eclectic Swimming Faith Records. Sonically, CALICE plays speedy and loose hardcore dripping with disdain and attitude, led by twisted vocals that occasionally echo the spirit of Sakevi and, unbelievably, toggle between different languages each song, utilizing nine in total. It’s remarkable how seamless the language-switching is, and while it’s a novel idea, it never feels forced or jarring, an impressive feat that makes for one of this year’s most unique releases.

Celebrity Handshake The Wrong Couch is on Fire LP

It’s a muggy September evening. It’s hotter than usual as I step onto the train platform. I wait for the doors to open, and I take a seat. The train cart is full. There’s a group of teenagers all talking on their phones, there’s a couple of random dudes listening to music without headphones, the train conductor is announcing stops over the intercom, and there’s a crazy dude yelling a bunch of bullshit at me from five seats away. That’s what this record sounds like to me. It’s a mess of noise and weird vocals that falls somewhere between SONIC YOUTH, PERE UBU, and the MINUTEMEN, with vocals delivered by a manic railway pastor. It’s weird as hell, and I can honestly say I haven’t heard another record like it this year. That’s probably a good thing, but I applaud their originality.

Daddy’s Boy Four Hombres LP

Chicagoan band DADDY’S BOY has returned with another full-length after a few years away from the studio. The eleven-song Four Hombres LP is a chaotic rock’n’roll vision of the daily struggle. High-speed rhythms surge beneath vocals that occasionally remind me of PROPAGANDHI, but also have a unique stream-of-consciousness delivery with lyrics deriding modern development. Fuzzy guitars, jazzy song structures, and indignation against AI and data centers—sign me up.

Guiding Light Fear On My Own Time LP

Incredibly lush and well-defined production on this collection of art-pop. The lineage of VELVET UNDERGROUND to CHRONOPHAGE to 2026 is complete with this one. Every instrument is showing you most if not all of their best tricks, but not at any detriment to the music. The songs are engaging and short enough that this one will be over before you realize it, and the only proper thing to do would be to listen again. The lyrics are mostly in German but sung at a frenzied canter whose exigency is reminiscent of Minneapolis’ AQUARIUM. If you, like me, are a barely functioning adult with untreated ADHD, I would suggest you lightly jog through the streets while listening to this on a loop. It will make the world seem like a video game—a game whose ending will probably disappoint you, but until then, you will have a great soundtrack for this round of samsara.

Hiss A Cheapened Crown LP

“100% Wool” kicks this off with a wall of guitars and heaviness on par with TORCHE, MELVINS, PLANES MISTAKEN FOR STARS, HELMS ALEE, AmRep, and so forth. I think you know where I’m going here. This is the kind of record I want blasting out of my garage when the door is open for ventilation while I’m building shit but want to keep the neighbors held at bay. I’d also want this record when I have an all-night project to finish. This is a record for slogging through the day-to-day with a slowly radiating focus, and I’ll be playing it as it gets colder outside and my motivation starts to slip. I don’t know what to say about this other than I like it. Chef’s kiss.

Infuriate / Subvermes split EP

Hot new EP seeing gruff crust machine INFURIATE from Minneapolis teaming up with SUBVERMES from São Paulo, and as expected, this is a by-the-book bollocking. I am not sure whether INFURIATE’s songs were recorded after the ones on their new album, but in terms of sound, we are swimming in a very similar ocean of downtuned, old school crustcore with something of a grindcore edge, not unlike DISASSOCIATE grabbing drinks with DESTROY! and MAN THE CONVEYOR, but the rather muddy metallic production somewhat impairs the energy and impact of the songwriting to my ears. However, it is still heavy and hard-hitting enough, and the two numbers work perfectly on this format. Will certainly do the job for the crust army. The other side is graced with four songs of fast, punishing, and energetic old school Brazilian crusty hardcore thrash with those typically aggressive vocals and that distinct flow and diction. Classic angry and raw pummeling São Paulo hardcore with a spontaneity and straightforwardness that must be commended. Fans of vintage RATOS DE PORÃO should take note. This band smokes. A very cool split.

Kronol / Resistance is Punk split EP

RESISTANCE IS PUNK (or R.I.P.) is from Stockport in the UK, and plays gritty, aggro anarcho punk, while KRONOL is from Leeuwarden in the Netherlands and plays D-beat-driven hardcore punk. R.I.P. has two songs on this split, and both have a homebrew feel largely driven by the clean yet lo-fi production and noisy guitar work. KRONOL plays three songs on this split, and their set carries an even more aggro feel with rhythms that get your fist in the air. All in all, this is a really well-matched split with both R.I.P. and KRONOL bringing some great punk rock.

Lowballer Volvo 240 Wagon / No Hobbies 7″

My dream car growing up was actually a Volvo 240 wagon. Those things are like tanks and regularly last like 500,000 miles or more. Maybe it’s still my dream car. They are “peak Swedish engineering,” according to LOWBALL, a NYHC band that sounds like classic NEGATIVE APPROACH. This is artless, straight-up hardcore punk, without pretension or posturing; just a two-sided bruiser with gang vocals and ripping chords. As previously mentioned, “Volvo 240 Wagon” is about the Volvo 240 Wagon, while B-side “No Hobbies” is about not having hobbies. Check it out.

Mormon Mincers The Book of Mince LP

Your standard grind/mince affair (if the name didn’t give it away). Pummeling, chaotic songs about all of our favorite cults and their leaders interspersed with the most crucial of Monty Python samples. As always with these types of acts, the drums are absolutely incredible. Punishingly fast and totally mad! Nothing super groundbreaking, but if you’re like me and love shit like AGATHOCLES, LT. DAN, and MINIMUM WAGE ASSASSINS, then this will be right up your alley. These folks seem to tour non-stop and I bet they’re a treat to see live. Get out and see ‘em when they come through your local tabernacle.

Pleasure Manic Phase 12″

BLACK FLAG on LSD. That’s the image I’d put on this one, and I mean it as a compliment. PLEASURE takes hardcore into the kind of warped territory where a riff can get ugly and stay there, with two guitars pulling at each other and a vocal approach that adds to the unease. The BLACK FLAG connection is a starting point for that sense of friction; the acid is in how far out of shape the whole thing seems willing to go. Eight songs give Manic Phase room to stretch beyond the quick hit, with “Homeowner” and “Teenage Stoner Manslaughter Gang” taking up the most space at the end. There’s something appealing about hardcore that makes you grin and feel slightly uncomfortable at the same time. This is the one for that mood. A suitably twisted title for a suitably twisted record.

BLACK FLAG en LSD. Esa es la imagen que le pondría a esto, y va como un elogio. PLEASURE lleva el hardcore hacia ese terreno torcido donde un riff puede ponerse feo y quedarse ahí, con dos guitarras tironeando entre sí y una voz que suma incomodidad. La conexión con BLACK FLAG sirve como punto de partida para esa sensación de fricción; el ácido está en cuánto parece dispuesto a deformarse todo. Ocho temas le dan a Manic Phase espacio para ir más allá del golpe corto, con “Homeowner” y “Teenage Stoner Manslaughter Gang” ocupando el mayor tramo del final. Hay algo muy atractivo en el hardcore que te hace rechinar los dientes y sentirte un poco incómodo al mismo tiempo. Este es el disco para ese estado de ánimo. Un título bastante apropiado para semejante disco retorcido.

Public Relations Public Relations demo cassette

A four-piece out of Montreal, PUBLIC RELATIONS plays hardcore punk drizzled in deathrock vibes and mired in distortion. The singer’s tortured wail echoes over the group’s raw sound, creating a sinister presence across this six-song demo. If you’re looking to add one of these tracks to an October mix, may I suggest the creeping swing of “Human Resources,” whose name may or may not be some kind of macabre double entendre?

The Rinds Everything Dimed LP

They’re not the first, and they won’t be the last, to grab big handfuls of the RAMONES for inspiration, but the RINDS push beyond the standard template on their fourth album, Everything Dimed. It’s there in the “uh-oh”s on “Little Vibration” with its fuzzed-up solo, or in the new wave-y “Getting Told Off.” There’s also punk’n’roll from “We Own the Night” and its tale of partying in the witching hour, a song given a horror-punk injection on “We Own the Night (Reprise)”. The two tunes tap into similar themes to “I Love the Midnight” and its witches in the nighttime. But the variety can lack coherence and start to pose questions about what the Oakland, CA band—not to be confused with the San Diego, CA band of the same name—is aiming for. Moreover, at fifteen songs spread over thirty-nine minutes, Everything Dimed has perhaps two too many songs and runs about five minutes too long. Nevertheless, when it’s good, which is more often than not, they hit MEAN JEANS heights. Sure, it’s music that operates within a template, but there’s enough innovation around the edges to keep things interesting and prove that Everything Dimed is, mostly, well-thought-out dumb punk.

Spiritual Law Spiritual Law LP

Bavarian hardcore that goes straight for the jugular. SPIRITUAL LAW locks into the late ’80s crossover blueprint and turns it into a claustrophobic D-beat hardcore attack, with the stompier side of newer bands like IMPALERS and HALSHUG shining through, and the rapid-fire violence of some of the NWOBHC bands lurking in the riffs. Their sound is hard to pinpoint as there is so much on the table: hardcore, thrash, and some more hardcore. The dynamics are constantly shifting, and they show a wide range of tricks. “Pressure Stomp,” “Man With a Mission,” and the closer “The Cleansing” hit like concrete through a windshield. The artwork by Nathan Ward looks as vicious as the record sounds. This is hardcore for people who want their punk dangerously unpredictable.

Spread Joy III LP

Rejoice, SPREAD JOY is finally back to bless us with a new LP! I don’t think there has been a single release of theirs that I haven’t adored, so you can bet your sweet bippy that I’ll be biased. So what? Sue me. Anyways, their tried and true formula is still here: you take these funky drum beats, add some groovy bass lines, lay a thin layer of jangliest guitar riffs, and don’t forget the signature vocal style as the cherry on top. Aaand voilà! You got yourself a total bop. To me, these guys are the spiritual successor of ESSENTIAL LOGIC, LIZZY MERCIER DESCLOUX, and the bunch, with a modern, more widely palatable sound. This new LP shows that SPREAD JOY is doing what they do best: spreading joy.

Variations of May Volatility LP

Terrific mid-tempo punk with a melodic quality leaning more toward the alternative side vs. the pop punk side of things. Catchy songs with easily sing-along-able lyrics reflecting personal experiences and experiences that are maybe not so personal. This reminds me of a lot of great bands in overall sound, but nothing specific enough to say if “you like this, you’ll like that.” I’ll say take some chunks of early SOCIAL DISTORTION, STATUES, BANNER PILOT, IRON CHIC, and JAPANDROIDS, blender it up with a couple other secret ingredients, and here ya go. My only critique would be that the fourteen songs run a bit long; coulda edited out one or two tracks. Other than that, this is a good, layered listen that might take a few plays to completely take in everything that VARIATIONS OF MAY is offering up for their latest release.

Wholesale Murder Graveyard of Empires 10″

Solid if not simple hardcore from SoCal. WHOLESALE MURDER leans in a slightly thrashy direction with serviceable riffs and some nice bouncy bass. The drumming is great and the vocals have a snotty delivery that maybe reminds me of the VANDALS. Lyrics are righteous and urgent, speaking on the environment, empire, and corrupt media amongst other things. Overall, not entirely my wheelhouse, but a good soundtrack for a quick bowl sesh.

Φορμόλη Tombs of Hell LP

This is the second album of Ακραίφνιο’s ΦΟΡΜΟΛΗ (yes, that’s in Greece, in case it was unclear), a band I had read about, because the fantastic label Extreme Earslaughter contributed to the project, but never listened to. But as ZOUNDS said, “there’s a new band every day,” and one does not have endless time even for quality grinding crustcore like this. If you dislike heavy and disgusting music with blastbeats and growling cavemen on vocals, ΦΟΡΜΟΛΗ will not be for you, but if, like yours truly, you can take the punishment, this band proves to be very enjoyable. The production is rather clear, but the music is hard-hitting enough for me to like, and I am really reminded of bands like MASSGRAVE, MASS EXTINCTION, and MASSDEAD (or even TERRORIZER, although the Greeks do not deal in metal). My one main critique is that the production should be more organic and dirtier (punkier, maybe?) in order to sound more savage, but I’ll still take it as it is.

Added Dimensions Added Dimensions LP

Sharp, homemade garage pop with every seam showing. The first ten tracks are Sarah Everton’s 2022 demo tape, and for something this DIY, the recording sounds pretty good and is easy to listen to. Everton (formerly of BLOWDRYER, READING RAINBOW, TELEPATHIC) started ADDED DIMENSIONS as a home project after leaving Philadelphia for Virginia, leaning on a drum machine for some of these tracks, and it’s since grown into a full band, but on these recordings, her voice is the thing that holds everything together. In her MRR review of the original tape, Erika Elizabeth floated “a Kim Deal-fronted URINALS?” and I couldn’t shake it the whole time I listened, which is about as good a pitch as a band could ask for. This HoZac LP fills out the B-side with a BLOWDRYER practice take of “Default Mode” and five alternate demos of songs from the A-side. Those extras are all a big step down in quality, so they’re mostly for completists. The front half is the reason to pick this up.

Bigtop A Congess of Baboons CD

Sludgy punk thrash and trash tunes that hit all the buttons. Apparently, these folks had been making these plops of punk joy since the late ’80s, through tragedy, a reformation, and a handful of changes, to this final 2026 release. Some choruses are shouted, some aren’t shouted, but you can sing to everything. Song topics ranging from monsters to just about everything else. The one thing that is clear is that these folks are probs great friends and had a real hoot putting this together. A Congress of Baboons has something for almost everyone, from standard sludgy punk rock, pogoing ability, humor, fist-in-the-air-style songs, KBD attitude, a Mystic Records quality, some slap bass, and a couple other things, too. There are twenty-six songs in total that range in length from twenty seconds to five minutes. Check it out!

The Carp Tangled Up with the Two Tailed Rat LP

Like CRUELSTER but not as cruel. Like PERVERTS AGAIN but sadly less perverted. I don’t know if they share DNA or if it’s the same band and I don’t really care. In fact, I wasn’t even going to mention those other bands, but if you’re a fan and you’ve missed this, get it now. If you’re not familiar, this gang is banging out some of the best punk this side of the Mason-Dixon, and you’d better listen up. If you take your garage punk sardonic and delivered to you via marching orders, this is for you. Every time I listen, I pick out a phrase or lyric that I didn’t hear before, and it either makes me laugh, do a deep dive on Eastern European economic policies, or both. There aren’t a lot of records that make me want to learn about economics while at the same time making me shake and beat my steering wheel like a goddamn lunatic, and this one does it. Totally Punk!

Dream World Dream World LP

DREAM WORLD is out of Richmond, Virginia, and earlier this summer, they released their self-titled inaugural full-length through Sorry State. DREAM WORLD has a familiar feeling to their sound, with classic punk riffs laying the groundwork and a sense of distaste towards everything currently being promoted by the oligarchs—a message that is at the very heart of all that is punk. “Submission” is my favorite track with its anti-work morality, and is it just me, or is DREAM WORLD not so subtly nodding to the similarly named SEX PISTOLS song? Now before you roll your eyes and write this record off due to that reference, let me just reiterate for the thousandth time how much I appreciate creative, concise hardcore punk, and DREAM WORLD is certainly that.

D.S.B. Substitute LP

The excellent Substitute LP from D.S.B. (DEFIANCE OF SHIT BASTARDS) has some lore that deserves to be briefly mentioned here: the legendary Japanese band played a brief stint in the US in 2003, bringing their full-throated brand of hardcore punk to astounded audiences. As General Speech put it in their write-up, the band “basically blew the minds of everyone in the collective DIY hardcore scene at the time” (there is tour footage and audio available on the internet, I found it to be an excellent companion piece here). Feeling at the top of their game, D.S.B. went to the studio to re-record some of their tracks from previous releases like No Fight. No Get and the One Shot One Kill comp as well as some new tracks, resulting in their legendary second full-length Substitute. Until now, this was only available on a 2004 CD release, but thanks to the aforementioned General Speech, we can hear it in all of its glory on our turntables. Going toe-to-toe in the song department with nearly any of their peers, D.S.B. play fast, furious, and sound super revved-up across the entire album, particularly on standouts “死ぬまで戦え” and “Rebel and Protest,” the latter of which sounds like a direct influence on many of today’s latest and greatest “inspired by Japanese hardcore” US hardcore bands. Essential listening for fans of the genre, young and old.

Esperanza Freedom and Equality 12″

The drums sound like drums. The guitar sounds like a real life guitar. And the bass, well, you get it. This is human music through and through. Raw aggression that cannot be faked. This sounds unique. You cannot pin this down, and it is all the better for it. Punk should sound like this. Like movement. Like an inexhaustible energy reminiscent of one’s wasted or at least misremembered youth. This touches on UK82 but is not defined by it. This is its own well-cornered niche of punk. You can taste eclectic notes of their countrymen PAINTBOX, you can detect a little metallic flavor of ENGLISH DOGS, you can breathe in a whisper of IMPACT, you can close your eyes and wish they were coming to your town. Until then, this record will do a more than serviceable job and be well worth your time and money.

Grotto Targeted Solution 12″

Paranoid punk for a world that already lost the plot. Eight tracks of schizoid hardcore that take the twitchy aggression of RUDIMENTARY PENI, the frantic, angular attack of KORO, and the warped mania of early obscure hardcore. The songs are short and nasty. “Black Imp,” “Dark Arts,” and “Dogmen” strike  with the kind of nervous energy that makes everything feel slightly wrong. Recorded at Pee Blood Studios and mastered by Will Killingsworth, the record has the suitably raw, abrasive finish this kind of psychotic punk demands. Neon Taste even pitches it at listeners obsessed with “media-induced paranoia,” strange water, and the feeling that something is very, very wrong.

Hi Sheriffs of Blue Live: Mudd Club & A7 12″

HI SHERIFFS OF BLUE started out as more of a concept than a band. An experimental post-punk unit with a rotating cast of noteworthy NYC players including Lydia Lunch, Jerry Williams, and Neneh Cherry (of “Buffalo Stance” fame), the group initially incorporated wacked-out takes on jazz, disco, and noise into their performances. Eventually, they settled into a more permanent lineup, and in the process, forged the rootsy and charging off-kilter blues sound heard on these live recordings from ’82 and ’83. The resulting din is somewhat ahead of its time. If you close your eyes and listen, forgetting everything I just said, you can easily imagine this as an obscure entry in the ’90s bastard blues revival alongside bands like the OBLIVIANS and JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION. The tunes range from speedy ragtime jaunts (“Sloppy Drunk Again”) to lurching disjointed dirges (“Wolf”) and beyond, all of it caked in claustrophobic club atmosphere. They straddled the line between no wave art and the punk Southern gothic of the GUN CLUB like no one else, haphazardly paving the way for future Delta degenerates.

Ka-Oh! Ka-Oh! cassette

OH! This is absolutely lovely. Very FUGAZI/HAPPY GO LICKY-coded—the classic post-hardcore sound of noodly, dissonant guitar riffs, wandering bass lines, and syncopated drums that keep everything wrapped up in a nice little package. The singer has the standard Guy Picciotto energy that you typically see with these kinds of acts, but they have their own spin to it, adopting more of a hoarse barking style as opposed to Picciotto’s sinister hissing. Maybe that’s because it’s all sung in German. Everything sounds aggressive in that language. This is really fantastic stuff and a must-listen for anyone who grew up loving the DC sound.

Left Off God Hates Flags CD

There is a charm and earnestness to this tape that I haven’t heard in a long time. The recording sounds like it was done in a bathroom by a buddy, the musicianship is sloppy and earnest, the lyrics are perfectly in time with the music, and the message is standard. All of it, the entire package, is what makes me love this so much. The songs themselves are pretty basic and mid-tempo in that punk lane. Through the speakers, I can feel how amazing it feels to be in a room playing music with good pals. I am certain that the longer this band stays together that they will become better songwriters, hone their lyrics, and develop a polished, cohesive sound and overall become a much better band. However, this first effort might be the punkest thing I’ve heard in a while.

Marbled Eye Forever 12″

The best post-punk creates the best tension; an uneasiness the listener can feel pulse through their appendages. Modern bands like DIӒT and INSTITUTE are perfect examples. MARBLED EYE, having formed a couple years after their aforementioned peers, feel like they’re chasing those tigers but never quite catching up. Their latest offering provides some of said tension, but there’s a layer of detachment seeping through which feels more affect than effect. That’s not to say these songs do not have merit. In a dark, cool room, these songs blasting from the speakers would surely create an atmosphere, but again that may be the rub here—the intent to curate sensation rather than a sensation naturally developing. Or maybe I’m the rub, the rube. What causes more friction to your ears, pageantry or pedantry? Turn this one on and decide for yourself.

Negative Runners Nightmare Agenda LP

Hurtling out of the gate on second album Nightmare Agenda is France’s NEGATIVE RUNNERS. They’re proud members of their punk local scene in Saint-Étienne, the city that’s home to the quartet, their studio of choice, and the record label putting out this album, which is a classic, rough-edged burst of melodic hardcore that tackles the joys and struggles of everyday life. Collecting ten songs into the album’s twenty-three minutes, Nightmare Agenda doesn’t wear out its welcome, and repeated listens slowly reveal meaning as its mix of gruff punk, hardcore, street punk, and even a touch of pop punk, thanks to some very well-placed organ, worms its way into your consciousness. The signposts to LEATHERFACE and HOT WATER MUSIC are clear, with one of the band’s vocalists sounding like he’s gargling from a glass of angry bees, but there’s also the occasional nod to NOFX from his counterpart. Together, they and their bandmates have created some great, urgent punk that keeps you coming back for more.