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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!
ABRICHTEN find themselves a middle ground between the atmosphere of early doom metal and expressiveness of noise rock with their new release Aufheben. With its (relatively) lengthy songs and slow-burn approach, it definitely has its own intense ambiance…yet it feels a bit too drawn-out at times. It is a bit outside of my taste for noise rock, but it is well-produced for sure.
This tape opens with a sound clip from Hanoi Hannah, the North Vietnamese radio broadcaster who famously used psychological warfare against American G.I.s during the Vietnam War. From there, you are subjected to BANANA CLIP’s own version of psychological warfare via an onslaught of blastbeats, crusty grindcore riffage, and savage political imagery. There is a rawness to the recording that I really dug, and I think that it supports the nature of the songs. The highlight for me is “Politically Unhoused,” which is also a great song title. In under two minutes, they manage to combine death metal vocals, nasty chugging breakdowns, and blistering hardcore drums. It’s kind of all over the place musically, but I think that’s the charm. For a trio, they do some damage. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for noisy, dissonant, and politically-charged grind.
CREEPY FUTURE comes out swinging with lo-fi(-ish), high-energy, catchy-ass sing-along punk rock. Fourteen songs in under twenty-eight minutes that go by as if it were only thirteen minutes (or maybe even six-and-a-half minutes), seemingly over as soon as it began. Parts of Brace Yourself remind me of SUPERNOVA, TOYS THAT KILL, and bands that have taken elements of pop punk but make it their own. From start to finish, CREEPY FUTURE have created a perfect LP to kick off summertime.
While the definition of “grungegaze” isn’t hard to understand, it is a new-to-me term. And if this record is any indication of the genre, I’ll say I fucking love it. Pōneke, Aotearoa’s (Wellington, NZ) CRUELLY are out with their debut EP, showcasing noise, melody, bleeding-reverb guitars, and sun-soaked female vocals. Do you need an aggressive cry? Maybe to light a candle, stomp around in your boots, and scream into a mirror? Then this record may too be for you. High energy and venom; dour mood and heartache. If you’re left wanting more, they have a Live at San Fran + Bonus Tracks CD out (the sound quality of which is quite good), and I hear rumors of an LP?? Watch this group. They may be your new obsession.
DEAR DARKNESS really embrace their Motor City roots and come out swinging with a solid three-song EP. Dark, groovy no wave with haunting vocals and buzzed-out, fuzzed-out guitars. The tape goes by quickly, so I recommend giving it a couple of plays. Really great stuff here.
West Coast to Third Coast, Rotten Princess puts out a terrific variety of punk, noise, hip hop, etc. that seems to always, at the very least, keep my attention all the way through, and at their very best, doesn’t leave my stereo for weeks to months. The DOWNSTROKES are a mid-tempo, Northern East Coast garage/punk/power pop band with hooks by the handful. Personally, I wish the production was a little muddier, but that’s a me thing. I can’t help but feel like there’s something lacking. Follow me here—the music is tight, the lyrics are thoughtful and tuneful, and all together, the songs are melodic and have tons of catchiness, so maybe the delivery of the whole feels like it’s lacking conviction, and moreover simply plodding through. Most of the songs come close to or over three minutes. I think this could have been a top-of-the-charts summer banger if the songs would have been capped at two to two-and-a-half minutes each. However, by the end of the third time through The Furious Hours, I am more in tune with where they are going in terms of setting up the longer-structured songs and giving the melody time to sink in. Maybe somewhere in the middle would be best? I guess I’m the jerk here (shrug emoji).
FAKE DUST is out of Portland, Oregon, and has been grinding together as a four-piece for the last half-dozen years. Decrepitizing Din of the Cerebral Psyopticon is their latest release, with nineteen tracks of primo grindcore that harken back to the genre that created things like INSECT WARFARE, AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED, ASSÜCK, and GATE, so think guttural howls to falsetto screech vocals over blastbeats and heavy, tight guitar work. If you’re into grindcore, then you’re probably already onto this, but if you’re uninitiated or curious, well, this is a great entry point.
It’s been three years since Nashville’s G.U.N. dropped that smoker of an LP, and surprise! They’re back with another short stack of straight killers. The blistering title track kicks off the festivities, serving as a reminder of the group’s raging and uncanny 1980s sound, and it’s only uphill from there. In recent decades, it’s been increasingly rare that we see a new entry to the short list of true hardcore classics, but the next song, “Sex Tourist Blues,” fits that particular designation swimmingly and is destined to appear on many a mixtape this summer. The final two songs further demonstrate the band’s uniquely nuanced chaos. Did these guys get even better? I think so, and this Poison Vision label out of Pittsburgh is batting a thousand so far—be sure to peep it.
In 2008, the late JAY REATARD and then-girlfriend LINDSAY SHUTT did a home recording of the song “In Heaven” from David Lynch’s Eraserhead. They crafted their own stripped-down, spooky anti-folk gothic version of the song that is actually more ominous than the original, given his death a short time later.
LEIBNIZ describes themselves as “queer grungecore,” and that tag is surprisingly accurate. This is pure DIY punk minimalism, a band whose identity is rooted in queer punk, hardcore, and grunge. The fact that the release was recorded live only adds to the rawness. The blown-out guitar tone and wounded vocal delivery evoke early HOLE and BABES IN TOYLAND, while the stop/start aggression and DIY urgency recall MELT-BANANA stripped of the hyper-speed chaos. There are also traces of NIRVANA’s abrasive punk side, especially when the songs pivot from dissonant verses into unexpectedly memorable hooks. Across its brief runtime, Promo feels like a snapshot of a band figuring out exactly how much noise three people can make in a room together.
Damn this is a short one: three songs in a little over three minutes. Leeds-based MASS HALLUCINATION apparently don’t have much time to arse around here but, playing fast abrasive hardcore, I guess it still does the job. This tape is the band’s first recording, and despite the rather limited length, you can tell they aim for a modern take on noisier hardcore punk with some USHC and käng influences, although you wouldn’t really place the band in either category. I don’t dislike it and it is by no means unpleasant, but I struggle a little to know what they are really up to and where they are actually heading to. The production is good and so is the playing, the vocals are strong too, but overall, it feels like it is still missing something.
You know something, folks? I thought I was getting sick of egg-punk-adjacent bands. I’m now realizing that I’ve been bored with egg-punk bands who thought that sounding like an egg-punk band was enough to make them an interesting egg-punk band. You understand what I mean, bud? While New Racehorse features some of the classic egghead tropes (DEVO-eqsue drum machine, chorus pedals, timid and mousy vocals, high-octave synthesizers), MEDIA PUZZLE does a great job utilizing their space by incorporating samples and a horn section (for only a handful of tracks, but it’s a substantial difference). And while this isn’t breaking ground for the genre, it’s quite clear that a lot of care and time went into the structuring and writing of these songs, with nuanced swaths of atmospheric soundscapes mixed with the familiar twangy guitars and topics of angst and unrequited love. Thank you, MEDIA PUZZLE, for restoring my faith in the power of the oval! Of course this comes straight from Australia, the modern kingdom of rock’n’roll.
Three live cuts from OKC punks PRIMAL BRAIN, whose noisy hardcore lends itself particularly well to being heard from a “run-down room.” Recorded back in 2023 at the Oklahoma Opry, one of these tracks was from their 2022 tape It’s Still All a Game, with the other two seeing the light of day on their 2025 tape Is It All A Game? These songs all sound great on their respective releases, but like most good hardcore, they benefit from the extra grit the live treatment provides. Bonus points for the QR code on the front of the tape that leads to footage of the performance; a neat touch and the first of its kind that I’ve seen.
SELF INCRIMINATION is a transatlantic assembly with members spreading from Seattle to London, playing synthed-out, melancholic punk that cites everything from the GO-GO’S to SIOUXSIE SIOUX to XMAL DEUTSCHLAND. Recreation of an Empty Space is a ten-song recording on which SELF INCRIMINATION lays out a sound that combines spectral, riff-driven guitar work with noisy synth, and vocals that frequently recall Lydia Lunch. Post-punk at its core and with extensive citation of cult-level artists, Recreation of an Empty Space becomes expansive as it progresses.
Swedish trio SLUTA LJUG’s Brinn is a collection of three dark and grim tracks that leave you wanting more. The band manages to dial in an old school but modern and raw but spacious hardcore punk sound decorated with D-beats. Guitars drenched in flanger, heavy distorted bass, energetic drums, and beautifully hysterical vocals all add up to the drowning atmosphere of this great EP. Highly recommended.
Watching the evolution of egg-punk has been somewhat fascinating, particularly its appeal to indoor-kid weirdo punkers finding an outlet and a connection to a scene through their solo projects. At its best, the genre walks a line between memorable songwriting and cartoonish novelty. Something of a celebration of limitations: cheap gear, lo-fi DIY recordings, strange ideas, often with just a single songwriter. In many ways, it has become the punk equivalent of bedroom pop. It’s no wonder the appeal of egg-punk has spread so far and wide. Unfortunately, this debut cassette from SYFON of Warsaw, Poland contains very little of what I enjoy about the genre. Sure, there’s the occasional catchy synth lick, but mostly I hear obnoxious plink-plunking, nu-metal chugging, B-rate CAPTAIN BEEFHEART-style freakout nonsense, and a lack of substance. The tape starts intriguingly enough with their DEVO-esque “Intro,” but it winds up feeling like the peak rather than the starting point. I think the intention here was to slow things down while keeping egg-punk tonality, as if SYFON wanted to make a post-punk egg record. Forget what came first, what comes after the egg? It’s an interesting idea in theory, but the lack of memorable songs on this cassette shows that there’s still a ways to go before that code is cracked.
Originally reviewed by Tim himself in in 1982’s MRR #3, WHITE TRASH’s Wake Up EP is back in a brand new edition. This archival release comes to us courtesy of the Spanish BCore label, and also includes the band’s original Hell No demo tape tacked on for a total of sixteen old school tracks. The sound is original nascent hardcore, complete with adolescent musicianship. rebellious spirit, and crude humor. It was noted as a “classic” back then, but seems far less so today, due largely to the deluge of certified bangers that have followed it over the decades. But you can still see how this was probably pretty cool at the time and it’s certainly a time capsule carrying the energy of the era. What can I say—Leave it to Beaver references just don’t hit the same in 2026.
DCxPC Live’s commitment to the craft is admirable. Sixty some-odd releases in just five years, all vinyl documents of live performances from mostly slightly lesser-known and mostly current DIY bands. With the second Locked in the Basement compilation, DCxPC Live crams twenty acts onto a 12″ slab, grabbing melodic punk, hardcore, ska, doom/sludge metal, and seemingly everything in between. The complaint (if there was one) would be that the result is somewhat incohesive, but that’s exactly what makes the label itself so interesting—there’s not a “sound” here, and going from FUCKSAKE to TARNISH PREVENTER starts to make sense before the first side wraps. Other notables include NO COMPLY, RBNX, BLANK CHROME, DISOVIET, and CHRIST PIPE. This was my introduction to most of the bands (except NO COMPLY, R.I.P. Justin), and that’s exactly what comps are for. Good job DCxPC, and don’t you even think about stopping.
Solid three-song EP here. This has a real ’90s vibe and will take you back in time to when riot grrrl was queen. Sex Cymbal hits all the sweet spots of lo-fi and noise, and at times reminds me of the classic acts such as GOD IS MY CO-PILOT and AIDS WOLF. There’s a bit of a rock’n’roll edge here, but it’s paired with a slow, sludgy cadence. It really felt like the rest of the world was melting around me. Perfect for those hot and heavy summer days which are bound to be fruitful in our current hellscape. Bonus points for having a singing drummer—I’ve always loved that combo! Give this a couple plays and melt with me.
This tape looks great. Totally homemade cut’n’paste cover with about as much artistic craft as a six-year-old. I love it, and the music is on par with the visuals: four songs and four minutes of punk chaos for people who like their “music” raw, juvenile and to-the-point. Primitive D-beat hardcore with no production value but a lot of energy. AD’NAUSEAM traveling in Sweden and Japan, maybe? I understand members of ARMS DEALER also play in a band called BEER PISS, if that can give you any indication. These kids are from Athens, Georgia, and the tape is released on Hard Tack, a local tape label supporting the local scene. Not exactly Emmy Award quality, but good enough to drink yourself silly on a Friday night.
Short, sharp punk bursts from BLANKET OF M, absolutely classic sounds that land somewhere between MISFITS, the SPITS, and rough ’90s punk with layers of hopelessly catchy vocals. DEAD DON’T DIE are less appealing to these ears, kinda like your awkward uncle’s horror punk band except this shit is sloppier and the attempt at vocal croons makes me cringe. I gave up after the line “Maybe I’ll get a sloppy blowjob” in the second track (“Serial Killer”), and I backed up to listen to BLANKET OF M again.
Third release from Cincinnati’s CHONCY. Their angular approach, with clean, frenetic guitars (think D. Boon tone) and lightly distorted vocals, is at the forefront of this album. 2023’s Community Chest and 2024’s 20X Multiplier offered a wider range, with more full-belly guitar distortion and hardcore arrangements, but also plenty of the angularity and sharp rhythm changes that are evident on this release. If Trademark is a move towards honing their sound, I don’t mind. These songs are fast, catchy, and driving, if not a little needling with those piercing guitar riffs. The vocals are provocative in a comedic way, and the whole package reminds me of (a slightly less serious) STRAW MAN ARMY. Apparently, their members now split time between Cincinnati and New York, doing remote recordings and phone calls—but distance be damned! They’ve put out a solid record.
Just what exactly is CREAM SODA Serving You? How about fifteen gleaming garage pop freakouts from the mythic Medway Delta? This debut LP showcases the band’s sharp take on the ’60s-inspired rock’n’roll sound that the Kent, England area is famous for, and these three lads are certainly old souls. They’re only in their late teens, and this classic type of racket usually doesn’t originate from such spry young upstarts. Are they the illegitimate children of Billy Childish? If not, he may want to adopt them. They’ve followed in his footsteps brilliantly, adding in a few new moves along the way. Check out “Victim of the Medway Towns,” “On the Side of Evil,” and “2 for 1” for a proper taste.
Pop punk/ska in the vein of many Fat Wreck bands, yet keeping their own original and fresh approach. Erin’s singing style and her lyrical content hold a unique perspective that help to move the Crush LP above similar-sounding bands. “Antisocial,” with an intro nod to J CHURCH, propels you through common antisocial feelings, while being so catchy that you wanna run around and sing it with a chorus of strangers at the top of your lungs. Overall, these ten songs take enough twists and turns to not only keep your interest, but a few may even make it onto your summertime mixtape for driving around to get a 3 am Slurpee with friends or alone, perhaps.
Solo project of Joe Warkentin from Winnipeg, Manitoba. From what I can tell, Canada Joe seems to be a grindcore/death metal/extreme music head, and FASHION BATHERS is his foray into synth-heavy power pop/pop punk. I’ve seen similar attempts a few times over my years in punk, where someone mostly known for making more extreme music takes the plunge into one of the poppier realms under the greater punk umbrella, and it often translates surprisingly well. This project is no exception. FASHION BATHERS sound a lot like the MARKED MEN, but you know, if their songs were performed by the animatronic robot band at an arcade. These nine songs were originally self-released digitally in 2020, but have now been given the tape treatment by Knuckles on Stun. If you dig this, you’ll be happy to know that FASHION BATHERS have a bunch of other recordings out there. Whether or not the project performs live remains unknown to me, but I’d love to see them if they do.
This LP, the band’s second, is the first I’m hearing of this Sardinian/Istanbulite act. I somehow missed their 2024 debut, so I was thrown for a bit of a loop when I got some slick-as-shit melodic post-punk instead of the BO DIDDLEY beats and SONICS-y yowls, maybe some harmonica I expected—you know, your standard Slovenly Euro garage fare. The band even has ties to the RIPPERS, who might be thee paradigmatic Slovenly Euro garage act! Bait-and-switch aside, this record has its moments. There’s a big GANG OF FOUR influence running through the nine tracks that make up the record, and when they hew close to that sound, I’m into it. When they stray into math rock territory, I’m less interested. I do think the recording is a tad too polished, and the band has a tendency to launch into some relatively grandiose choruses that seem a little too…”obvious” doesn’t seem like the right word, but it’s getting close. Still, some great songs here. Fans of their debut (which I’ve since gone back and listened to and is maybe more my speed) should find plenty to like.
Post-punk from Finland that centers the locked-in bass and drums and moody vocals of the genre, while also incorporating heavy melodic moments that recall ’90s alt-rock bands like a JOY DIVISION/FAILURE blend. And it works! The spacey repetition of “Singularity” maintains its upbeat jam for over eight minutes and explodes with anthemic, fist-in-the-air choruses. “Holy Gasoline” takes a hooky lead guitar line and ignites it into the type of quiet/loud mega-riff that made Billy Corgan lots of money. I found myself waiting for the building crescendo of each song, the pounding tom and snare cadence and power chord chugging, to release into huge rock exultations, and it kept happening! It’s a simple rock formula that tickles big-riff lizard brains, but when it works, it works so well. GIGLINGER has done an interesting thing by pairing the structure with post-punk lyrics and themes, creating a crisply produced and satisfying guitar rock album.
Right off the bat, these guys let you know where they are coming from with the cover art featuring a bunch of empty Budweiser bottles and cans. It’s rough-and-tumble American Oi!, fueled by cheap beer and ready to throw down in the gutter. The vocals are gruff, there’s a classic feel to a lot of the riffs and leads, and there’s not a song over three minutes. No complaints here. Turn it up!
There are bands whose style you can guess with ease just by checking who’s playing in them. With Stick (from DOOM, EXCREMENT OF WAR, and RUIN) and Steph (from the seemingly immortal VISIONS OF WAR) being involved in KLÄPTRÄP, even slow-witted punks can understand that crusty käng hardcore is close on the horizon, and that deodorant will not be necessary to enjoy the music. This first LP released on the always reliable Phobia Records is the next logical step from their highly enjoyable 2023 demo. It is recorded better, more energetic, more aggressive, and there is (a bit) more variety. Have no fear though, the band’s dirty compass firmly points to DISCHARGE-loving Sweden with classic riffs played convincingly. Galloping Scandicore not unlike EXCREMENT OF WAR (duh), with brilliant female vocals reminiscent of early SACRILEGE and early PINK TURDS—powerful shouts of anger rather than growls or shrieks—that set the band apart for me. I am sure that you already made up your mind as to whether or not you are going to enjoy this, but I suggest you give it a go. Old crusties never die.
The LAST RESPONDERS’ LP comes in heavy with shouted, anthemic street punk choruses and pivots directly to a devilish little mid-tempo, upbeat ska punk tune about the daily rat race of the working week. This is pretty straightforward street punk with hooks and sing-alongs. This is the kind of record that you know right away if it is something that is staying or going. For me, it’s staying. I get the feeling that the LAST RESPONDERS put on a good show and a raucous party atmosphere, but mirroring that, I am willing to bet that if you are a friend of one of these guys and you find yourself in a bind that you have them on speed dial. There’s something familial and supportive in the songwriting and delivery that transcends the common “down in the dumps” nihilism that usually accompanies this style. Look, the LAST RESPONDERS aren’t going to change your mind, introduce you to new ideas, turn you on to a new sound, or prolly smell that good when you’re in the same room with them, but I suspect that they will have your back if things get shitty, and that’s more than good enough. Check it out. You won’t be sorry that you did.
Hailing from Oslo, MOLBO’s Mol-bot is a beautifully chaotic combination of razor-sharp guitar melodies, driving bass riffs, expressive vocals, and straightforward drum beats. Though it can fundamentally be categorized as egg-punk, it is leaning a bit towards the chain side of the egg/chain spectrum, which I really enjoy—and if you have a clue what I’m referring to, you’re probably as insufferable as I am. It is a short and sweet collection of six really cool tracks, and definitely a great introduction to the band itself.
I have mixed feelings about Cleveland’s PRIVATE PRISONS and their debut LP Prison Planet, a decent record with some very good songs and also some not very good songs that unfortunately hold it back from being great. Opening with the thrashy “Dead Peasant Policy,” the band showcases solid riffs, vocals, and rhythm section. It’s a promising start that’s derailed as they go on to introduce heavy-handed metallic elements like sluggish, mid-tempo breakdowns and low-register growled vocals, both of which put a damper on things. The overall effect comes off as two competing ideas of what this band could be smashed into one not-so-cohesive record. There are about five songs I’d cherry pick from this LP to make an excellent EP if given the chance.
Between 1981 and 1982, RUDIMENTARY PENI released two recordings: a twelve-track tome of an EP self-released through their own Outer Himalayan imprint, and the Farce EP released through Crass Records. These recordings were combined in 1987 and released through Corpus Christi as a document of pre-Death Church activity. Fast forward to 2026, where Sealed Records has reissued The E.P.’s of R.P. complete with the original Nick Blinko-drawn sleeve, and even more fresh Blinko work on the inside. In my mind, RUDIMENTARY PENI has always represented a tectonic shift in punk—the architects of a new framework, an often-imitated but impossible-to-duplicate template, the next frontier in punk dissidence, and that is why The E.P.’s of R.P. is such an important document for highlighting the band’s developmental period. A reissue like this is truly a must-have for fans, but also an incredible collection of punk.
An explosive debut from a Los Angeles band that takes inspiration from the BAGS and the GERMS. The raw guitar riffs are accompanied by biting femme vocals delivered like the AVENGERS’ Penelope Houston. Outside of some YouTube clips of their live shows, there isn’t much of a digital footprint of their music, and the album isn’t streaming anywhere. Rumor has it that you can only get this record at one of their shows or at the Funhouse, the restaurant the band works at in Little Tokyo.
If you’re a fan of the pure punk sound, then nothing beats the bands that come out of Eastern Europe. I don’t know if it’s a direct result of generational dictatorial trauma, but there’s a palpable dystopian darkness that oozes from each and every act. Granted, I usually have no idea what they’re singing about, but the angst is so thick you can cut it with a pocket knife. ŠANOV 1 incorporates a Gothic-flavored Oi! style that sounds like it came straight from the ’80s—instruments chock-full of reverb and biting, snotty vocals. Really solid stuff here, I’m just confused why Papagájův Hlasatel doesn’t give me the option to buy any of their albums on Bandcamp!
Four cuts of French SxE hardcore punk that alternates between quick, pissed-off blasts and atypical dissonant breakdowns. Rapid-fire vocals inject an energy that drives the songs and gives them character. The riffs pull from post-hardcore, but this isn’t skramz. Hardcore with jagged edges and a seething disdain for injustice. This demo is a solid foundation for a group that is clearly aiming for something outside the standard hardcore slop.
A furious soundtrack for late-stage capitalism’s funeral procession. WORLD I HATE delivers exactly what the title promises: twelve tracks of scorched-earth hardcore. Harshly bleak and confrontational. Keith Caves’ artwork matches the record’s worldview perfectly. Metallic hardcore and modern powerviolence are the cards that they have up their sleeves. The relentless pace and short song lengths evoke WEEKEND NACHOS and INFEST, while the crushing mid-tempo sections recall TRAP THEM and early HARM’S WAY. There are also traces of the suffocating atmosphere and social paranoia found in bands like CURSED. Tracks like “Disappeared,” “Less Than Zero,” and the title track channel rage at state violence, economic exploitation, and social decay into compact bursts rarely exceeding two minutes. Weaponized anger!
Opening a comp with YELLOWCAKE, following that up with PHYSIQUE, then including local hellions HEX and DUKKHA is wild, but also guaranteed to get me to buy it. That fact that it supports the righteous cause of the Prairieland Defendants, victims of the present and ongoing political witch hunt, is something that I can absolutely get behind. Literally every active band that I’ve enjoyed over the past few years has a spot here, the flow is perfection, and the breadth of punk included means everyone will find something that hits.
You know when you see two people getting into a relationship together and you just think that they fit perfectly together and it makes sense that they end up sharing the same bed? Well, TERMINAL FILTH and AXEFEAR are exactly like that: their union was meant to happen, and they may not share the same bed but they share the same crust. With both their names heavily (and rather unsubtly, it has to be said) nodding to the stenchcore of yore, they are the perfect crust tag-team. If you are not familiar with the bands, TERMINAL FILTH is from Berlin, this split LP is their third record, and they have consistently improved since their inception. The four songs they offer (one of which is a delightful synth interlude that brings to mind the mighty AXEGRINDER) are incredible and cement them as one of the best current bands in the stenchcore division. Heavy, dark, anguished, rotten, metallic crust not unlike CANCER SPREADING or LAST LEGION ALIVE. As a bonus, Janick from AFTER THE BOMBS takes care of the vocals on “The Last Journey”—this is the icing on the cake, and a time machine to 2006. On the other side, you will find three songs (one of them being a REPULSION cover) from Seattle’s AXEFEAR, and although TERMINAL FILTH is a tough act to follow, they deliver their own brand of stenchcore well, reminding me of HELLSHOCK or SANCTUM with the required intensity and a great, filthy sound to convince the punters to grab this album that is bound to become something of a crust classic and a high point of the ’20s for this peculiar subgenre. It is a definite win.
When cars drive by blaring music, it’s usually bad music. But what if everyone chose good music instead? Well, if they chose good music, then I’d hear a lot more BURGERS GONE WILD as I walk my dog around town. This sounds like if RETAIL SIMPS could somehow be more loose. Impossible? The burgers have gone wild after all. These songs blasting from a set of blown-out speakers in an F-150 could probably magically fix all the potholes; don’t ask me how, it’s just a feeling. Maybe we need to mandate tape decks come standard in everyone’s dumb truck once again?
Rock’n’roll in the punk style that put Detroit, Michigan on the map. CHERRY DROP probably always smells like last night’s show regardless of whether they had a show last night or not, but that’s OK, it’s what makes you tune in to this lawless Michigan rock. If this were to come from anywhere else, you’d question the authenticity, but goddamn if this doesn’t just reek of the Mitten State. Evil With Imperfections is relentless, and just when you think you’re going to get a chance to catch your breath, you get another punch to the chest. I betcha they play a lot of places that still allow people to smoke cigarettes inside. I’m mean, they just sound like a fire hazard, and I mean that in the best possible way.
Lovely little handful of some bittersweet power pop bangers. Catchy hooks prominent in both the vocals and the guitar leads; really embraces that classic ’70s pub rock sound. The title is apt—this really does feel like only a couple seconds. It goes by fast! Just means you gotta keep flipping it from now ’til eternity. This is a fantastic two-song slab and will go great on anyone’s summer playlist.
With upwards of 70 digital releases since 2021, I can say with complete certainty that DRU THE DRIFTER is hands-down the most overwhelming project I have been challenged to make sense of and review. This tape is one release in what seems like a musical assembly line, with albums being churned out once a month. From what I can gather, DRU THE DRIFTER is primarily a solo recording project that performs live with the help of backing band the BACK ALLEY HOOKERS. This cassette compiles two previously released digital full-lengths from November 2025 and January 2026, resulting in over an hour of material. Across that span, there are some dingy garage punk tracks that stand out. Unfortunately, they are surrounded by a much wider sprawl of ideas, including sloppy punk rock, synth-pop experimentation, and acoustic folk tracks. The sheer volume is impressive, but also exhausting. My biggest issue with this project is its seeming lack of restraint. I am not sure what is driving this sense of urgency to keep cranking out release after release on such a tight timeline, unless there is a real life Speed situation where dropping below a certain number of monthly releases triggers dire consequences. If that is the case, someone should probably check on DRU. After listening to this double full-length release, I would say there are maybe five tracks here strong enough to make a pretty killer EP. Sometimes less truly is more.
Hard to parse this cassette—some kind of unholy amalgam of black metal and discordant mathcore. Functionally very tight and well-executed, but somehow this entire release is very disjointed. The songs, even when uptempo, are plodding and anguished. I’m reminded of RASPBERRY BULBS, though EYES HAVE IT trade away the conventions of songwriting for a busyness that makes the riffs opaque and ambiguous. This is challenging music by design and without clear signposts the listener can get lost in the sonic wilderness. The two elements that are in most direct conflict are the vocals and the drums. I’m not sure if it’s a production issue with how it’s mixed or something inherent to the performance, but it’s as if they are both vying for the spotlight, which results in the guitar work washing out almost entirely. And my final gripe: this has very little relevance to punk. Like, I wouldn’t think of this as being punk-adjacent. Maybe there’s something here for the black metal crowd, but I hear many of those people are, uh, purists…so, I dunno.
Hostile Midwestern hardcore street punk steeped in the classics. You’re gonna hear ’80s RAMONES (“Stuck in the Middle”), gruff Oi! (“Hostile Instincts”), pit-opening hardcore (“Broken Cross,” “Cryptic Times”), and some straight sub-60-second burners (“Scenario”). Sometimes you need someone else to take a fresh crack at something you already know and love, and that’s exactly what FALSE NEGATIVE has done here.
Newburgh’s GENERAL GRIEVANCE comes flying out of the pit with a record that understands one of hardcore’s oldest truths: songs don’t need to be long to hit hard. Part bootleg document, part scene artifact, the album is split between a live set on Side A and studio recordings on Side B, offering a before-and-after snapshot of the band. The live tracks are loose and propelled by pure energy, while the studio versions have the screws a bit more tightened. They employ the speed and brevity of classic early hardcore bands like MINOR THREAT and CIRCLE JERKS, but with a sneer that recalls POISON IDEA. The gravel-throated vocals add a dose of MOTÖRHEAD-style grime, which is never a bad thing. Fast, pissed, catchy.
This is one of the more convincing power pop EPs in years, very much in the ’90s style of the genre. I won’t name the references as they’re self-evident, but needless to say, this three-piece from Denver (a city that seems to know its power pop in recent years) knows what they’re doing and oozes with confidence. The melodies are soaring and the sound has a lot of weight to it, bringing plenty in the grit department. I was always a huge fan of the singular BUGG full-length, and this scratches a similar itch. It’s cool and good. What else is there to say?
New-ish band, veteran players that have paid their dues in such diverse bands as PYRAMIDO, SATANIC SURFERS, BURST, and ANCHOR. Since their debut Hardcore 2024, the Malmö band has been in constant forward movement. Distorted Eyes is their first full statement, or as the official line puts it, “ten tracks of unrelenting hardcore punk.” No exaggeration there. The opener “Lies” sets the picture of systems failing, truth being commodified, and everyone’s complicity in it. Lyrics read like headlines chewed up and spit back out through a punk filter. The message is consistent: distrust power, reject passivity, and call out the machinery. Sonically, it’s classic hardcore chassis, but not stuck in time. What makes Distorted Eyes stick is conviction. This is hardcore as a delivery system for change.
Totally crushing hardcore punk from Haarlem, home of fellow D-beaters ANGSTMÄLER and TRAUMATIZER, the latter whose guitarist did the artwork here. INSIDE JOB has a metallic element to their sound—Sorry State drew a comparison to PUBLIC ACID, which is very accurate. Fried vocals accompany frenzied riffs and guitar leads, with a tough rhythm section holding everything together. I’m glad they decided to do a 7” pressing; a wise decision based on the strength of this material.
Bringing a big boom out of Buffalo, JAKE KING gives you exactly what the name of the tape claims. In the spirit of the ’90s revival à la Estrus Records, these five catchy little tunes are painted in a primitive garage sound that’s caked in its own weight. With melodies like a punk rock MONKEES and way-out guitar solos, Jake serves up a version of ’60s-inspired swagger that rings damn fresh and ends too soon. Unless something better comes along to overtake its throne, “2026” is the anthem of the year for all intents and purposes. Promising stuff here; hopefully he’s just warming up.
